Political And Governmental Change 1945-1989

Question 1

When did Germany surrender in ww2?

Answer 1

7th May 1945

Question 2

Who took control of the German government after Germany surrendered in ww2?

Answer 2

USA, France, UK, USSR

Question 3

What happened to Hitler?

Answer 3

He committed suicide in May 1945

Question 4

What happened to the institutions and currency?

Answer 4

Institutions did not function and the currency had collapsed

Question 5

When was the Yalta Conference and what was decided?

Answer 5

February 1945
-Germany to be divided into 4 zones between US, USSR, GB and France
-an Allied Control Council representing all 4 powers would be created to oversee all 4 zones

Question 6

What was decided at the Potsdam conference and when was it?

Answer 6

June 1945
De-nazification : former Nazis brought to trial to face justice for war crimes
De-militarisation : to ensure that Germany could never wage aggressive wars again
Deindustrialisation : dismantling large industrial concerns in order to keep Germany weak as well as compensate the USSR
Democratisation : Germany should be made democratic

Question 7

What is Trizonia and when was in formed?

Answer 7

June 1948
British, American and French zones unified one zone known as Trizonia

Question 8

What was the new currency known as?

Answer 8

Deutschmark

Question 9

Berlin Blockade

Answer 9

24th June 1948, Stalin attempted to force allies out of Berlin by cutting of all land and water connections into non-soviet Berlin and stopping all rail and road traffic. He cut off water and food supply.
Allied powers launched a massive airlift to bring supplies into Berlin. At one stage, planes full of supplies reached Berlin every 30 seconds. Stalin’s blockade had failed and on 12 may 1949 he lifted it

Question 10

What did Trizonia become and when

Answer 10

Federal Republic of Germany, 23rd May 1949

Question 11

What did the Soviets do in response to the creation of FRG?

Answer 11

Established east Germany as the German Democratic Republic (GDR)

Question 12

What was the CDU?

Answer 12

-1945 = two Church based groups were set up
-Christian democratic Union
-Christian Social union of Bavaria
-had a Christian outlook, idea of social support for the poorest was common amongst these faith based groups

Question 13

Summary of the SPD in the FRG

Answer 13

-June 1945 = SPD reformed
-many leaders had been in concentration camps so SPD used this to gain a moral ‘advantage’ and used this to urge the Allies to give Germans a greater say in establishing as government
-polices were more radical than the KPD e.g nationalisation of banks

Question 14

Summary of the KPD in the FRG

Answer 14

-first political party to be reformed in June 1945
-did not want a soviet style system
-key message was to control extremism
-wanted ‘German socialism’ not capitalism, with land reform, new education system and democratic government
-had to change because they are in a capitalist area

Question 15

Summary of the FDP in the FRG

Answer 15

-1947, a number of small liberal groups formed the Free Democratic Party and pursued centrist policies

Question 16

What was the Basic law?

Answer 16

The new constitution

Question 17

What is a federal system?

Answer 17

When power is divided up between states

Question 18

How was the form of government different in the Basic Law and the Weimar constitution?

Answer 18

-weimar = parliamentary republic with a president as a head of state
-did not explicitly say a federal state

-basic law = federal parliamentary republic with a president as the head of state and a chancellor as the head of government
-Article 1 : “Germany is a democratic and social federal state”

Question 19

How was the separation of powers different in the Weimar constitution and the basic law?

Answer 19

• both provided a separation for powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government
• Weimar’s article 1 and basic law’s article 20 both establish the principle of the rule of law and provide independence of the judiciary

Question 20

How were the democratic principles different in weimar and basic law?

Answer 20

-both establish democracy as the foundation
-Weimar’s article 1 and basic law’s article 20 both declare Germany as democratic state and that all state authority is derived from the people

Question 21

How were the powers of the president different in weimar and basic law?

Answer 21

-weimar = president had extensive powers = power to dissolve reichstag, appoint and dismiss chancellors, rule by decree in certain circumstances
-whereas basic aw = large ceremonial role , serves for unity of people.
-article 58 = president has power to appoint and dismiss the chancellor but this power is largely symbolic and is exercised on the advice of the Bundestag

Question 22

How is the protection of individual rights different in weimar and the basic law?

Answer 22

-basic law = more extensive and detailed list of fundamental rights than weimar
-article 2 of basic law =right to free development of personality
-also contains provisions for protecting human dignity, which were absent in weimar
-article 39 = protect individual rights, independent constitutional court + constitutionality of laws

Question 23

How is the electoral system different in weimar and basic law?

Answer 23

-weimar = proportional representation =often led to unstable coalition governments
-basic law = mixed-member proportional representation = combines single-member constituencies with party-list proportional representation, aiming to produce more stable governments

Question 24

How were emergency powers different from Weimar to basic law?

