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Political and governmental change - FRG (Basic Law (May 1949 FRG = created…
Political and governmental change - FRG
Basic Law
May 1949 FRG = created with centre of govt in Bonn
Basic Law enacted to give the new state of West Germany its constitution
Those drawing it up saw it as provisional - until unification
FRG refused to recognise GDR
1949 FRG = not fully indep state - Allied High Commission in Washington could veto legislation
FRG = no control over foreign policy
Basic Law - designed to ensure FRG remained democratic and stable - avoiding Weimar weaknesses eg rise of extremism as political power
Bundestag - federal parl = elected by universal suffrage - 1/2 seats elected directly + 1/2 taken from list based on % of votes each party received - as dem as possible
To stop extremist groups had to get more than 5% of vote to sit in Bundestag
FRG = fed republic with power divided between central and regional govts - Lander of states represented in Bundesrat (upper house)
Unlike Nazi Germany where Hitler enjoyed consid prerogative powers - FRG based on rule of law
Central govt was committed to to provision of social welfare eg pensions and healthcare
Most important politician = chancellor who could be removed by vote of no confidence
Technically head of state pres who could be elected for 1 term only, fulfilled ceremonial role with little political responsibility
Konrad Adenauer
Perhaps most sig politician in FRG having overseen birth and development
2003 - poll of 3 mill Germans voted him greatest German of all time
Adenauer born near Bonn 1876 + followed father into legal profession
Joined Catholic Centre Party and rose ranks to become lord mayor of Cologne
Had had many progressive ideas eg response to Depression he promoted public works schemes such as building of motorways
Adenauer was arrested after Hitler came to power - released 1934 = lived quietly but rearrested 1944 after being implicated in July bomb plot
As one of leading anti nazi politicians who survived regime = natural that he would sought out by Allied forces
Instrumental in writing Basic Law
Highly respected for success of new state - could be arrogant and dictatorial + clung onto power for too long
1960 when other members of CDU putting pressure on him to retire - he advocated change in constitution so could deal with foreign affairs - although this failed he held onto power until Der Spiegel Affair 1963 which saw his govt accused of press censorship + unfair imprisonment
Federal elections Aug 1949
Allied High Commission was in favour of self governing FRG although it was prepared to keep it under close supervision
Wanted to see democratic politicians succeed and population embrace democracy - not to see extremism again
First Fed elections took place August 1949.
CDU/CSU emerged with narrow victory - 139 seats to SPD 131 seats
78.5% turnout
Adenauer became chancellor of FRG and Heuss of FDP = 1st president
Faced problems - recovering from WW2, large numbers of refugees from GDR, establishing as stable democracy, establishing future of Germany
Political challenge for 1st govt = establish as stable democracy with no extremist parties in power + to gather as much control from Allied authorities to assert right to self governance
The Adenauer years
1949 the 3 western military zones = merged unto FRG
Period 1944-66 = series of coalitions dominated by CDU/CSU with Adenauer as head of govt until 1963
Political stab during his period = supported by favourable economic conditions = better living standards
Anti democratic parties = threat to stability and banned eg Socialist Reich Party (SRP) in 1952 and KPD in 1956
Dominated political structure in first decade of existence and took credit for economic improvement
won 4 terms in office - first 3 successful but by the time of 4th term after 1961 elections problems = emerging and many felt he had been in power for too long
Pragmatic man attempted to create as wide a constituency as possible - included embracing Nazis and emigrants fro GDR and E.Europe
Able to hold together a coalition and estab an effective national party organisation
Globke - director of fed chancellery and aide to him established an effective and widespread party apparatus
Developed policies that appealed to both urban and rural voters = attracted middle ground of politics - moderates
Sought support and votes of former Nazis and ethnic Germans who had been expelled from eastern Europe - often not welcomed by compatriots
Also attracted support bc of strong anti-communist sentiment throughout 1950s = fermented further by cold war tensions between USSR and USA over events like Hungarian Uprising
Adenauer's domestic policies
Rebuilding German infrastructure, towns, cities. April 1950 Construction Law = grants provided to Lander and cities to encourage large scale building projects and reduce need for temp accomodation. By 1957 = 4 million new homes
1952 Equalisation of the Burdens Act = offered compensation to victims of wartime bombing campaigns on Germany - saw most sig redistribution of income in German history = financed by 5% tax on every citizen = by 1983 DM126 billion had been raised by measure
Govt also supported welfare reform eg 1957 Pensions Act saw rise of 70-75% in pension payments - arrangement called 'contract between generations'
The Collective Bargaining Law on Industrial relations 1949 maintained labour relations - unions had legal rights to negotiate on behalf of others and take industrial action if necessary. Govt supported policy of 'co-determination' in which workers = encouraged to participate in decision making process within workplace
Adenauer's foreign policy
Helped to solidify future of FRG and its existence
When Allied Control Council gace FRG control over foreign policy in 1951, Adenauer took role of foreign minister
Principle aims = place FRG firmly in western camp and achieve full acceptance for the FRG as indep country and as voice of Germany
Believed long term stability of FRG remained with West and USA - 1949 he sought entry into OEEC which raised the international status of FRG
Emphasis = clearly on identification with West and seeking to participate fully in western alliance rather than focusing on German unification which initially encountered some protest partic from SPD
NATO 1949 showed USA's dedication to preventing communism - 1950 Adenauer began to seek reintroduction of rearmament within FRG and gained power to do so 1954 - 1955 admitted to NATO and allowed to rearm. Still not trsuting Germans intentions estsiting NATO members intended to trap Germany in agreement
Consolidated international position in economic position with European partners with joining EEc. Significantly by 1960s Adenauer wanted to strength economic position without USA reliance
Relations with Western powers and GDR = frosty during 1950s and 1960s- Hallstein Doctrine of 1955 = FRG would cut off diplomatic relations with except USSR that formally recognised GDR
Refugees from GDR
Readily accepted those GDR citizens who could legally cross into western zones of Berlin and then onto FRG - many of these emigrants = young citizens whom GDR could ill afford to lose
FRG made much of the fact that living standards and personal freedoms in its regime = sig better + this exodus was testimony to failure of GDR
331,390 in 1953 after rebellions against GDR govt had been brutally suppressed and in first 8 months of 1961 before Berlin Wall = 155,400
When Berlin Wall was built to stop such movement of people more than 2 million of total 18.5 million of GDR population had migrated
The Berlin Wall
Operation Rose Aug 1961 = codename to building of Berlin Wall = shrouded in secrecy beginning night of 12-13 August when barrier was built - those dwelling in east but visiting nightlife in West = escorted
Developed in ensuing weeks as barrier of concrete and watchtowers
Adenauer remained strangely silent on building of Berlin Wall, he was busy campaigning 1961 fed
West Berlin 300,000 Germans protested and Mayor of Berlin (Willy Brandt) delivered powerful speech condemning it. USA sent additional 1500 troops to show solidarity but wall was built and little anyone could do. Both USA and USSR effectively recognised that Germany that Germany = 2 sep countries and Berlin = divided
GDR immigration = ended
Wall evoked anger but stabilised German situation - FRg continued to prosper
Day of German Unity - June 1952 series of protests throughout GDR put down with aid of Soviet troops - FRG responded by Day of German Unity on 17 June to remember the event
1961 = FRG emerged as stable state at heart of Europe - stability evidenced by overwhelming support for democratic parties and no real protest were banned - might be argued that Adenauer = height of his success