The Creation of the Federal Republic of Germany (1945-49) Flashcards
What happened to Germany after WW2?
- It was split into 4 zones, each one controlled by either Britain, France, the USSR and the USA, but was to be administered as one country
- Berlin, which was in the Soviet zone, was also split into 4 zones
How did the Allies run Germany?
- They had an Allied Control Council that represented all of them and oversaw all 4 zones
What were the Allies’ 3 main aims when it came to Germany?
- De-Nazification
- Demilitarisation so Germany wouldn’t wage an aggressive war again
- Democratisation
Which political parties reappeared, and when?
- The KPD and the SPD
- June 1945
What had changed about the SPD and KPD? Give 2 examples for each.
- The KPD was less radical
- They wanted a democratic government and land reform
- The SPD became more left-wing
- They wanted to nationalise banks, land and key industries, and to provide more welfare
Which party attempted to unsuccessfully re-establish itself?
- The Centre Party
Which new parties were set up?
- The Christian Democratic Union, CDU
- The Christian Social Union of Bavaria, CSU
- The Free Democratic Party, FDP
When were the CDU and the CSU set up? What were 2 things they had in common?
- 1945
- They were church-based
- Social welfare was a focus for both of them
When was the FDP formed, and how?
- 1947
- All of the liberal parties realised that by having multiple parties with similar aims, like in Weimar, they were splitting their vote and reducing their power
- They therefore formed one party together
What were 2 steps taken by the Western powers that caused the separation of Germany?
- In March 1948 Marshall Aid was given to the Western zones, which broke the agreement to have economic unity in all of the zones
- In June 1948 the Deutschmark was introduced as the new currency in the Western zones
When did Germany separate, and what did it separate into?
- May 1949: formation of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG)
- October 1949: formation of the German Democratic Republic (GDR)
What was the constitution of the FRG called? When was it ratified?
- The Basic Law
- May 1949
What was the purpose of the Basic Law?
- To act as a temporary constitution until Germany was reunited
What were 3 main aspects of the Basic Law?
- Equal rights to all Germans regardless of sex, race or religion
- Free speech and the freedom to form unions and other groups
- State education for all (even though private schooling was allowed)
Give an example of how the Basic Law was non-democratic.
- It was possible to ban political parties
What type of government did Germany have after the war?
- A federal government
What were the 2 houses in Germany’s government? Which was the upper house and the lower house?
- The Bundestag, the lower house
- The Bundesrat, the upper house
How was it decided who would make up the Bundestag? Give 3 details.
- Secret ballots were held every 4 years
- Half of the seats were allocated to parties through proportional representation, provided that they had over 5% of the vote
- The other half of the seats were given to constituency members elected by ‘first past the post’
What did the Bundestag do? Give 2 examples.
- Pass the laws of the country
- Could take control over the country through a vote of no-confidence
How was it decided who would make up the Bundesrat?
- They were chosen by representatives of the Länder
What was the role of the Bundesrat?
- Assented to or vetoed legislation
What was done to prevent the government from abusing its power like under Weimar and the Nazis? Give 3 details.
- A federal constitutional court was empowered to:
- uphold the law
- make sure that the government acted legally
- guarantee basic civil rights, which could be legally suspended under the Weimar Constitution
Who was the most important politician according to the Basic Law?
- The chancellor
Describe 2 aspects of the chancellor’s position.
- They were only responsible to the Bundestag
- They could only be removed by a ‘constructive’ vote of no confidence in the Bundestag
What was a constructive vote of no confidence?
- A vote of no confidence where an alternative party was ready to take power with sufficient support to form a majority in the Bundestag
What was done to improve the role of the chancellor? Give 2 examples.
- They were now only responsible to the Bundestag, instead of both the Reichstag and the president
- They could only be removed by a constructive vote of no confidence to ensure stability and continuity, as before they could be dismissed by a simple vote of no confidence or by the president
Who was the head of state under the Basic Law?
- The president
What were 2 changes made to the role of the president?
- They mostly had a ceremonial role and had very limited powers in the case of an emergency, as opposed to being able to dissolve the Reichstag, appoint and dismiss the government, and pass decrees
- Before they had been elected directly by the people for a 7 year term, and there wasn’t a maximum number of terms
- Under the Basic Law, they were elected by a Federal Convention made up of an equal number of Bundestag and Bundesrat members, for a maximum of 2 five-year terms
How were the states governed?
- Each had its own Länder, elected either every 4 or every 5 years
How were the Länder protected?
- The federal constitution court could settle disputes between them and the central government
Who made up the electorate?
- Men and women 21 and older
When did the first elections to the Bundestag take place? What was the turnout?
- August 1949
- 79%
What were the results of the first election to the Bundestag?
- The CDU/CSU won with 31% of the vote
- The SPD had won 29% of the vote
Who was the first chancellor of the FRG, and which party did he come from?
- Konrad Adenauer
- Leader of the CDU
