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History A Level - Germany > The FRG - Government, Opposition and Economics > Flashcards

The FRG - Government, Opposition and Economics Flashcards

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1
Q

What happened to Germany at the end of World War Two?

A

Total defeat, surrender by May 1945

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2
Q

Why did total defeat of Germany occur?

A 
Total defeat occurred due to 
• Nazis not fully prepared
• Alliance with Mussolini proved to be of little benefit
• Germany failure to defeat the USSR 
• Manpower and money from the USA
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3
Q

What was agreed at the Potsdam Conference in 1945?

A
  • That Germany and Berlin would be split into 4 zones of occupation to be reunified after stability was restored
  • The Allied Control Council (ACC) was set up to oversee all four zones remained intact for reunification
  • The four zones would be occupied by the USSR, USA, UK and France (There was also The Independent Republic of the Ruhr)
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4
Q

What economic problems arose after WW2?

A
  • Major cities destroyed
  • Housing destroyed - 20% completely, 30% badly damaged
  • Food shortages - people consumed between 950-1150 calories a day
  • Infrastructure (bridges, railways, gas, water) and industry was damaged
  • Nation in huge debt
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5
Q

Why did the Cold War develop?

A
  • Two large superpowers clashed over political ideologies (communism v capitalism)
  • Removal of a common enemy
  • Soviet expansion into eastern Europe (all but Greece communist by 1948)
  • Aggressive American policy of containment
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6
Q

What actions from the west contributed to Germany not being reunified?

A
  • May 1946: USA said West Germany reparations would not go to the USSR
  • May 1947: The creation of Bizonia (USA+UK)
  • 1948: Introduction of the Marshall Plan to aid economic recovery in West Berlin/Germany only
  • June 1948: Deustmark implemented in Bizonia
  • French joining Bizonia after Berlin Blockade
  • September 1948: a Parliamentary Council set up and created for a new nation not including the USSR
  • May 22nd 1949: The Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) established
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7
Q

What actions from the USSR contributed to Germany not being reunified?

A
  • March 1947: left the Allied Control Council
  • The Berlin Blockade of June 1948 to May 1949 (can be seen in response to Deustmark)
  • Establishment of the Germany Democratic Republic in October 1949 (can be seen in response to formation of FRG)
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8
Q

State the timeline of events that lead to the formation of the FRG and GDR

A 
July '45: Potsdam conference
May '46: Reparation payments
Oct '46: Elections in Berlin
Mar '47: USSR left ACC
May '47: Bizonia created
Apr '48: Marshall Aid
Jun '48: Deutschmark introduced in Bizonia/ Berlin Blockade and airlift
Sept '48: formation of Parliamentary Council sans USSR 
May '49: FRG created 
Oct '49: GDR created
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9
Q

What was introduced to the FRG in the constitution?

A

Basic Law - that emphasised the rights of citizens and could not be abolished or suspended by the government

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10
Q

How was government in the FRG structured?

A
  • President was head of state, but elected every 5 years by representative convention
  • The chancellor was appointed by the president but needed bundestag’s approval. Couldn’t be dismissed unless they lost support in bundestag (meant new elctions)
  • The bundestag and bundersrat (formed of representatives from the Lander) were elected
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11
Q

How did the new electoral system in Germany work?

A
  • Bundestag elected through a system of proportional representation and FPTP
  • Parties now needed 5% of the vote before getting representation in the bundestag
  • Extremist paries were banned
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12
Q

What was de-Nazification?

A

The mass removal of former Nazis within positions of power in Germany

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13
Q

What evidence is there that de-nazification was successful?

A
  • Allies forced thousands of Germans to visit concentration camps to confront guilt
  • By late 1946 nearly 250,000 ex Nazis were arrested and held in prison
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14
Q

What evidence is there that de-Nazification we unsuccessful

A
  • Most Nazis given amnesties by 1951
  • Only 1.3% of Germans in British zone punished, 2.6% in French zone
  • Many leading Nazis escaped
  • By 1948 the allies had become more concerned with the Cold War and containing communism
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15
Q

Name the 6 main political parties from left to right of the political spectrum

A 
Independent Social Democrats (SDP) 
Communist Party (KPD)
Centre Party 
Free Democracy Party (FDP)
Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
Christian Social Union of Bravaria (CSU)
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16
Q

What were the outcomes of the first elections in the FRG?

