The FRG

• Berlin Wall

  • He failed to intervene and seemingly ignored it
  • Postponed his visit for two days, angered the people
  • He was highly criticised for this 
• Der Spiegal affair

  • Magazine published an article critical of the readiness of Germany’s military forces
  • The government tried to silence the magazine by raiding it’s office and arresting it’s journalists
  • Believed that it was a threat to democracy 
  • He has to step down the following year
• Who took was the first government under

  Konrad Adenour
• A new government was set up in 1949 after a constitution for a democratically elected Germany was drawn up by a parliamentary council of 65 delegates from the Lander.
• The main concern of the allies was to ensure that the democratically elected elites would retain control and could not be effectively replaced by a dictator
• It was a representative democracy as opposed to a participatory democracy
• The West German constitution 


  • freedom of expression, assembly association
  • restored federal nature after nazi centralisation
  • individual states or Lander with elected representatives regained their power over regional issues
  • Nationally, regional representatives were represented in the Upper Chamber or Bundesrat
• What complex combination of voting did the constitution outline 


  • First past the Post and Proportional representation
• Five Percent Hurdle 


  Parties had to gain 5% of the vote before they were represented
• In order to prevent threats to democracy, parties had to agree to uphold the constitution. Extremist Parties were banned.
• The president would not be directly elected , instead chosen by a representative convention made up of all the members of the bundestag and lander parliaments
• Who elected the President 


  • Lander Parliaments
  • Bundestag
• Basic Law


  Although technically not a constitution for West Germany because it was not permanent, as it was hoped that Germany would be reunified and therefore the law amended, it had the features of a constitution.
• Differenced to the Weimar Republic 


  • Presidential powers limited, no opportunity to rule by emergency decree
  • Appointment of chancellors needed the approval of parliament
  • Chancellor could not be dismissed without a new one voted in
• The West German constitution was known as the basic law
• Anyone who fled the DDR was granted citizenship in the FRG
• How many fled the DDR before the wall was erected

  3 million
• What did the average growth rate of the West German economy average from 1951 to 1965


  8%
• What was the growth rate of the FRG economy in 1955


  12%
• By 1954, West Germany was the third largest Trading after the USA and Britain
• How many were unemployed by 1955 in the FRG


  1 million
• West German Advantaged 


  • Large possession of raw materials
  • the west did not suffer from reparations as the east did
  • large labour Influx from the east
• The Policies of Bizonia 1947 - 49


  • Removal of Price Controls
  • Currency reform
  • Removing wage and production controls
• Currency Reform 1948


  stimulates business activity by allowing free competition between private enterprises
• The currency reform ended the Black Market
• Economic Liberalism 


  A system where individuals rather than the state make economic decisions
• In the period after the end of the war the Christian Democrats had considered a policy of nationalisation but instead followed a policy of economic liberalism and introduced social market economy. State regulations were ended, but it did not lead to unrestrained capitalism
• West Germany benefitted from the Korean War as it provided a demand for goods, which acted as a stimulus for the economy
• Marshall Aid


  • not the most important factor In the Economic Miracle
  • provided the stimulus for the economy
  • However it provided less than 5% of the West German National Income
• The Korean War


  • It increased demands for goods that the Ruhr was capable of suppling
  • Reduced the Pressure for Erhard to abandon his ‘social market economy’
• The Role of the Government

  • Established the Bundesbank in 1957
  • low government expenditure, lower than Britain
  • did not have to pay extensive reparations
  • did not have an army until it joined NATO in 1955
• Bundesbank 1957


  • Provided financial stability
  • Allowed the Government to control all money in circulation and interest rates
  • inflation was contained
• What party did Adenour belong to


  Christian Democratic Union
• When was Adenour Chancellor


  1949 - 1963
• Who were the CDU previously members of


  Catholic centre party
• Main policies of CDU


  • Uphold capitalism and competition
  • support for the vulnerable in society
  • preservation of the welfare state
  • support for the ahlen programme
• The Ahlrn Programme


  Outlines beliefs in traditional Christian values, a social conscience and the free markey
• What other party dominated West Germany


  Social Democrats
• What party was banned in 1952

  Socialist Reich Party
• What party was banned 1956

  KPD