Return to Democracy - FRG 1945-74 Flashcards
New Constitution
Similarities to Weimar
Took many elements from Weimar
- had a president
- had a parliament (Bundestag)
- had a chancellor
New Constitution
Differences from Weimar
- constitution remained under allied control
- powers of president limited; elected by parliament; no article 48
- use of both proportional representation and first past the post
Results of 15th Sept 1949 election
- victory of CDU
- ## Adenauer formed coalition with FGP rather than second largest group SDP; FGP had better matched economic policies to their own
Why did Adenauer forgo comfortable majority ?
In order to have more unified coalition with common goals
How many votes did Adenauer win the election for Chancellor?
One vote
Who was elected president?
Theodore Heuss, leader of FGP
How long did Adenauer stay in power?
His government survived 15 years
Adenauer won 4 Bundestag elections as chacellor
What were the 4 key aims of Adenauer’s government?
- build alliances with Western powers; in order to gain protection from communism and regain independence for West Germany
- reunification of Germany; without concessions to communism; Adenauer was committed to all Germans
- rebuild German economy and establish financial stability
- improve living standards for all Germans; food and shelter provision
Who was Ludwig Erhard?
- German Minister of Finance
- helped Adenauer create the ‘economic miracle’
- helped restore Germany and give her the strongest economy in Europe
- his economic miracle gave Germany status of a key European power
What limited Adenauer’s goal of reunifying Germany?
- his absolute refusal to compromise with communist East
- this politically anchored West Germany firmly with Western superpowers
Who succeeded Adenauer after his retirement in 1963?
- Ludwig Erhard
- was not experienced in politics
- By 1969 SPD gained enough support to form coalition with FGP
Who headed the 1969 colition?
- Willy Brandt
- gifted speaker ahnd appealing personality
- used popularity generated by this to begin to better relations between West and East Germany
What is ‘Ospolitik’?
- new diplomatic policy in dealing in a friendlier manner with East Germany
- on going communication between East and West Germany stabilized tensions of Cold War
Why did Brandt resign?
- a leading member of his cabinet was discovered to be an East German spy for the secret service the Stasi
Who succeeded Brandt?
- Helmut Schmidt
