FRG Politics and government Flashcards
What was the situation like at the end of the war?
The allies had fully invaded, Hitler was dead, the streets had been bombed by the allies and there was a lack of men due to the deaths in the war. They created the FRG
What where the main political parties?
CDU/CSU - moderate right
SPD - moderate left
KPD - extreme left
FDP - centre
Name three things the basic law included?
Equal rights
Free speech
Universal suffrage over 18
Free state education
What actions did the FRG take to prevent extremism?
.Parties under 5% wouldn’t gain any power
.Strong state governments
Who was Konrad Adenauer?
.German Chancellor from 1949 - 65
.voted best German in 2002
What was Adenauer’s aims?
.Denazify Germany
.Maintain stability in Germany
.Maintain economic growth in Germany
What was Adenauer’s foreign policy?
.strong relations with the Western Europe and the USA
.FRG joned Nato and the EEC
Who was Willy Brandt?
.Chancellor 1913 - 1992
.Started Ostpolitik (communication with East)
.Worsened economic conditions
Who was Helmut Schmidt?
.Chancellor 1974 - 1982
.Advanced security policies in Europe
.Supported Ostpolitik
.Increased welfare then spending cuts
Who was Helmut Kohl
.Chancellor 1974 - 1982
.Spending cuts and tax cuts.
.Conservative
When did Germany surrender?
7th May 1945
What was the state of Germany in 1945?
.Hitler dead
.Four million Germans were dead
.Currency had collapsed
.Cities had been destroyed and there was shortage of housing
What was decided in the Yalta conference February 1945?
.Germany would be divided in four military zones
.Occupation for each zone would be administered by each one of the allies.
.Allied control council representing all four powers would be created to oversee
All 4 zones.
What was decided in the Potsdam conference June 1945?
.De - Nazification - former Nazi’s would be brought to trial to face justice for war crimes.
.De - militarisation
.Democratisation
.Deindustrialisation
What did the Allies do with Germany?
.June 1948 French, American and British zones formed new Trizonia zone and formed new currency called Deutschmark.
.Stalin tried to block allies from Berlin but air supplies made Stalin stop.
.Trizonia became the FRG (Federal Republic of Germany), not officially occupied but a substantial force was still there in response to the Soviet Union.