A
  • Not a majority party due to small parties forming coalitions
  • CSU/CDU won 31%, SPD 29.3% and the FDP 11.9%
  • First chancellor of the FRG Konrad Adenauer elected from the CDU
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17
Q

What were Adenauer’s aims for the FRG?

A
  • Create economic stability using a ‘social market’
  • Reunify Germany with a capitalist, western ideology
  • Become strongly integrated with the west
  • Help the poor and refugees by social legislation to prevent the spread of communism
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18
Q

How did Adenauer create stability within the FRG in a democratic way?

A

His forceful personality kept coalitions together until 1957 when the CDU/CSU gained majority

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19
Q

How did Adenauer create stability within the FRG in an undemocratic way?

A
  • 1952 banned Socialist Reich Party (extreme right)
  • 1956 banned the KDP
  • Excluded left wing political parties by making changes to vote allocations and seat in Bundestag
  • His choices to exclude smaller parties meant that there was stability but resulted in 3 party coalitions with shifting coalitions
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20
Q

How did Adenauer undermine stability in the FRG?

A
  • Focus on Western integration meant he was seen to focus little on reunification with the east
  • Criticised for appointing weak ministers who he treated as advisers
  • SPD and FDP objected to his authoritarian management of the Bundestag
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21
Q

Name the Chancellors of the FRG after Adenauer up until reunification

A
  • Ludwig Erhard ‘63 -‘66 (CDU)
  • Kurt Keisinger ‘66 -‘69 (CDU)
  • Willy Brandt ‘69 - ‘74 (SPD)
  • Helmut Schmiddt ‘74 - ‘82 (SPD)
  • Helmut Kohl ‘82 - ‘98 (CDU)
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22
Q

What happened under Erhard and Kiesinger?

A

Erhard tried to introduce emergancy policy to search phones, blocked by the SPD until 1968 when extremist parties rose
Kiesinger entered into grand coaltion with the SPD

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23
Q

What happened to political stabilty after ‘69?

A

Decreased with the rise of extremist parties and the rise of protest groups

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24
Q

What evidence is there of political stability under Brandt?

A
  • Establishment of Ostpolitik that continued until reunifictaion
  • Vote in 1972 saw highest voter turnout ever and lead to SDP majority
  • Improved international relations
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25
Q

What evidence is there of political instability under Brandt?

A
  • Ostpolitk was met with serious oppostions
  • CSU/CDU tried to undermine Brandt
  • Significant FDP and CDU member joined together to try a vote of no confidence in 1972 against Brandt but failed
  • GDR spy infiltrated nad acted as Brandt’s advisor, forcing his resignation
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26
Q

What evidence is there of political stability under Schmidt?

A
  • Careful not to introduce policy that rocked the boat
  • Sought reconciliation with soviet block as well as maintaining relationship with the west (remained part of NATO and joined the EEC)
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27
Q

What evidence is there of political instability under Schmidt?

A
  • Faced opposition from newly formed Greem Party
  • Seen to be as conservative as CSU with high tax and welfare cuts
  • Vote of no confidence in 1982 lead to replacements
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28
Q

What evidence is there of political stability under Kohl?

A
  • Strong economic recovery. GNP rose 1.3% in ‘83, forst growth since 1980
  • Signed the treaty with GDR which unified their political and economic systems
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29
Q

What evidence is there of political instability under Kohl?

A
  • Unemployemnt remained high
  • Opposition from the Greens
  • Terrorism
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30
Q

When was the Berlin Wall constructed?

A

12th August 1961

31
Q

Why was the Berlin Wall constructed?

