Was the History of Germany from 1945 to 1990 the
History of the Cold War?
Use the events list provided and the A3 graph provided to do the following:• Draw on the 21 events positioning them on either the
‘cold’ or ‘warm’ area of the graph depending on unification & relations between the East and West
• Draw a graph of main events in the Cold War (provided)
• Pick 5 main turning points as a group and circle / colour• Draw bars underneath showing the leaders of East and
west Germany
DIVISION
Truman
Stalin
Tehran, Yalta &
Potsdam
Mistrust
USSR takes over E Europe
1 becomes 2…
Point Zero (Nullpunkt) – No German State
Tehran & Morgenthau PlanYalta – Feb ‘45Potsdam – Jul ‘45
4 Ds and 1 R
DenazificationDecartalisationDemocratisationDemilitarisationReparations
Cold War & DivisionDid it start in 1917?Fall of E Europe‘47 Truman DoctrineBizoniaJune ‘48 Deutschmark introduced‘48 Berlin Blockade
‘WHO DUN IT?’…Was it individuals?Was it economics?Was it socio-political?Was it external factors?
Or did they all have a go at different times?
FRG(W)
Konrad Adenauer49 to 63Nato ‘55
USA Backing
GDR(E)
Walter Ulbricht (SED)
49 to 71Warsaw Pact ‘55USSR Backing
2 German StatesFRG
GDR
May 1949Basic Law
Temporary Constitution for W Germany
August 1949 electionsNarrow CDU lead (Adenauer)
Soviet Zone becomes GDR Oct 1949
Ulbricht First Secretary of the SED
Goal of ‘building Socialism’
BASIC LAWFederal StateConstitutional ControlsPresident can’t remove
Chancellor5% vote needed to enter
parliaments
Use the pages given to answer;
What did democracy mean in East and West Germany after WWII?
Which of the main factors were most important in creating differences between the development of East and West Germany?
Which of the countries was most repsonsible for the division of Germany?
GROUP DISCUSSION
WHY WAS GERMANY DIVIDED?
Now discuss your findings in a group
Did you agree? If not ARGUE!
1. TRADITIONAL VIEW – RUSSIA’s FAULT2. REVISIONIST VIEW – TRUMAN PARTLY TO
BLAME3. POST REVISIONIST VIEW – ADANAUER AND
PEOPLE
The FDR & Adenauer (1949 to 63)Read the material on AdenauerUse highlighters to show where
he is being influences by each of our factors
Each table come up with argument on importance of Adenauer in West German Development
Write key points on sugar paper and prepare to present!
GDR & Walter Ulbricht (1949-71)Read the material on Ulbricht Use highlighters to show where
he is being influences by each of our factors
Each table come up with argument on importance of Ulbricht in East German Development
Write key points on sugar paper and prepare to present!
Why was Adenauer successful?Liberals supported so coalitions
heldInternational recognition Fear of SocialismFailure of SPDHalting denazificationEconomic ‘miracle’
Adanauer to ErhardToo anti GDRSpiegel AffairErhard & downturn in economyOver-reaction to inflation
Walter Ulbricht 1949-61SED was tool of USSR & copied it…Attempted and failed at equalityEconomy stripped by USSRCollectivisation and quotas1950 election - all candidates had anti
western sentimentsIntimidation, propaganda, teachers etc…1953 general strike – Soviet troops and
purgesConcessions but still resentment
BerlinBy ‘61 over 1 ½ million skill lossUlbricht persuaded Khrushchev to
clos borderSee pg 282
Question - How did the Berlin wall change things?
Willy Brandt & Ostpolotik (1969-87)Socialist Chancellor meant
cooperationMoscow Treaty 1970 – recognition
of East Germany1971 Berlin agreement – USSR
respected movement across border
Opposition to recognition of GDRIncreased welfare and equality
but economic issues and personal assistant was a spy!
Schmidt & KohlSchmidt (R wing) in coalition with FDPLeft protests v nuclear power1982 Coalition fails and Kohl =
ChancellorContinued Ostpolitik1987 Honecker visits W GermanyLimited Welfare meant economy =
better than most of EuropeUnemployment continues…
reunification was a lifeline for Kohl!
The Honecker ContradictionMid 70s GDR struggling
economicallyWelfare outstripped incomeHonecker was hard line and did
not support Glasnots/PerestroikaYet By 1980s GDR reliant on FRG
loans
Why did the GDR collapse?Gorabechevs reforms ( to avoid collapse)Mobilisation of pressure groups – New
ForumOpening of E Europe9 Oct ‘89 Leipzig protest without
interventionCollapse of authority in GDR – divisionKrenz implemented reform but protests
increasedBerlin wall was failing and became focus
of protest – 2000 per day in 1990
Reunification Jan 1990 Modrow (new FDR Prime
Minister) returned from Moscow with plan for unification
Kohl rejected Modrows plan, gained allied support, acceptance by USSR & support of CDU
July = currency union and Oct unified