Back to the video list: German History
Four years after the Second World War the Federal Republic of Germany was founded. This was a significant date in German history because it was the first step to regain full sovereignty and become a full-valued member of the international community.
Video
Overview
- Date: 23 May 1949 / 20 Sep 1949
- Location: Deutschland
- Event: The constitution (Grundgesetz) comes into effect / Inauguration of the first government under Adenauer
Parties & Persons Involved
- Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
- United States of America
- United Kingdom
- France
- Soviet Union
- Konrad Adenauer (1876 – 1967), 1st Chancellor (Bundeskanzler)
- Theodor Heuss (1884 – 1963), 1st President (Bundespräsident)
Background
- After World War II Germany & Berlin are divided into 4 occupation zones
- Soviet Union establishes satellite states in eastern Europe / eastern bloc
- Growing tension between the former allies: USA, UK & France vs. Soviet Union
- Financial pressure on the western allies because of the occupation of Germany
- First attempts to create a (West-) German state integrated in the West
History
Events Leading to the Foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 1946/47: First German self-government through the foundation of the states
- Dec 1947: The foreign ministers of the victors of World War II fail to agree on a pan-German solution & the division between the West & the Soviet Union becomes obvious
- 23 Feb – 02 Jun 1948: London 6-Power Conference with the results:
- Foundation of a democratic & federal state in (West-) Germany
- Integration in the west of the new state
- 21 Jun 1948: Currency reform & introduction of the Deutsche Mark in West Germany
- 24 Jun 1948 – 12 Ma 1949: Berlin-Blockade & Airlift
- 01 Jul 1948: Military governors hand the Frankfurt Documents to the minister-presidents of the German states
- 01 Sep 1948: Parliamentary council convenes & formulates the constitution
- 08 May 1949: Parliamentary council presents the constitution
- Parliaments of the states ratify the constitution (Bavaria only accepts the constitution)
- 12 May 1949: Western Allies approve the constitution
- 10 May 1949: Bonn is proclaimed capital
- 23 May 1949 – 24:00 hrs: German constitution takes effect
- 14 Aug 1949: Election of the 1st Bundestag (Parliament)
- 07 Sep 1949: Parliament convenes
- 12 Sep 1949: Federal convention elects Theodor Heuss as 1st President
- 15 Sep 1949: Parliament elects Adenauer as 1st Bundeskanzler (Chancellor)
- 20 Sep 1949: Inauguration of the Adenauer government
- 21 Sep 1949: New Occupation Statute comes into effect & secures rights of the allies to intervene in German foreign, economic & security policy
Further Developments
- 07 Oct 1949: Foundation of the German Democratic Republic
- 05 May 1955: Treaties of Paris which extend the German sovereignty
- 30 May 1968: Parliament adopts the emergency laws & realises the full internal sovereignty
- 03 Oct 1990: The Reunification & the Two Plus Four Agreement give the whole of Germany full sovereignty under international law
Consequences & Impact
- Basis for the development to become a fully sovereign country
- Precondition for the integration in the west & the membership of NATO
- Precondition for the foundation of the European Community (1957) & European Union (1993)
- Foundation of the GDR as a Soviet satellite
- German division for 40 years
- Precondition for the German re-unification