West Germany: The Political nature of the FRG (1949 - 1963)

Question 1

What happened to relations between the FRG and GDR after 1949?

Answer 1

Relations became increasingly worse as the FRG became closer with the West and the GDR became closer with the USSR

Question 2

What was the Hallstein Doctrine?

Answer 2

• Sign by FRG in 1955
• FRG stated they would not legally recognised GDR as a separate, independent country and refused to accept GDR as lawful government

Question 3

When did the first election in the Bundestag take place?

Answer 3

August 14 1949

Question 4

Which 4 main political parties won seats in the first election in the Bundestag?

Answer 4

• The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU)
• The Free Democracy Party (FDP)
• The Social Democratic Party (SPD)
• The German Communist Party (KPD)

Question 5

Which party received the most votes in the first election in the Bundestag?

Answer 5

CDU and CSU; 31% of votes

Question 6

Who was appointed the first Chancellor of the FRG?

Answer 6

Konrad Adenauer

Question 7

Who did Adenauer work closely within the wider world and why?

Answer 7

• He wanted to work closely to the west
• To bring about economic recovery in Germany
• Protect countries from communism
• Gain support and trust of Western countries
• Encourages West to revise terms of occupational statute.

Question 8

Why were there less political parties elected to the Bundestag in comparison to the years of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 8

• Government is more polarised with more parties

- Reduced power of each individual party if there were a large number of parties with similar aims

Question 9

What did some critics name Adenauer’s leadership and why?

Answer 9

“Chancellor dictatorship” because they suggested he had more power than the Basic law allowed.

Question 10

Identify 2 political parties that were banned in the 1950s under Article 21 of the Basic law

Answer 10

• The Socialist Reich Party; 1952

- The KPD; 1956

Question 11

What did the CDU/CSU eventually win in 1957?

Answer 11

Won a majority vote and could form a majority government

Question 12

What was Article 131 of the Basic law and why was it introduced?

Answer 12

Allowed ex-Nazis to work in the civil service

Question 13

Identify 2 pieces of evidence which suggest that Adenauer’s leadership was ‘undemocratic’

Answer 13

• Until 1955, Adenauer controlled both domestic and foreign policy as both Chancellor and Foreign Minister
• Critics in the SPD and FDP objected his authoritarian style leadership and forceful management of the Bundestag

Question 14

Identify 2 pieces of evidence that suggest there was any political stability under leadership of Adenauer

Answer 14

• Coalition government functioned

- More difficult for extremist parties to win power