To what extent does Adenauer deserve to be regarded as the 'Father' of the federal republic

Question 1

Criteria/ judgement

Answer 1

Adenauer was certainly a success as leader of the FRG through his economic policies especially, but relied heavily on the allies and legacy of the war for him to be so successful, as he often used these things to further his own position, as well as economic guidance by Erhard.

Question 2

Economic

Answer 2

agree facts

• he had Germany join the European steel and coal community in 1951 which increased trade due to a lack of tariffs, allowing Germany to rebuild quicker and improve its European reputation
• Adenauer helped improve home ownership and access to consumer goods, and saw real wages double from 1950-64
• Adenauer also Joined the EEC in 1957 which saw further tariff free trade, as well as helping improve foreign relations further to prevent another war, increasing economic stability and helping to fuel the economic miracle

Disagree

• It was his minister for economics Erhard who ultimately directed Adenauer towards his foreign agreements because he was a world renowned economist, who helped drive Germany towards a more technologically advanced economy
• marshall aid money of $1.3bn from USA provided the capital investment needed for Germany to make such substantial economic improvements, suggesting Adenauer relied heavily on this for the economic miracle

Question 3

Political

Answer 3

Agree-

• Making Professor Hallstein the leading servant in the foreign office advanced the FRGs position compared to the GDR, by diplomatically, politically and economically isolating them through the Hallstein doctrine
• Adenauer managed to gain an army of 150,000 troops owing to fear of the Korean War in 1950, despite being demilitarised following WW2 in November 1949, showing his trustworthy nature and pragmatism to try and protect Germany
• he was instrumental in negotiations involving the German treaty, in which France compromised greatly, and therefore helped Germany join NATO in may 1955

Disagree-

• Schumachers awful electoral campaign in 1949, including his closed style economics and connotations to communism despite simultaneously trying to oppose communism meant Adenauer was more favoured of the two candidates, and was helped by Schumachers failure rather than just his own success
• the legacy of WW2 and split of Germany meant it was quite simple for Adenauer to oppose communism to gain him foreign favour and domestic support, he was really just pragmatically using this to his advantage to gain support

Question 4

Social-

Answer 4

Agree-

• his de-nazification programmed from 1951 onwards included annulling 1.2million previous nazi sympathisers to pursue ‘politics from the past’ and allow people a chance of redemption
• his 131 laws allowed 150,000 former Nazis back into government, including Hans Globke who helped write the Nuremberg laws
• 66% of the foreign office were former nazis; Adenauer was trying to set an example of re-intergration in the best interest of the German future and allow them to rebuild after the war

Disagree-

• the process was not without its problems, the Fragebogen in the American zone had 133 questions and stopped Germans from gaining welfare or working, prohibiting the re building of Germany and causing some social unrest
• black markets of work permits were created as people were desperate to get money
• -Auschwitz trials Poland 1947 and Nuremberg trials October 1946 were done by the allies to rightfully trial Nazis, but Adenauer saw this as too harsh