Division to Unity 1949-91 Flashcards
(74 cards)
1
Q
When was the FRG (West Germany) officially founded?
A
- 23rd May 1949
- after Bizonia (Br + USA zones) 1947
- after Trizonia (+Fr) 1948
2
Q
What was the first West German constitution?
A
- Basic Law (Grundgesetz)
- article 20 = authority derived from the people (democracy)
- power share between federal government and länder
- guaranteed wide-range of civil rights
3
Q
Who was the first president and chancellor of the FRG?
A
- president = Theodor Heuss (FDP)
- chancellor = Konrad Adenauer led 1949-63 (CDU/CSU)
4
Q
Who made up legislation?
A
- Bundestag (lower house)
- Bundesrat (upper house)
5
Q
What was the electoral threshold?
A
- 5% vote share must be exceeded for any party to enter politics
- designed to avoid fragmentation like in Weimar
6
Q
Who were the Socialist Reich Party?
A
- neo-nazi group
- banned 1952
- around 10,000 members at peak but never broke 5% threshold
7
Q
When were the communist party (KPD) banned?
A
- 1956
- for aiming to overthrow government
- re-established in 1945 after the war
- never broke threshold
8
Q
What voting element helped maintain democratic stability?
A
- proportional representation
9
Q
When and what were the Emergency Laws
A
- 1968
- gave government total power in crisis
- controversial after Article 48
10
Q
By 1970’s what was the role of the FDP?
A
- coalition “kingmaker”
11
Q
Under who and when was the first SPD-led government?
A
- Willy Brandt became chancellor 1969
- promoted Ostpolitik and reforms
- elected due to “dare for democracy” slogan after 20 years of CDU
- didn’t win majority but coalition with FDP who abandoned CDU
12
Q
When and what was the Radical Decree?
A
- 1972
- prevented radicals entering public service
13
Q
Who was the Red Army Faction/Baader-Meinhof Gang?
A
- far left terrorist group 1970-88
- violent attacks including bombings, assassinations, kidnappings led to over 30 deaths
- 1977 “German Autumn” = kidnap and murder Hanns Martin Schleyer (Sept/Oct) and hijack Lufthansa flight (Oct)
- never overly significant
14
Q
When was Ludwig Erhard’s government?
A
- 1963-66
- CDU
- oversaw continued economic growth
15
Q
When was Kurt Georg Kiesenger’s government?
A
- 1966-69
- CDU
- led Grand Coalition with SPD
16
Q
When was Helmut Schmidt’s government?
A
- 1974-82
- SPD
- faced economic and security crisis
17
Q
When was Helmut Kohl’s government?
A
- 1982-98
- CDU
- led during reunification
18
Q
When did West Germany join NATO?
A
- 1955
- part of Adenauer’s western alignment
19
Q
When did Germany join the EEC?
A
- 1957
- Adenauer secured membership as founding member
20
Q
When and what was the Hallstein Doctrine?
A
- 1955
- FRG refused diplomatic ties with countries recognising the GDR
21
Q
When and what was Ostpolitik?
A
- 1969 onwards
- marked a shift
- Brandt pursued reconciliation with the East
- controversial but increased detente during Cold War
22
Q
What treaties did Brandt sign and when?
A
- Poland 1970
- GDR 1972
- recognising borders
23
Q
By 1980’s how powerful was West Germany?
A
- economic and diplomatic powerhouse in Europe
24
Q
What did Helmut Kohl support of the USA in early 1980’s?
A
- their policies during the Euromissile Crisis
25
Reunification became possible when and after what?
- 1989-90
- after fall of Berlin Wall in 89
- after end of Cold War in 90
26
West Germany unified with the East when, and under what article of Basic Law?
- 3rd October 1990
- Article 23
- Kohl secured support for reunification from Gorbachev and George HW Bush
27
What helped economic growth after the war?
- Marshall Plan 1948-52 (from USA)
- totalling $1.5 billion
28
Who introduced the social market economy?
- Ludwig Erhard
- economics minister 1949-63
- combined free market and social/equality policies
29
When was the Deutschmark introduced?
- 1948
- replacing the Reichsmark
30
How much did industrial output increase 1948-52?
- doubled
31
What was annual GDP growth 1950-55?
- average 8% increase per year
32
By 1963 how big was the West German economy?
- 3rd largest globally
33
How much did unemployment fall 1950-60?
- from 10% in 1950
- to 0.4% in 1960
34
When and what were the co-determination laws?
- 1951
- gave workers representation on boards
35
When and what was the Equalisation of Burdens Act?
- 1952
- redistributed wealth to war victims
36
When were reparations paid to Israel?