Answer 24

-weimar = provisions for the use of emergency powers which were often abused by nazis
-basic law = provisions for use of emergency powers but the are more limited and subject t strict constitutional oversight
-article 81 = state of emergency to be declared in case of a threat to the existence or the free democratic basic order of the federation or a state but such declaration must be approved by the Bundestag

Question 25

How is the federal structure different in weimar and basic law?

Answer 25

-both establish federal system of government where power is shared between central government and the individual states
-weimar article 18 and basic law article 20 both establish principle of federalism and provide for the division of powers between federal government and individual states

Question 26

How was the military different in the weimar constitution than the basic law?

Answer 26

-weimar = provided standing army and gave president the power to declare war and make peace
-basic law = established Bundeswehr as the armed forces of Germany and limits use of military force to defensive purposes
-basic law requires approval of the Bundestag for any deployment of the Bundeswehr abroad

Question 27

Similarities between the nazi state and the FRG

Answer 27

Both had emergency powers
Both used elections
Both banned political parties : hitler in 1933, KPD banned in 1956

Question 28

What were the election trends in the FRG between 1949 and 1963?

Answer 28

-CDU always had majority of votes : 31% in 1949, 46% in 1961
-CDU support did decrease slightly 1957 = 50.3%, 1961 = 46%
-FDP always had fewest votes : 11.9% in 1949, 12.1% in 1961

Question 29

Facts about Konrad Adenauer 1949-1965

Answer 29

-formed CDU
-promoted public works scheme after Great Depression such as building motorways
-first chancellor of FRG and instrumental in writing Basic law so benefitted from it
-1960 = other members of the CDU put pressure on him to retire = he advocated a change in the constitution so he could serve as president for foreign affairs

Question 30

What qualities did Adenauer have?

Answer 30

Could be arrogant and dictorial and clung onto power for too long.
Dear Spiegel Affair in 1963 = saw his government accused of press censorship and unfair imprisonment

Question 31

What was Adenauer’s propaganda similar to?

Answer 31

Hitler’s propaganda

Question 32

What did Adenauer do with former Nazis?

Answer 32

Embraced them as well as emigrants from Eastern Europe and GDR

Question 33

How did Adenauer attract support?

Answer 33

He used strong anti-communist sentiment during the 1950s which was fermented further during the Cold War tensions between USA and USSR

Question 34

Who did Adenaur’s polices appeal to?

Answer 34

Urban and rural voters and attracted the middle ground of politics as they appealed to moderates who favoured stability over experiment

Question 35

What simple slogans did Adenauer use to attract support?

Answer 35

‘Affluence for all’
‘No experiments’
=appealed to conservative workers

Question 36

What did Adenauer introduce?

Answer 36

Domestic polices and foreign policy

Question 37

What was the Equalisation of Burdens act?

Answer 37

1952 = offered compensation to the victims of the wartime bombing campaigns on Germany and those expelled by lands in the east
=saw the most significant redistribution of income in German history.= tax of 5% on every citizen with a net worth of more than DM 5,000 payable in 30 instalments = by 1983, DM126 billion had been raised by this measure

Question 38

What was the Construction law?

Answer 38

1950= grants provided to Lander and cities to encourage large scale building projects and to reduce the need for temporary accommodation
=by 1957 resulted in the building of 4 million new homes for Germans and helped German refugees and those expelled from other countries become integrated into FRG

Question 39

What was the Work Consultation law?

Answer 39

1952 = encouraged the establishment of worker consultative councils in any enterprise where 20 or more people were employed
=reduced tensions between employers and employees and allowed Adenauer’s government to focus on continuing to grow the economy dung this period. = more stable industrial relations meant fewer strikes

Question 40

How did Adenauer think long term stability could be achieved?

Answer 40

Strong relations with Western Europe and the United States.
Adenauer saw this as a priority rather than focusing on German unification

Question 41

What did the FRG enter and when?

Answer 41

Entry into the Council of Europe and Organisation for European Economic Co-operation 1949

Question 42

When was the FRG admitted to NATO?

Answer 42

May 1955

Question 43

Summary of the FRG and the EEC

Answer 43

By the early 1960s, Adenauer saw the FRG’s role in a strong Western Europe as important economically as as a means to ensure they did not become too drawn to the USA.

Question 44

What did Adenauer believe the UK would do to the EEC?

Answer 44

Undermine it because of its economic and political ties to the USA and therefore supported France in blocking British membership in 1963

Question 45

What were the 2 types of challenges to Adenauer?

Answer 45

Re-emergence of the SPD
His own mistakes

Question 46

Summary of the re-emergence of the SPD which challenged Adenauer

Answer 46

-by the late 1950s, SPD had re-emerged as a stronger rival to the CDU and had changed their policies to embrace much of the CDU’s economic goals and had moved to become less associated with strong left wing socialism. = more practical ruling party for the German voters

Question 47

What were Adenauer’s own mistakes?

