ADENAUER’S CHANCELLORSHIP 1949-63

How far did Western democratic structures (political, democratic,

social) succeed in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG)?

Unity and Justice and Freedom

A SOCIAL DEMOCRAT: ALFRED DÖBLIN

“I have the impression... that I had just entered a house full of smoke- but the inhabitants simply didn’t notice it... Leaflets intended to re-educate them have hardly any impact and are read with a degree of rejection and outrage as though there was still a dictatorship. This is also why the close themselves off against political discussions with people of different views from theirs... The reports and facts about the concentration camps and other atrocities that are now coming out should in principle help to re-educate. But people are simply not inclined to believe them, since it is generally foreigners reporting”.

A SOCIAL DEMOCRAT: ALFRED DÖBLIN CONTINUED...

“Similarly, the sight of ruined cities and towns should be having

an impact but then there is the fact of occupation. The

occupation has fallen like a gift into the hands of the old

regime, of whom there are of course masses. The fact of

occupation can be used to hinder any kind of re-education and

to develop a new ‘stab in the back’ legend, just like the way

people used the revolutionary events in 1918... If one thinks of

the situation after the First World War, then those troubled

times seem of almost fresco-like clarity compared to the

picture today”.

What are the main problems for setting up a successful

democratic political system in post-war West Germany?

WEST GERMANY IN 1949

Cold War was becoming more important than dealing with

defeated Germany.

Economy was picking up (Marshall aid and currency reform).

Trizonia made and it seemed unlikely they could bridge the gap

with the Soviet zones.

People were still unhappy with democracy as it had happened in

Weimar, especially with those post-war conditions of the First

World War- was the new democracy going to be any different?

Especially as conditions were worse and defeat was harsher

than it had been in 1918!

Nazism had fallen out of favour as had Hitler himself- but the

after effects of the regime were difficult to let go of.

Chancellor Konrad Adenauer took power in the first free

elections for seventeen years.

POLITICS IN THE WEST

THE CONSTITUTION (BASIC LAW)

President : elected by a representative convention.

Chancellor : appointed by President, with support and approval of parliament. Could

only be dismissed with a new Chancellor voted in- “constructive vote of no confidence”.

Bundesrat : represented the Länder

at national level. Upper chamber.

Bundestag : lower chamber of parliament. Complex voting system. Proportional

representation for parties according to percentage of votes cast with a first past the

post constituency representative element. 5% hurdle.

Constitution (Basic Law) : Temporary or ‘provisional constitution pending peace treaty

and reunification. Working towards reunification, recognising all of German descent

living in former German territories (including the East). No party allowed that was not

committed to democracy. Political parties of far Right or far Left banned. FRG was a

federal state with the Länder having considerable regional power. Usual freedoms

(assembly, speech, movement etc).

Why do you think

these terms have

been made?

Overseen by the Allies...

KEY POINTS- NOT MAKING WEIMAR’S MISTAKES

Political system was ‘representative’ rather than ‘participatory’- ensuring democratically elected political elites would retain control and demagogues could not win popular support and come to power.

5% hurdle- ensures small parties cannot gain representation and build strength without a significant share of the vote.

This was temporary, pending reunification.

No non democratic parties allowed.

President could not be popularly elected, and the powers were limited. No possibility of rule by decree.

Worked hard on making sure the Chancellor’s position was stable!

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARTY SYSTEMDominant, conservative party. Mostly ex Centre or conservative nationalist, some

who had joined the Nazis. Tried to support capitalism with a human face.

Competition good- but help the weak with safeguards.

Left wing. Still a bit

Marxist, but in the

1950s developed a

view that was more in

keeping with a

democratic Socialism.

Small but important. Made up of small

liberal parties- championed big business

and liberal freedoms and held the balance

of power.

Some special interest parties

and some smaller parties,

but they either got banned or

weren’t that exciting.

‘VANISHING OPPOSITION’?

Constitutional emphasis on commitment to the ‘free democratic basic order’- led to banning of anti-democracy parties SRP and KPD.

Two votes- first past the post and proportional representation. Small extremist parties could not gain a foothold.

5% hurdle- a party need 5 % of the national vote or a direct mandate through a constituency election (raised from one to three in 1957) or no representation in the Bundestag. This particularly disadvantaged the Bavarian party but not the CSU (which was deemed to be the CSU).

Smaller right wing parties were brought into the CDU.

Also economy, international politics had their part to play too!

How did West German politics develop from a multi-party system to one of a...

ELECTIONS: 1949, 1953

CDU get less than a third of the overall vote.

Adenauer is able to be chancellor after everyone has discussed coalition.

Government thus is a coalition- including FDP and DP members in leading ministerial positions.

Foreign policy successes lead to an increased vote in 1953 elections (Adenauer becomes Minister for Foreign Affairs, once the Allies allow him to do so). Adenauer keeps a coalition.

