Federal Republic of Germany(German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland), Germany (BRD) was proclaimed on May 23, 1949 in the territories located in the American, British and French zones of occupation of Nazi Germany (Trisonia). It was assumed that later the rest of the German territories would also become part of the Federal Republic of Germany, which was provided for and provided for by a special article 23 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany. Due to the occupation of Berlin and giving it a special status, the capital of the state was temporarily moved to the provincial city of Bonn. In the same year, on October 7, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) was proclaimed in the Soviet zone of occupation, with its capital in Berlin (de facto, only in the eastern part of the city under the control of the GDR). For the next forty years, both German states existed in parallel; At the same time, until the early 1970s, the German authorities categorically did not recognize the existence of the GDR, and since the 1970s, they embarked on the path of its partial recognition. October 3, 1990 after peaceful revolution in GDR?! its territory was integrated into the Federal Republic of Germany in accordance with Article 23 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany. Simultaneously, the capital was returned to Berlin.
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✪ Coin overview 2 Mark, Germany, 1978 / 2 Deutsche Mark, The Federal Republic of Germany, 1978
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I welcome everyone to my channel! Today I want to tell you about a 2 mark coin of the Federal Republic of Germany (or West Germany), 1978. This coin is commemorative. It is dedicated to the twentieth anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany. Let me remind you that after the end of the Second World War, the territory of Germany was divided into 4 occupation zones: American, French, British and the USSR. Subsequently, the 3 western zones merged into the FRG and West Berlin, and the USSR zone turned into the GDR. But in 1989, after the destruction of the Berlin Wall, which separated the two republics, Germany united into one republic. This coin was minted from 1969 to 1987 at four mints in Munich, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe and Hamburg. Greetings to all on my channel! Greetings to all The coin from my collection was minted in Stuttgart in 1978 and its circulation is 3,743,636 copies. Consider the appearance of the coin. The design of the obverse and reverse of the coin is Reinhart Heinsdorff. On the obverse of the coin, the coat of arms of the Federal Republic of Germany is depicted in the center - the Federal Eagle without a shield. It has the same shape as the Federal Coat of Arms, but with the feathers spread out. Under the right paw is a letter (mint mark), in this case it is the letter F - the letter of the Stuttgart mint. Under the coat of arms is the denomination of the coin, with a large number 2 and further along the circumference you can read the denomination of the coin in words - the German mark. On the opposite side is the name of the issuer's country in the official language of the Federal Republic of Germany Above the coat of arms you can read the year of issue of the coin 1978. On the reverse of the coin in the center is a profile looking to the left of Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer. (years of life 1876-1967) He ruled from 1949 and retired in 1963 due to his advanced age of eighty-seven years, and is one of the oldest heads of government in recent history. Under the portrait is the date 1949-1969 - the twentieth anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany. On the circumference of the reverse, the name of the country is repeated - the Federal Republic of Germany in large letters. The inscription is enclosed between two hemispheres. On the edge of the coin, the motto of the country is engraved: Unity and law and freedom. The beginning and end of the motto is enclosed by two oak leaves. Each word is also separated by one oak leaf. Coin characteristics: Coin material: copper-nickel alloy; Coin diameter: 26.5mm; Coin weight: 7 grams; Edge thickness: 1.8 mm; Edge type: chased; Mutual position of the obverse and reverse: Medal (0 °) If you liked the video - put like, If you do not want to miss the next coin review, I recommend subscribing to the channel, also see reviews of other coins! Thanks everyone for watching! See you!
Germany in the first years after the surrender
After the occupation of Germany by the troops of the allies ("Four Powers" - the USA, Great Britain, France and the USSR), its territory was divided into four zones of occupation - Soviet, French, British, American and the city of Berlin with a special status (also divided into four zones). By 1949, the Western powers consolidated the administration of their zones of occupation into Trizonia. The eastern part of Germany, as before, remained under the control of the Soviet Union.
Proclamation of the Federal Republic of Germany
Political status and claims to all German territory
The government of the Federal Republic of Germany from the very beginning considered itself as the only legitimate representative of the entire German people, and the Federal Republic of Germany - as the only state-follower of the German Empire, and therefore had claims to all territories belonging to the German Empire as of December 31, 1937 (before the start of the military expansion of the Third Reich), including the territory of the GDR, West Berlin and the “former eastern regions” that were ceded to Poland and the USSR. The preamble to the German constitution emphasized the desire of the German people for reunification in a single state. The government of the FRG in the early years avoided any direct contacts with the government of the GDR in every possible way in order to avoid the possible interpretation of such contacts as recognition of the GDR as an independent state.