Answer 47

-criticised for not immediately visiting Berlin in 1961 when the Berlin was was constructed by the East German government = by 1961, CDU had lost majority in parliament
-criticised for attempting to disobey the German constitution in 1959 by trying to make himself president whilst still being chancellor, uniting 2 roles was a serious error in judgement =(given previous history)

Question 48

What was the Der Spiegel Affair?

Answer 48

1962: editors of magazine arrested as magazine had written articles criticising the army’ ability to defend the country. There were widespread protests as many feared that the government was becoming to authoritarian

Question 49

Summary of what Ludwig Erhard did

Answer 49

-CDU leader and chancellor who replaced Adenauer in 1963
-continued to support development of the economic and social policies that had earned widespread approval during the Adenauer years
-launched a new social and economic programme which encouraged growth of cooperation within a social market economy
-this caused inflation to rise in 1966 so Erhard was forced to reduce spending and raise interest rates

Question 50

Summary of Kurt Georg Kiesinger

Answer 50

-CDU leader 166-1969
-entered ‘grand coalition’ and Willy Brandt became his deputy and foreign minister
-criticised by political opponents for being a former member of the nazi party
-formed a coalition with the SPD and CDU due to economic challenges
-criticised due to amendment of constitution to establish elected committee that could enact emergency measures when confronted with serious threat
-German’s on left opposed policy viewing it as authoritianism and endangering individuals freedoms and democracy within the FRG

Question 51

Summary of Willy Brandt

Answer 51

-led first SPD government in FRG and people had high expectations of his ministry
-spoke on daring more democracy
-introduced policy of Ostpolitik : compromising with the GDR and building better relations between the two countries

Question 52

Summary of Helmut Schmidt

Answer 52

-elections of 1976, formed coalition with FDP
-continued to support Ostpolitik and showed ability to deal with serious threats such as terrorism form the RAF in late 1970s
-party suffered from divisions such as policies aimed at reducing inflation, growing tensions with the FDP

Question 53

Summary of Helmut Kohl

Answer 53

-introduced new economic policies and returned to supporting ‘social market economy’ by Erhard
-called for new elections in March 1983 = new coalition government which faced difficulties such as rising unemployment
-criticised for not dealing with corruption linked to members of the FDP and German big businesses such as Flick Corporation

Question 54

Name the 4 big points that were threats to the stability of the FRG?

Answer 54

1. East/west relations
2. Opposition from smaller parties and pressure groups
3. The economy
4. Scandals and corruption

Question 55

Summary of east and west relations that threaten the stability of the FRG
How might they not threaten the stability

Answer 55

-East Germany = communist state, those resisting the government were spied on and imprisoned by secret police (stasi), anyone trying to cross the border would be shot
-Hallstein doctrine adopted by Adenauer made a strong stand against communist east Germany. Abandoning this makes it seem like FRG was no longer committed to Western democracy

East and west shared common language, traditions, culture, advantages in trade = FRG and GDR remain in the medium term and negotiate better relationship
Policy of Ostpolitik

Question 56

Summary of how opposition from smaller parties ad pressure groups threatened the stability of the FRG

Answer 56

-late 1960s, took part in public protests which occasionally ended in violence
-German Federation of Trade Unions = umbrella organisation of trade unions founded in 1949 which helped the workers have a stronger and more united voice
-west german communist party (DKP) part replaced banned one in 1966 as being anti-democratic : received financing from the GDR but never had more than 50,000 members and won little electoral support in local and national elections
-Greens = reformed into political party in 980, won increasing share of the vote

Question 57

How did the economy threaten the stability of the FRG?

Answer 57

-oil crisis in 1973 and 1977, unemployment and inflation in late 1970s and mid 1980s
-increase in public spending in 1970s = national debt rose form 16% in 1970 to 40% by 1982
-Kohl’s polices of cost cutting and privatisation in 1980s were unpopular and caused trade union opposition. : powerful campaign for 35 hour week and significant strikes in 1984 in printing and metal industries although industrials relations were good in Germany at this time

Heavy industries decline in Ruhr, microelectronic industries grew = adaptability of German economy

Question 58

How did scandals and corruption cause a threat to the FRG?

Answer 58

-Flick Affair : FDP finance minister had to resign 1984 due to scandal over tax exemptions. Company had been allowed to sell shares without paying usual taxes. Later discovered all other major parties had behaved in a similar way
-The Barschel-Engholm Affair:1989, press alleged that president of the state of Schleswig (Holstein) had bugged offices of his main rival in order to find evidence that he as guilty of tax evasion: Barschel forced to resign and later committed suicide in a Swiss hotel