He also includes Theodor Oberländer as Minister for Refugees and Expellees (controversial as he had been involved in Hitler’s racist policies in eastern Europe) although he had to resign in 1960 when East Germany started calling him a war criminal...

1957 AND 1961 ELECTIONS

CDU/CSU got over 50% of the vote (economic miracle and foreign policy successes).

Adenauer was popular- seen as wily.

Slogan; “No experiments!”.

1961: Adenauer getting on a bit (85).

Only the CDU/ CSU and SDP were left as significant parties. The FDP were still important in forming coalitions with one or the other- this was called “Vanishing Opposition”. There became little between the two parties really. 1966 both entered into a Grand Coalition with each other.

1969 showed separation between the two. Until then, ‘Extra Parliamentary Opposition”.

RELATIONS WITH THE EAST

ABANDONING THE EAST?

The Allies plan was to prevent West Germany being in an independent position to wage war (as well as tying in the potentially powerful West German economy).

However, Adenauer tried to make West Germany indispensible to the West- leading to movements for western European economic integration.

October 1949: Member of OEEC (Organisation for European Economic Cooperation.

April 1951: European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). These became (Treaty of Rome, 1957) the EEC or European Economic Community which became the EU!

Would have been a member of European Defence Force which never happened, but did join NATO in 1955.

Was stabilisation of the West brought at the expense of...

A success of Adenauer’s- and a

major criticism.

STALIN SENT NOTES... Stalin unhappy with this turn of events. Sent

notes asking for a neutral unified Germany (that then could not turn around and join the West).

Some historians believe the sincerity of these- others don’t (particularly when Stalin asks for neutrality as a pre-condition).

Adenauer rejected them without trying to negotiate alternatives. He also ignored the 1953 GDR uprising.

‘Hallstein doctrine’: Refused to recognise the GDR as a separate state or to have diplomatic relations with any powers that did recognise it. Although Adenauer ignored that in 1955 when he went to Moscow to negotiate the return of the remaining tens of thousands of German prisoners of war who were still held by the Soviets.

Oversaw the plebiscite which returned the Saar to the FRG in 1957.

ADENAUER’S ACHIEVEMENTS IN FOREIGN POLICY

FRG recognised as equal partner among the western powers, and a member of the community of nations.

Return of POWs from Soviet captivity- big thumbs up from the people.

HOWEVER

Recreation of German army (1955) Bundeswehr‘Citizens in uniform’ under parliamentary control. Upset people who were terrified of the possibility of another war.

Adenauer benefited from weak political opposition on the part of the SPD.

Reactions to crises in Berlin were not good.

WHAT DID THEY DO WITH EX NAZIS?

‘COMING TO TERMS WITH THE PAST’?

Adenauer had to juggle the impact of the Nazi past on how the international community viewed Germany but also the financial and practical needs of the West.

Adenauer creates Wiedergutmachung (‘making good again’ towards survivors of Nazi brutality). This meant restitution and ‘reparations’. This was closely linked to the reputation of Germany in the eyes of the international community.

Adenauer delivered rhetorical fireworks with his speech (source on p.174). He took responsibility for compensation but did not yield on the question of real guilt. So, he admitted the crimes were committed, but apparently not by anybody.

In 1953: It was announced that ‘generous’ compensation was to be paid by the Germans to the state of Israel.

Was the success of West German democracy due to the reintegration of former Nazis

and an inadequate...

WHAT HAPPENED TO FORMER NAZIS? Active efforts were made to reintegrate former

Nazis into the new West German state. By the late 1940s there was little denazification still going on.

1951: Law 131 brought into the constitution. Gave former Nazi civil servants the right to reinstatement in their former jobs or equivalent jobs, if they had lost their positions through denazification, and also gave them full pension entitlement for the period of service to the Nazi state.

Former Nazis were integrated at high levels (e.g. Hans Globke, who drafted the official commentary for Hitler on the Nuremberg race laws of 1935).

HOW DID THIS MAKE THE WEST STABLE? Norbert Frei “the Nazi past was not forgotten about in

some form of collective amnesia, rather it was actively addressed in the sense of ensuring that few former Nazis would need to feel any shame or fear of retribution in relation to their misdeeds in the recent past”.

Continuity in personnel between the judiciary, the university elites, and the civil service who had served Hitler and those who served Adenauer. An office was made in Ludwigsburg to investigate possible war crimes in 1958, and in the 1960s, punishment of Nazis hit the spotlight again with Eichmann’s trial.

However, the integration of former Nazis into the West was central to it’s stabilisation- even though it was ‘morally reprehensible’.

ECONOMIC MIRACLE

THE ECONOMIC MIRACLE?

Dr Ludwig Erhard was responsible for economic policy. He was keen on a ‘capitalist economy’ which would produce ever-growing prosperity for all.

