West Germany 1945-49

Question 1

1. What was agreed as the Potsdam Conference in July and August 1945?

Answer 1

The Allies agreed to split Germany and Berlin up into the four zones of occupation, controlled by each Allied power, but it would be temporary until Germany was re-unified.

Question 2

2. What was the Allied Control Council (ACC), and why was it set up?

Answer 2

It was the governing body to oversee the four zones of occupation, and make decisions across the zones, to keep Germany intact for re-unification.

Question 3

3. Identify two economic problems Germany faced after the Second World War.

Answer 3

20% of houses were destroyed and 30% were badly damaged, and many people were in need of temporary accommodation.
There were also food shortages, as food consumption per day dropped to 950-1150 calories, compared to the 2000 calories recommended.

Question 4

4. What began to develop after the Second World War between the Allies, and how did this affect the development of Germany?

Answer 4

The Cold War developed between the communist East and capitalist West, causing East and West Germany to be permanently divided in the Cold War.

Question 5

5. What was the situation in Eastern Europe by 1948?

Answer 5

Eastern European countries were almost all communist and under Soviet influence.

Question 6

6. Identify three actions the USA took against the USSR in the years 1945 to 1949.

Answer 6

Stopped reparation payments from West Germany to the USSR.
They created the Deutschmark in West Germany.
They formed the Federal Republic of Germany in May 1949.

Question 7

7. Identify three actions the USSR took against the USA in the years 1945 to 1949.

Answer 7

They left the ACC in 1947.
They disallowed Marshall Aid in communist countries.
They created the German Democratic Republic in October 1949.

Question 8

8. When did the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic become independent states?

Answer 8

FRG: 22 May 1949
DRG: 7 October 1949

Question 9

9. Identify two reasons that explain why Germany was not reunited after the Second World War.

Answer 9

Neither side wanted to lose control of their zone of occupation.
They could not agree on whether to have a single capitalist or communist government.

Question 10

1. Describe the “year zero” policy adopted by many Germans and right-wing politicians.

Answer 10

1945 would be a fresh start for the FRG, where they will start moving away from the Nazi legacy of the previous Germany.

Question 11

2. Who was the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany?

Answer 11

Konrad Adenauer

Question 12

3. Identify three ways the Allies tried to de-Nazify Germany after the Second World War.

Answer 12

The Nuremburg Trials caused 12 death sentences and 3 life imprisonments for Nazis.
Nazi books, films or slides were banned in schools.
By late 1946, 250000 ex-Nazis were imprisoned.

Question 13

4. Identify three pieces of evidence that suggest that Germans were not in favour of de-Nazification.

Answer 13

In 1951, 1/4 Germans believed de-Nazification was necessary.
1961: Only 1/3 Frankfurt University students believed in the future of democracy.
Only 1.9% of Germans in the American zone of occupation were found as free from guilt.

Question 14

5. Identify three reasons that explain why the de-Nazification process in Germany was limited (e.g. consider the role of the Allies, the aims of Germany, and the feasibility of the process).

Answer 14

Around 1600 ex-Nazi scientists and doctors agreed to work for the USA instead of being punished.
The West was more interested in containing Communism in the Cold War.
Most Nazis were given amnesties after 1951.

Question 15

1. What was the name of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany?

Answer 15

The Basic Law

Question 16

2. When was the Basic Law (FRG constitution) announced?

Answer 16

23 May 1949

Question 17

3. What did Article 21 of the Basic Law state?

Answer 17

Political parties can be abolished if they wanted to undermine democracy

Question 18

4. Describe the role of the following people/groups in the system of government of the FRG:
   a. The President
   b. The Chancellor
   c. The Bundestag
   d. The Bundesrat

Answer 18

A: A Federal Convention elected the President every 5 years, with the Convention consisting of all Bundestag members, with an equal number of Bundesrat members.
B: Appointed by the President with parliamentary approval. Usually leader of largest Bundestag party. Can’t be dismissed unless a new Chancellor was voting in by the Bundestag. If the Chancellor didn’t have parliamentary support, new elections would be held.
C: Representatives elected by secret ballot of electors every 4 years. Electors were to vote for a regional representative for the Lander, as well as a political party. PR was used with a 5% threshold. Bundestag was to debate, vote on and pass laws.
D: Made up of representatives from the Lander, chosen by those elected to represent the different regions of the country.

Question 19

5. Describe how the role of the following people / groups differed to those outlined in the Weimar Constitution.
   a. The President
   b. The Chancellor
   c. The Bundestag (compare to the Reichstag)
   d. The Bundesrat (compare to the Reichsrat)

Answer 19

A: Elected every 5 not 7 years, by a Federal Convention not by the people.
B: Needed parliamentary approval for appointment. Usually the leader of the largest party, not whoever the President wants. Can’t be dismissed unless a replacement was there, and new elections held in case of no parliamentary support. In Weimar Germany, President chooses Chancellor and election times.
C: Threshold was introduced for PR, unlike in Weimar Germany. People can vote for Lander representatives also.
D: Can’t veto laws anymore unless.

Question 20

6. Identify three features the Basic Law, which aimed to overcome the problems of the Weimar Constitution and prevent the rise of extremist groups in Germany.

Answer 20

Abolition of extremist parties was allowed.
Proportional Representation would have a 5% threshold.
Bundestag had more power to choose whether or not the Chancellor was suitable.

Question 21

7. Identify three similarities of the Basic Law and the Weimar Constitution.

Answer 21

Chancellor was still appointed by the President.
People still vote for parties in the Bundestag.
Proportional Representation remained.