- 1953
- 3 billion Deutschmarks
37
How many university professors were former Nazi's?
- in some, 80% of faculty had served under the Nazi regime
38
How many Germans were former members of the Nazi Party?
- over 8 million
39
How many civil servants were permanently excluded after de-nazification?
- only around 1,000
40
By 1953 what percentage of senior officials were ex-Nazis?
- around 60% in the Ministry of the Interior
41
When and what was the 131Law?
- 1951
- reinstated many dismissed civil servants including former Nazi
- granted them full pensions and Job Security
42
What was a famous example of a Nazi reintegrated?
- Hans Globke
- became Adenauers Chief Aide and State Secretary 1953-63
- wrote commentary of Nuremberg Laws 1935 which institutionalised racism
43
When and what was the housing boom?
- 4 million homes built
- by 1957
44
When and what was the first recession/downturn?
- 1966-67
- economy stagnated
- global slowdown
- led to 500,000 unemployed (highest since war)
45
Who passed West Germany's first budget deficit?
- Grand Coalition 1966-69
- increased public spending to fight recession
46
When and what was the Stability and Growth Law?
- 1967
- introduced Keynesian policies
- allowing deficit spending to support employment and growth
47
When and what were the implications of the first oil crisis?
- 1973
- pushed inflation to 7%
- energy saving measures introduced (car-free Sundays)
48
Who adopted austerity and stimulus to fight inflation?
- Schmidt
- government deficit decreased from 3.5% 1975 to 2% of GDP in 1979
- inflation fell roughly 3%
- unemployment up 3%
49
What did unemployment exceed by 1975?
- 1 million
- first time since 1950's
50
Despite setbacks, how was inflation and exports in 1980's?
- inflation = fell from 5% 1981 to 0.5% 1986
- exports = grew steadily to 33% of GDP by 1985 (cars like VW)
51
What were some of Kohl's 1980 economic policies?
- tax cuts = corp tax cut 6%, income top rate 3%
- welfare spending = fell from 34% GDP to 30%
52
By 1989 what was West Germany's GDP?
- highest in Europe
53
How many refugees/expellees did West Germany accept after WW2?
- 8 million
54
When and what was the Gastarbeiter programme?
- began 1955
- guest workers
- Turkish workers came from 1961
- by 1973 2.6 million
55
When and what was the Education Expansion Act?
- 1970
- increased access to university education
56
When and what was the German Student Movement?
- 1968
- protest against authoritarianism (particularly Emergency Laws)
- leader Rudi Dutschke shot in the head 1968 = outrage
- over 100,000 students took to cities and demanded democracy
57
What were 2 Anti-Vietnam protests?
- March 1968 saw thousands of students march through cities
- Berlin 1967 drew over 100,000 demonstrators
58
When and what was the late 60's Frankfurt protest for?
- 1968
- in Frankfurt
- 1,000 students protest against presence of former nazi's in government/influential positions
59
Who were the APO?
- founded 1966
- radical left-wing student organisation
- part of 1968 student movement
60
What movement grew in the 1970's?
- Second Wave Feminism
- Abortion reform 1976 (legalised)
61
What was decriminalised 1969?
- homosexuality
- paragraph 175 partially repealed
62
Which party entered the Bundestag 1983?
- Green Party
- environmentalist
63
How much did TV ownership rise?
- 10% 1958
- 80% 1970
64
When was the Bundeswehr created?
- 1955
- (army)
- though strict limits on deployment
65
What are examples of anti-nuclear protest?
- Brokdorf power plant 1976 = 25,000 demonstrators
- 1980's protests
66
When and what was the Asylum Law?
- guaranteed asylum to those under political persecution
- increasingly controversial late 1980's
- faced integration issues with immigrant communities
67
What did Kohl promise to finance reunification?
- "no tax increases"
- later reversed
68
What was the exchange rate for East Germans, when?
- introduced July 1990
- 1:1
- caused inflationary pressure
69
What did reunification mean for West Germans economically?
- hard to absorb higher tax burdens
70
What social issue did reunification create?
- identity issues
- between Ossis (East) and Wessis (West)
71
When and what was the Unification Treaty?
- 1990
- incorporated East Germany under FRG law and institutions
72
What happened to Kohl's popularity after unification?
- rose sharply in 1990
- leading to CDU victory in December elections
73
Was reunification supported in politics?
- by most parties
- though SPD warned of the costs
74
When and what was the Godesberg Programme?
- 1959
- SPD abandoned Marxism and rebranded as a moderate, reformist.
- accepted capitalism, NATO membership, and the social market economy
- aimed to appeal to*middle-class voters and become a viable party of government in West Germany
- failed as felt like a copy to the successful CDU/CSU
