7. germany- impact of defeat and occupation of germany 1945-1955 Flashcards
(24 cards)
When did Germany surrender in World War II?
Germany surrendered in May 1945.
What significant event occurred on 30 April 1945?
in 1945, soviet forces entered Berlin and on 30 April, Hitler killed himself.
When did Germany sign a full surrender?
Germany signed a full surrender on 7 May 1945 and was soon occupied by the Allies.
Who were the first to occupy Berlin after the German surrender?
The Soviets were the first to occupy Berlin.
What was decided at the Potsdam Conference in July 1945?
It was decided that Germany would be divided into two states and denazified, demilitarised, and democratised.
Which countries occupied Berlin after its division?
Berlin was split among the USA, Britain, France, and the USSR.
What did denazification involve?
Denazification included banning the Nazi Party, arresting threats to Allied control, introducing a new education system, and punishing Nazi criminals at the Nuremberg Trials.
Did the Soviets and Allies have the same approach to denazification?
No, the Soviets and the Allies had different approaches to denazification.
What was the Soviet approach to denazification?
The Soviets wanted to stamp out Nazism, destroying all evidence of it. Nazi officials were sent to camps, one-third of German teachers were removed, and around 30,000 Germans were convicted for involvement with the Nazis.
What was the Western Allies’ approach to denazification?
Leading Nazis were arrested, Germans over eighteen had to reveal their political beliefs and past jobs, and the German Review Board investigated around 3.5 million cases, resulting in about 4,000 guilty findings and just under 500 executions.
What did the western Allies want to achieve with denazification?
The Allies aimed to re-educate Germans to understand the horror of Nazi atrocities.
What were the differing ideas about Germany’s future between the Allies?
The Western Allies wanted to rebuild Germany to prevent extremism and develop trade links, while the Soviets wanted reparations and believed Germany should be divided.
What was Marshall Aid?
Introduced by the Americans in 1947, Marshall Aid was financial assistance to help war-affected countries recover. The Soviets refused it in their zone. This led to the western zones becoming more prosperous.
What was the consequence of the prosperity in the Western zones?
The prosperity led to Soviet fear, resulting in the Berlin Blockade in 1948 to cut off supply routes into West Berlin.
What was the outcome of the Berlin Blockade?
The Berlin Blockade failed and led to deeper resentment between the Soviets and the Western Allies.
What were Trümmerfrauen?
Trümmerfrauen, or ‘rubble women,’ were women who cleared bombed buildings in preparation for Germany’s rebuilding.
How many German speakers became refugees after the war?
It was estimated that 12-14 million German speakers in Eastern Europe became refugees and returned to Germany, where they were not welcome.
What were the two separate states formed in Germany between 1949 and 1955?
The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
5 political aspects of west germany (federal republic)
- democracy
- basic law- president held power, but parties had to gain 5% of the vote in order to send representatives to parliament
- konrad adenauer was chancellor from 1949 to 1963
- west germany alongside france formed the european coal and steel community in 1950
- in 1954 west germany joined NATO
4 political aspects of east germany (german democratic republic)
- communist dictatorship
- stasi (secret police) was set up in 1950 keeping watch on potential enemies
- Ulbricht became leader in 1949 who was a german and a committed Communist
- other political parties could exist but USSR ensured the German Communist Party was the dominant force
5 social aspects of west germany (federal republic)
- wages increased by more than 80% between 1949 and 1955
- industrial development led to more jobs
- the government set up affordable housing schemes
- fewer strikes as unions became less suspicious of managers
- growth in consumer goods and standard of living increased
7 social aspects of east germany (german democratic republic)
- lower living standards
- rationing had to be introduced
- germans forced into military service
- lack of consumer goods
- industrial unrest led to emigration of skilled people to west germany
- attempts to protest or challenge were dealt with by the Stasi or Ulbricht
- Ulbricht abolished private schools so there was free education
2 economic aspects of west germany (federal republic)
- economic miracle- economy grew by 8% each year between 1949 and 1954
- by 1955 unemployment had fallen to 4%
3 economic aspects of east germany (german democratic republic)
- few economic improvements
- stalin wanted east germany to produce goods to help rebuild the USSR
- unlike the west, there was no economic miracle