A

Germans in the east had fled into West Germany to defect. Passports introduced in ‘57 had failed and 90% of the FRG’s refugees were from the GDR

32
Q

What was the impact of the Wall?

A

Families separated
50,000 grenzgangers who were able to travel between twp sides for work
5000 estimated escapes inc. 1300 guards
2000 estimated to have died crossing, mang in the death strip

33
Q

Why did the Berlin wall fall?

A

• Mass allure of West Berlin
increasing poltiical protest in the East lead for calls for people to be able to cross the wall
• Czechoslovakia and Hungary opened borders and defectors went there
• Gunter Schabowki accidentally sent out broadcast on saying the wall could be crossed on Nov 9th ‘89

34
Q

When did the Wall Fall?

A

Nov 9th ‘89
• Confused guards opened the gates at 10:45 PM after crowds gathered
• Deconstructed a few weeks later and Germany reunited on the 3rd Oct 1990

35
Q

What were the main issues that the FRG faced after WW2?

A
  • War damage
  • Refugees
  • Unemployment
  • Reparations
  • Differences between zones
36
Q

What did the allies do to stop Germany rearming after the war?

A

Industries that were considered war industries (eg Steel) were banned, 10bn in equipment and machinery were seized as reparations were seized

37
Q

What did the disparities between zones result in?

A
  • The Soviets limiting economic growth by dismantling factories
  • Transport links across the zones failed due to differences in each zone
38
Q

What issues with immigration after the war?

A
  • 160,000 POW stayed in France
  • 10 million migrants came from Eastern Europe under the reallocation of land at Potsdam
  • Due to devastation due to the many people decided not to return to Germany
39
Q

What other economic problems did Germany face?

A

The failing reichsmark meant that a black marked emerged and workers couldn’t buy anything on the regular market

40
Q

When did the economic miracle take place?

A

From 1949 - 63 under Ludwig Erhard as economic minister

41
Q

What were Erhard’s policies towards the economy?

A
  • Believed in a social market economy
  • June 1948 replaced the Reichmark with the Deutschmark
  • Abolished rationing and price controls
  • The Equalisation of the Burdens Act to compensate those who had lost everything in the war
42
Q

What factors contributed to the economic miracle?

A

• Marshall Aid - by 1951 given $1.5bn, provided stimulus to the economy and boost in morale
• Korean War (started in 1950) -joined NATO in ‘55 and were allowed to start producing goods (chemicals, steel and electrical good) which helped to generate money for the economy
New investment - investment in factories/equipment led to production of good quality goods for cheap value, created a good reputation for German goods. Exports led to reinvestment in business and more production
Guest workers - 3.6mil workers came from GDR, many highly skilled. Saved government money on training FRG citizens

43
Q

Evidence that Erhard’s policies during the economic miracle worked

A
  • More goods in shops, people stopped hoarding good and bought in shops based on quality
  • Compensation for war damage meant people could rebuild lives
  • Steel production doubled
  • Car production was 4.5 times greater in 1955 than 1950
44
Q

Evidence Erhard’s economic policies were not fully successful

A
  • Machinery needed replacing/worker laid off

* Unemployment rose from 442,000 to 1.8 million from 1948-50

45
Q

What happened during the recession of 1966-7?

A
  • Trade reduced unemployment increased, trade decreased
  • Guest workers left - 1.3mil to 991,000 in a year
  • Public spending out of control (eg benefits, work programmes)
46
Q

What measures were taken to handle the recession of 1966-7? Were they successful?

A
  • New minster Schiller increased gov. intervention in economy
  • Subsidies given to agriculture + coal industry
  • Reduction in cartels to stop price fixes
  • ‘67 Economic Stabilisation Law led to gov. intervention at a time of crisis, set out 5 years of spending
  • Addition to Basic law saying gov. could move money from richer to poorer lander

It did not solve the crisis, Schmidt replaced Schiller in ‘72

47
Q

Describe the events of the two Oil Crises in 1973 and 78

A

Fourth Arab Israeli war broke out and drove up OPEC oil prices (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries)
• The FRG got 40% of its oil from OPEC
•Had to spend 32.8 billion and 49 billion repectively on 140 tonnes of oil in ‘73 and ‘78

48
Q

How did the government deal with the gaps caused by spending on oil? Was this effective?