| The German state, which did not cease to exist after the collapse, persists after 1945, even if the structure created on the basis of the Basic Law is temporarily limited in its effect on part of the territories of this state. Thus, the Federal Republic of Germany is identical with the German Empire. Decision of the Constitutional Court, 1957 - BVerfGE 6, 309 (336 ff., Zit. Abs. 160, Abs. 166) |
Britain and the United States were also of the opinion that the FRG was the successor to the German Empire, but France supported the idea that the German Empire completely disappeared as a state in 1945. US President Harry Truman opposed the signing of a peace treaty with the FRG, since, in his opinion, this would mean recognition of the existence of two German states. At the New York conference of the foreign ministers of the three powers in 1950, the status of the FRG was finally officially determined. The states recognized the claims of the government of the FRG to the right of the sole legitimate representation of the German people, but refused to recognize the government of the FRG as the government of all Germany.
Due to the non-recognition of the GDR, German legislation recognized the continued existence unified German citizenship, which comes from the citizenship of the German Empire, therefore called its citizens simply German citizens and did not consider the territory of the GDR abroad. For this reason, the German citizenship law of 1913 continued to operate in the country, and a new law on German citizenship was not adopted. It is curious to note that the same German citizenship law of 1913 continued to be in force in the GDR until 1967, and the Constitution of the GDR also recognized the existence of a single German citizenship. In practice, this situation meant that any "German citizen" from the GDR could officially obtain a passport in Germany, once on its territory. To prevent this, the government of the GDR by law forbade its residents to obtain German passports. Only in 1967 in the GDR, instead of German citizenship introduced its own citizenship of the GDR, which was given to all German citizens who lived in the territory of the GDR at the time of its creation and did not lose the right to citizenship of the GDR for a number of reasons. In Germany, the existence of a special citizenship of the GDR was officially recognized only in October 1987, when the Constitutional Court of the Federal Republic of Germany ruled that any person who received citizenship of the GDR by naturalization automatically receives German citizenship (essentially citizenship of the FRG).
The non-recognition of the existence of the GDR was also reflected in the designation of the borders of states in geographical atlases. So, in the maps published in 1951 in the FRG, there is still a single Germany within the borders of 1937. At the same time, the border between the FRG and the GDR, as well as the Oder/Neisse line (the new border with Poland) and the border between Poland and the USSR in East Prussia are indicated by barely visible dotted lines; the territories ceded to Poland and the USSR are still part of a unified Germany, although they are signed as “territories under Polish and Soviet administration”, and the toponyms located on them still bear the old German names. The existence of the GDR is also out of the question. In the 1971 edition, the indicated borders are already indicated by a more distinct dashed line, but still differ from the line denoting state borders.
Economics and politics
Domestic development
With help from the United States under the Marshall Plan, as well as as a result of the implementation of the country's economic development plans developed under the leadership of Ludwig Erhard, rapid economic growth was achieved in the 1950s (the German economic miracle), which lasted until 1965. To meet the need for cheap labor, Germany supported the influx of guest workers, mainly from Turkey.
Since 1954, on June 17, the country has celebrated the "Day of German Unity" in honor of the performances on June 17, 1953, in East Berlin. With the abolition of the occupation regime on May 5, 1955, the Federal Republic of Germany officially became a sovereign state. At the same time, sovereignty extended only to the areas under the "Basic Law" and did not include Berlin and other former territories of the German Empire.
Until 1969, the country was ruled by the CDU party (usually in a bloc with the CSU and less often with the FDP). In the 1950s, a number of emergency laws were developed, many organizations were banned, including the Communist Party, and bans on professions were introduced. The internal political course related to denazification was continued, that is, the elimination of the consequences of the Nazis being in power, preventing the revival of Nazi ideology and organizations. In 1955, Germany joined NATO.
Foreign policy and relations with the GDR
The government of the FRG not only did not recognize the existence of the GDR, but for a long time (from September 1955 to October 1969) adhered to the doctrine, according to which all diplomatic relations were broken with any states (the only exception was the USSR due to its belonging to the Four Powers), officially recognizing GDR. In practice, the break in diplomatic relations for this reason occurred twice: in 1957 with Yugoslavia and in 1963 with Cuba.
After the construction of the Berlin Wall by the GDR authorities in 1961, discussions began to appear more and more often in the FRG about the possible recognition of the GDR as an independent state. With the accession of Willy Brandt to the post of Chancellor of the FRG in 1969, a new stage begins in relations between the FRG and the GDR and between the FRG and the socialist countries of Eastern Europe in general. The Moscow Treaty, signed in 1970, according to which the FRG renounced its claims to the former eastern regions of the German Empire, which had ceded to Poland and the USSR after the war, marked the beginning of the era of the "new Eastern policy".
