HCHS Germany: A LEVEL UNIT 3 - West Germany Flashcards
In which year was the West German constitution created?
1948
In which year was the Federal Republic of Germany officially created?
1949
Who was the first chancellor of the FRG and in which year did he win the election?
Konrad Adenauer and August 1949
When were Germans in the US zone of West Germany first allowed to vote?
1946
When did Länder elections first take place in the British and French zones?
May-47
Which parties made up the new CDU (Christian Democratic Union)?
Centre (Z) Party, German Nationalists and the Populists
How did the CDU differ from the old Z party?
United Protestants, Catholics, north and south Germany
How many members of the Länder parliaments met to create the new West German constitution and at which meeting?
65 at the Parliamentary Council (in Bonn)
Who was nominated as Presdient of the Parliamentary Council?
Konrad Adenauer
What name was given to the new German constitution?
Fundamental or Basic Law
In West German elections, why did Germans vote twice?
One for a local representative and one for a party (for the Bundestag)
How did the new constitution ensure there was never a power vacuum?
A chancellor could only be removed if another had been elected by the Bundestag (constructive vote of no confidence)
How did the FRG avoid too many small and extremist parties
Parties had to gain 5% of the vote to gain seats in the Bundestag
How was the Bundesrat formed?
Not directly elected but formed of deputies from each state proportional to their population
How did the new constitution try to unite the states?
Revenue from taxes was split equally between the federal government and the Länder
How was Berlin represented in the Bundestag?
22 members of the Berlin assembly could sit in the Bundestag but not vote
How were Berliners looked after (given it was split and occupied?)
They had a mayor who became increasingly powerful over time
When was the Fundamental Law passed?
8th May, 1949
When was Bonn made capital of the FRG?
23rd may, 1949
Which problems faced the FRG in the 1940s (similar to Weimar)?
military occupation, economic difficulties and social upheaval following war
How long did the FRG’s constitution last?
Until reunification in 1990
What role had Adenauer had before becoming chancellor of Germany?
Mayor of Cologne from 1918 and involved in the 1944 bomb plot against Hitler
How did Adenauer become politically important in the FRG?
He was sacked as mayor of Cologne in 1945 by the British and so he focused on national politics
Who was Adenauer’s economic advisor?
Ludwig Erhard
What % of the FRG was Catholic?
45%