A
  • Guest workers contracts not renewed to aid with unemployment
  • Spending cuts and higher income tax
  • Car-free Sundays and speed limits introduced to lower oil usage

Reduction in oil usage led to faster recovery than in other countries, also helped by healthy exports to other nations

49
Q

What economic challenges did the 80s produce?

A
  • Gaps between richest and poorest widened
  • Hostility towards guest workers
  • Prices began to rise with inflation
  • 1981 - unemployment = 1.7 million
50
Q

How did the government tackle the economic issues in the 80s? Did they help?

A
  • Exports remained good
  • Cuts to benefits and public housing spending
  • More cuts by Kohl - maternity benefit, public holiday, retirement reduced to 58, partially privatised government-owned industry such as Volkswagen and airline Lufthansa)

Cuts were deeply unpopular, produced small amount of economic growth, but unemployment was lowest by 1989

51
Q

What four factors led to the increase and severity of opposition in the FRG between 1950 - 1970.

A
  • Rise in disaffected youth who questioned failed de-Nazification/Year Zero
  • Government methods used to tackle opposition
  • Lack of leftist politics represented
  • FRG’s association with the imperialist West and their pursuits abroad (NATO and Vietnam)
52
Q

In 1950 which three groups opposed the government and why?

A
  • The KDP - criticised economic aims, emphasised need for socialism (land reform, new educational system and democratic government)
  • Socialist Reich Party (fascists) - ex Nazis, condemmed dependence upon the USA
  • Social Democratic Party (SDP) - critical of ‘Atlanticist’ aims due to western ties, question how democratic Adenauer was being, disliked year zero. Economically wanted nationalised banks, land and key industries as well as significant social welfare)
53
Q

How did the Adenauer government tackle opposition in the 50s?

A
  • From the KPD - Employment Law of 1950, use of the BFV, banned in 56 under Article 21 of Basic Law, water cannons used against 6000 protestors in ‘53
  • From Socialist Reich Party - Banned in ‘52 under Article, 21, Employment ban, Year Zero, use of the BFV to investigate those viewed to be working against the Basic law
  • From the SPD - Employment Law, prevented from being represented in Bundestag in 1949 despite getting 29.2% of the vote
54
Q

What were the BFV?

A

the service that investigated people who were viewed to be extremists, gained power under Emergency powers (eg opening mail, bugging phones)

55
Q

Why did the Adenauer not face more opposition?

A
  • Memory of the Nazis meant people were likely to join extremist parties
  • Economic stability
  • Postwar recovery required
  • Popular support for democracy
56
Q

What events happened in terms of the FRG’s national reputation by the 1960s?

A
  • Joining NATO in 1955
  • March 1957 - signed the Treaty of Rome which formed the EEC
  • Regarded as having good economic growth under the economic miracle
57
Q

Why did the youth in FRG begin to protest in the 60s?

A
  • Objected to the Year Zero - “What did you do in the war daddy?”, wanted to confront past
  • Protested military, its involvement with NATO and suggestions the creating of a nuclear arsenal was going to be built
  • Dislike towards the USA and the Vietnam War and the FRG’s close ties to the nation
58
Q

What were the two well-known youth/young professional protest groups

A

Extra-Parliamentary Opposition (APO) and the German Socialist Student Union (SDS)

59
Q

Why did the APO form?

A
  • Conservative gov.’s distrust for young intellectuals
  • Dispanding of the KPD and other left-wing parties
  • Reduced radicalisation of the SDP from ‘59
  • Coalition between Keisinger/CD and the SPD left people on the left feeling underrepresented and a lack of opposition in the Bundestag
60
Q

What were the APO’s tactics?

A
  • Some supported radical theories on how to oppose the government
  • Violent political protest began to gather force again
61
Q

Why did the SDS form?

