political history
Germany’s complex history plays a large role, in shaping the modern democracy that exists today. In the middle ages, Germany was one of the most advanced political systems in Europe. Germany was part of a single government; the Holy Roman Empire, which controlled entire Europe. The single government and the common culture and language in Germany helped unify Germany. By the end of the 13th century, Germany was divided into several smaller principalities, breaking the unity. By the time the Napoleonic Wars ended, there were only 38 German states left, and in 1871these were proclaimed as part of the German Empire in Versailles. The two most dominant states were the Kingdom of Prussia and Austria-Hungary.[1] The German politicians realized that it was necessary to industrialize the country to keep up with its European neighbors, as they were militarily and economically behind. By the late 19th century Germany’s modern army and navy transformed the country into a global power.
Nazi Germany
The Great War played a significant role in Germany’s history, as it helped lead to the Weimar Constitution, World War II and the division of Germany, which affected Germany until 1989. Although it is still greatly debated who is to be blamed for causing the Great War, Germany was solely blamed and was forced to face the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles. Hence many extremist parties formed, which offered solutions to the problems Germany faced. The communist party and the Nazi party were the most successful ones. There were many weaknesses in the constitution, such as the President being able to rule a country in crisis without consulting in the Reichstag. Hitler and the Nazi party used these weaknesses to their advantage and rose to power. Furthermore Hitler attracted all types of people in Germany, as his 25-point system presented both socialist and nationalist needs. Moreover the Nazi campaigning was incredibly successful, as their methods were modern and effective, as they used film and radio. Hitler was also a powerful and persuasive speaker and his speeches were known to be inspiring. On January 30th 1933 Adolf Hitler was invited to become chancellor and form a government.
Division of Germany
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Once the war ended in 1945, the Potsdam Conference issued the division of Germany. Germany was divided into four zones, occupied by the four allied nations that had defeated Germany in the war: the Soviet Union (occupied the East), USA (occupied the south-east), France (south-west) and Britain (North-west). Britain, the United States and France joined together as the Federal Republic of Germany, whilst the Soviets, implemented their communist regime in Eastern Germany, naming it the DDR (German Democratic Republic). The Soviets imposed a land blockade separating the DDR from the west, by building the Berlin wall and implementing currency reform.
After 1945, Germany was in its greatest period of growth, dubbed “the economic miracle”. The CDU and its leader Konrad Adenauer won the first postwar elections in 1949. Adenauer’s coalition with the FDP and several other minority parties was a crucial part of the renewal of Germany’s political and economic life. Eventually Adenauer forged a system called chancellor democracy, which greatly helped in the rebuilding Germany.
Finally in 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the unification of Eastern and Western Germany. Unification is considered as one of the main things that slowed German growth in the last century. In general, Germany has had a hard time coping with the social and economic implications of unification. Firstly, the economic results were terrible and Germany suffered mass unemployment. Secondly, the DDR citizens had been largely isolated from the political and cultural trends, having grown up under a communist regime. Even to this day, the four German states located in the former DDR are much poorer than the other German states.
On November 22, 2005 Angela Merkel became the first female chancellor and the first Ossi (from former East Germany) to become chancellor. Merkel is a politician different from many others as she grew up as a Christian, the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, under the communist regime of the Soviet Union. Before the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Merkel was already active in protest movements. She was the CDU spokesperson for the only democratically elected government in the DDR. Eventually she was elected to the Bundestag.
On November 22, 2005 Angela Merkel became the first female chancellor and the first Ossi (from former East Germany) to become chancellor. Merkel is a politician different from many others as she grew up as a Christian, the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, under the communist regime of the Soviet Union. Before the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Merkel was already active in protest movements. She was the CDU spokesperson for the only democratically elected government in the DDR. Eventually she was elected to the Bundestag.