Conditions for economic recovery: war time damage had not affected industrial production to the extent that had been feared. Western zones were also not stripped of industrial plant for reparations. West Germany benefited massively from Marshall Aid. They also benefited from the cheap labour from the Soviet Zone/ GDR. They were mobile and would work anywhere for low wages.

Korean War (1950-53): increased demand for products the West could provide.

To what extent was the success of democracy a result of the ‘economic miracle’

WHAT WERE THE EFFECTS OF THE ECONOMIC

MIRACLE?

Economy grew and wages grew.

Industrial relations improved- revolved around cooperation.

Annual growth rates in GNP averaged around 8%. There was correspondingly unprecedented growth in average incomes.

Economic miracle went a large way into the success of the FRG and Adenauer’s chancellorship.

SOCIETY

GENERATIONAL AND SOCIAL CHANGES IN THE

POST WAR CONTEXT

Issues peculiar to the West

12-13 million refugees from the eastern territories and the GDR (1/5th of the population).

Fatherless families: affected approximately ¼ of the young people .

Women: squeezed out of the workplace, back into the home by cheap labour despite role of ‘rubble women’ (Trümmerfrauen). Also aided by Gastarbeiter (guest workers, usually foreign, sought by the government to do low paid, least qualified jobs).

Incomes: Average income rose by 400% since the foundation of the FRG.

WHAT ELSE CHANGED?

Consumer Revolution: People got into consumer goods, new built homes, rebuilt city centres, and cars.

Economic miracle: stabilised democracy! Despite only one real party capable of doing anything initially (CDU). However, eventually as economic growth levels off and descends instead, right and left start to wake up.

Youth: mass communications has it’s effect- radios and popular music from the USA and Britain.

1960s: Nazi past re-emerges- high profile war crimes trials, and a lack of an effective parliamentary opposition polarises society (a student died from police brutality in a 1967 demonstration).

THE END OF ADENAUER

ADENAUER BEGINS TO LOSE IT

Adenauer had already begun to wane.

1959: elections to the West German presidency-

Theodor Heuss (first president) had to step down

after ten years in office.

Adenauer toyed with the idea of standing for

presidency (so still influential when no longer

Chancellor, and also wanted to expand the power

of the President). Then he withdrew from the race,

lessening his reputation as an infallible politician.

ADENAUER CONTINUES TO LOSE IT

Berlin Wall erection also damaged his reputation. Seen as incarcerating the East Berliners. The SPD mayor of West Berlin and former resistance fighter against Nazism Willy Brandt put up an appeal on behalf of freedom and democracy.

Western powers did not want to provoke conflict by intervening. Adenauer did nothing at all- not even demonstrating any sympathy and postponing a visit to West Berlin, only to be greeted with jeers.

Adenauer’s rapprochement with the West happened here (met with Charles De Gaulle, president of France), but it couldn’t save his reputation.

BERLIN WALL IN PICTURES

The Wall being constructed across a street. The walls of buildings on this street also made up part of the wall. People gazed in horror at its construction.

BERLIN WALL IN PICTURES

Willy Brandt (important in the SPD) indignant at the wall’s

construction and watching it with West Berliners.

BERLIN WALL IN PICTURES

Checkpoint to the West.

BERLIN WALL IN PICTURES

Peter Fechter, killed by border guards escaping from East Germany (shoot to kill order) Caused horror in the West and more criticism for Adenauer’s “pretend it’s not happening policy”.

ADENAUER’S LOST IT: THE SPIEGEL AFFAIR

1962: Weekly news magazine Der Spiegel published an article criticising the readiness of the West German defence forces.

Bavarian CSU leader and West German Defence Minister, Franz Josef Strauß misled the Bundestag in his replies to questions on the matter.

An attempt was made to silence Der Spiegel by raiding it’s editorial offices and arresting some journalists involved.

Public outcry at authoritarian cover ups.

Adenauer resigned. However, he had set the course of FRG as an ‘affluent democracy firmly tied in to western military and economic alliances.

THE END

WEST GERMANY: ANY CONCLUSIONS?

Democracy survived the Spiegel affair.

Seemed successful- good economy, stable

democracy apparently and affluent society.

IS THAT IT?

WELL, NO... Tensions arose in 1960s- Eichmann trial and Auschwitz trials paid

attention to Holocaust and collusion with Nazism accusations. This led to generational revolt, separating young and old with ideas on sex, clothing, hairstyles and popular music.

Disillusioned with the US as guardians of democracy- Vietnam.

Economic setbacks sent some people towards the right and the neo-Nazi NPD.

Grand Coalition- vanished opposition led to extra- parliamentary opposition.

Election of Willy Brandt (SPD) to Chancellor in 1969. Rapprochement with the East begins and symbolises break with the past.

Troubles of 1970s and 1980s were coped with, by the time of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and unification with East Germany in 1990, people began to have post national pride!

THE END!