A

Broke away from the SPD due to vieing it as not radical enough

62
Q

What did the SDS protest?

A
  • Human rights and moral issues around the world
  • Vietnam, Nuclear weapons, former Nazi official holding office
  • The Emergency Law - 80,000 incl. SDS saw this as a violation of the Basic Law
63
Q

How did people respond to the SDS protest?

A
  • Police clash in 1967 led to the shooting of student Benno Ohnesorg
  • Right wing shot SDS leader Rudi Dutschke which sparked the Easter Riots (an attack on officers of the Springer Press all over the FRG)
64
Q

How did dissent change between the 50s the 60s?

A
  • Who - politicians to citizens
  • Left-wing still and more prevalent
  • Methods became more violent
  • Active right wing on local level (NDP - National Democratic Party gained seats in the Lander)
65
Q

What did the 1968 Emergency Law do?

A

Approved by 2/3 majority on May 30th, amended basic law to allow increased power of arrest and surveillance such as phone tapping which would have previously violated the basic law

66
Q

How did the government tackle the APO and SDS?

A
  • The Emergency Law

* Use of the BFV and BND to investigate

67
Q

What were the key issues protested against in the 70s?

A
  • View that there was an oppressive and authoritarian regime in power
  • Failed de-Nazification (eg Keisinger in power)
  • Association with western imperialism
68
Q

What initial groups protested in the late 60s/early 70s?

A
  • West Berlin Tupamaros - formed 1969, set off bombs, disbanded following shooting/imprisonment of leaders•
  • Kommune - tried to bomb Nixon’s motorcade on a visit in 1969
  • Socialist Patients Collective (SPK) - failed to bomb Keisinger’s train in 1971
  • Black September - Palestinian terror group killed 11 Israeli athletes after taking them hostage at th 1972 Olympic Games in Munish, demanding the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners in prison in Israel
69
Q

What groups was formed in early 1970?

A

The Baader Meinhof Gang / The Red Army Faction (RAF)

70
Q

What notable attacks did the Baader Meinhof Gang do?

A
  • Attacks on judges and lawyers involved in key members imprisonment after death of Hoglar Meins in prison due to hunger strike
  • Bank robberies from ‘70-‘72
  • Bombing head of the US army in Frankfurt and Heidelberg, police stations in Ausberg and Munich, Hamburg HQ for Springer Press in ‘72
71
Q

What happened after 1975?

A
  • Majority of Baader Meinhof Gang imprisoned and terrorist incidents decreased
  • Slight resurgence in under Kohl (1983-98)- Rein-Main and Frankfurt Airport bombed
72
Q

How did the government tackle the Baader-Meinhof Gang?

A
  • Emergency Law to catch and prosecute terrorist
  • BFV and BND
  • Establishment of BEFA (system that centralised access to all police information in the FRG)
  • GSC - 9 (specialist unit to catch terrorists), successfully rescued hostages on a hijacked plane on its way to Frankfurt
73
Q

Evidence that there was popular support for democracy from 1949 - 89

A
  • Only time election turn out was below 84% was in 1949 ( in Britain it was always lower than the FRG only peaking at 79%)
  • 1960 survey showed majority to people felt democracy was the best form of government
  • Research by Allenbach Institute showed no. of people that believed the Bundestag represented public interest double from ‘51 to ‘64 and public support for the monarchy went from 1/3 to 1/10
  • People demonstrated against government attempts to make the basic law more restrictive
  • Marched in support of nations combatting oppressive regimes (eg against trade with South Africa)
  • protested against Ostpolitik as it would involve association with oppressive USSR regime
74
Q

Evidence that there was a lack of support for democracy from 1949 - 89

A
  • The no. of people who thought de-nazification was necessary fell from 2/3 to a quarter from 1949-51
  • Former Nazi jurist were absolved back into system (making up 95% in some counties). Responsible for upholding some Nazi laws (eg Law of the prevention of Hereditary Diseases existed till ‘74)

History A Level - Germany (7 decks)

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