The Creation of the Federal Republic of Germany (1945-49)

Question 1

What happened to Germany after WW2?

Answer 1

• It was split into 4 zones, each one controlled by either Britain, France, the USSR and the USA, but was to be administered as one country
• Berlin, which was in the Soviet zone, was also split into 4 zones

Question 2

How did the Allies run Germany?

Answer 2

• They had an Allied Control Council that represented all of them and oversaw all 4 zones

Question 3

What were the Allies’ 3 main aims when it came to Germany?

Answer 3

• De-Nazification; bringing former Nazi leaders to Justice
• Demilitarisation so Germany wouldn’t wage an aggressive war again
• Democratisation

Question 4

Which political parties reappeared, and when?

Answer 4

• June 1945:
• Firstly, the KPD
• Then the SPD

Question 5

What had changed about the SPD and KPD? Give 2 examples for each.

Answer 5

• The KPD was less radical
• They wanted a democratic government and land reform
• The SPD became more left-wing
• They wanted to nationalise banks, land and key industries, and to provide more welfare

Question 6

Which party attempted to unsuccessfully re-establish itself?

Answer 6

• The Centre Party

Question 7

Which new parties were set up?

Answer 7

• The Christian Democratic Union, CDU
• The Christian Social Union of Bavaria, CSU
• The Free Democratic Party, FDP

Question 8

When were the CDU and the CSU set up? What were 2 things they had in common?

Answer 8

• 1945
• They were church-based
• Social welfare was a focus for both of them

Question 9

When was the FDP formed, and how?

Answer 9

• 1947
• All of the liberal parties realised that by having multiple parties with similar aims, like in Weimar, they were splitting their vote and reducing their power
• They therefore formed one party together

Question 10

What were 3 steps taken by the Western powers that caused the separation of Germany?

Answer 10

• In May 1947 Britain and the USA combine their zones to form Bizonia
• In March 1948 Marshall Aid is given to the Western zones which broke the agreement to have economic unity in all of the zones
• June 1948 the Deutschmark is introduced as the new currency in the Western zones

Question 11

What were 3 actions taken by the USSR that caused the separation of Germany?

Answer 11

• In February 1948 the Soviets tire of waiting for communists to take over in Czechoslovakia and they do it themselves
• In March 1948 they walked out of the Allied Control Council
• In June 1948 they cut off road, rail and canal links to West Berlin, starting the Berlin blockade

Question 12

When did Germany separate, and what did it separate into?

Answer 12

• May 1949: formation of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG)
• October 1949: formation of the German Democratic Republic (GDR)

Question 13

What was the constitution of the FRG called? When was it ratified?

Answer 13

• The Basic Law
• May 1949

Question 14

What was the purpose of the Basic Law?

Answer 14

• To act as a temporary constitution until Germany was reunited

Question 15

What were 3 main aspects of the Basic Law?

Answer 15

• Equal rights to all Germans regardless of sex, race or religion
• Free speech and the freedom to form unions and other groups
• State education for all (even though private schooling was allowed)

Question 16

Give an example of how the Basic Law was non-democratic.

Answer 16

• It was possible to ban political parties

Question 17

What type of government did Germany have after the war?

Answer 17

• A federal government

Question 18

What were the 2 houses in Germany’s government? Which was the upper house and the lower house?

Answer 18

• The Bundestag, the lower house
• The Bundesrat, the upper house

Question 19

How was it decided who would make up the Bundestag? Give 3 details.

Answer 19

• Secret ballots were held every 4 years
• Half of the seats were allocated to parties through proportional representation, provided that they had over 5% of the vote
• The other half of the seats were given to constituency members elected by ‘first past the post’

Question 20

What did the Bundestag do? Give 2 examples.

Answer 20

• Pass the laws of the country
• Could take control over the country through a vote of no-confidence

Question 21

How was it decided who would make up the Bundesrat?

Answer 21

• They were chosen by representatives of the Länder

Question 22

What was the role of the Bundesrat?

Answer 22

• Assented to or vetoed legislation

Question 23

What was done to prevent the government from abusing its power like under Weimar and the Nazis? Give 3 details.

Answer 23

• A federal constitutional court was empowered to:
• uphold the law
• make sure that the government acted legally
• guarantee basic civil rights, which could be legally suspended under the Weimar Constitution

Question 24

Who was the most important politician according to the Basic Law?

Answer 24

• The chancellor

Question 25

Describe 2 aspects of the chancellor’s position.

Answer 25

• They were only responsible to the Bundestag
• They could only be removed by a ‘constructive’ vote of no confidence in the Bundestag

Question 26

What was a constructive vote of no confidence?

Answer 26

• A vote of no confidence where an alternative party was ready to take power with sufficient support to form a majority in the Bundestag

Question 27

What was done to improve the role of the chancellor? Give 2 examples.

Answer 27

• They were now only responsible to the Bundestag, instead of both the Reichstag and the president
• They could only be removed by a constructive vote of no confidence to ensure stability and continuity, as before they could be dismissed by a simple vote of no confidence and by the president

Question 28

Who was the head of state under the Basic Law?

Answer 28

• The president

Question 29

What were 2 changes made to the role of the president?

Answer 29

• They mostly had a ceremonial role and had very limited powers in the case of an emergency, as opposed to being able to dissolve the Reichstag, appoint and dismiss the government, and pass decrees
• Before they had been elected directly by the people for a 7 year term, and there wasn’t a maximum number of terms
• Under the Basic Law, they were elected by a Federal Convention made up of an equal number of Bundestag and Bundesrat members, for a maximum of 2 5-year terms

Question 30

How were the states governed?

Answer 30

• Each had its own Länder, elected either every 4 or every 5 years

Question 31

How were the Länder protected?

Answer 31

• The federal constitution court could settle disputes between them and the central government

Question 32

Who made up the electorate?

Answer 32

• Men and women 21 and older

Question 33

When did the first elections to the Bundestag take place? What as the turnout?

Answer 33

• August 1949
• 79%

Question 34

Who won the first elections to the Bundestag? How close was the vote, and why is this important?

Answer 34

• The CDU/CSU won with 31% of the vote
• The SPD had won 29% of the vote
• The CDU/CSU was the most right-wing party, while the SPD was the most left-wing

Question 35

Who was the first chancellor of the FRG, and which party did he come from?

Answer 35

• Konrad Adenauer
• Leader of the CDU