In 1969, the Social Democrats came to power. They recognized the inviolability of post-war borders, weakened emergency legislation, and carried out a number of social reforms. During the years of the reign of Federal Chancellors Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt, there was a significant improvement in relations between the FRG and the USSR, which was further developed in the policy of detente. The Moscow Treaty between the USSR and the FRG in 1970 fixed the inviolability of borders, the renunciation of territorial claims (East Prussia) and declared the possibility of uniting the FRG and the GDR. On December 21, 1972, the Fundamental Agreement was concluded between the GDR and the FRG. Subsequently, the Social Democrats and Christian Democrats alternated in power.
In 1973, both German states were admitted to the UN after the FRG recognized the state sovereignty of the GDR according to the norms of state law, although it did not recognize it
(administrative).
germany square. 356978 km2.
Administrative divisions of Germany. Consists of 16 states: Bavaria, Bad den Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia, Schleswig- Holstein.
German form of government. Republic, with a federal state structure.
Head of State of Germany. The Federal President is elected for a term of 5 years.
State language of Germany. Deutsch.
Religion in Germany. 45% - Protestants (mainly Lutherans), 37% -, 2% - Muslims.
Ethnic composition of Germany. 95% - Germans, 2.3% - Turks, 0.7% -, 0.4% - Greeks, 0.4% -.
German currency. Euro = 100 cents.
Sightseeings of Germany. The country is rich in historical and cultural monuments. In Berlin - the Museum of Cultural Treasures of Prussia, the Pergamon Museum, the Water Museum, Charlottenburg Castle, where in the palace of the 17th century. hosts several museums, the Sanssouci Palace and Park, and the arsenal, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the building, the world's largest zoo. In Leipzig - the citadel, the Old Town Hall, the tower "Battle of the Nations". In Dresden - the Zwinger Palace with the famous art gallery, treasury and Museum of Weapons. In Cologne - one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world, the Church of St. Gereon. In Bonn, the Beethoven House Museum. In Weimar - the Goethe House Museum, in Meissen - the old city-museum, a porcelain factory-exhibition and much more.
Useful information for tourists
The day off for museums is usually Monday. On the rest of the week, the standard opening hours of museums are from 9.00 to 18.00. Lunch break available. On Tuesday and Wednesday, many museums are open until late.
When talking, you need to address the interlocutor, mentioning his name or position. If they are unknown, then you can call him “Herr Doctor! The word "doctor" is not reserved, as we have, only for physicians, but is used in any case when indicating a specialty or profession.
Before drinking, they raise a glass and clink glasses with a neighbor on the table (although, for example, in France they raise a glass, but do not clink glasses).
The restaurant greets everyone around you, even strangers, with the expression "Mahlzeit", which means approximately "Bon appetit".
What is remarkable about this country? What is the area of Germany? And what are the Germans interested in? You will find answers to all these questions in our article.
Territory of Germany: area and geographical location
The country of beer, football and pedantry is located in the center of Europe, within the hilly Central European Plain. It borders on nine other states, and in the north its territory is washed by the cool waters of the Baltic and North Seas.
What are the figures for the population and area of Germany? It is worth mentioning right away that the country is among the leaders in Europe in these two indicators.
The total area of Germany is 357 thousand square kilometers. Almost all of its territory is favorable for the life and economic activity of people (except for the high-mountainous regions in the southeast). The climate here is temperate, its humidity decreases with advancement to the east and southeast.
The total length of the state borders of Germany is 3785 km. The longest border is with Austria, and the shortest is with Denmark.
Population and economy: common features
Hitler's Germany, which lost in World War II, was divided into two parts: Western (FRG) and Eastern (GDR). The Germans lived in this position for 40 years, until November 9, 1989, when the famous Berlin Wall fell. Curiously, the area of western Germany was almost three times larger than the area of its eastern part.
Today there are about 85 million people. Every year, demographers record, albeit insignificant, but still population growth - about 0.1%. Germany occupies one of the first places in the world in terms of urbanization. Only 7% of its inhabitants live in rural areas. The largest cities in the country are Hamburg, Munich, Berlin, Cologne and Farnkfurt am Main.
Modern Germany is an economically developed and powerful state, one of the five leading countries in terms of GDP. The foundation of the national economy is made up of four industries: engineering, chemical, electrical engineering and coal mining. Germany maintains its leading position in the world in car exports.
5 surprising facts about Germany
Tourists and guests of this European country, as a rule, are most impressed and amazed by the following:
- The country is clean and well-groomed. A typical German town square is a polished area with no litter, cigarette butts or spit. In this country, it is not even customary to take off your shoes in the house - it is so clean and tidy on the streets of German cities.
- German and English are very closely intertwined in Germany. There is even a special philological term: "Denglish". Das ist unbelievable! - such phrases are very popular in colloquial speech among the Germans.
- Sunday in Germany is really a holy day. "Holy" in terms of rest and relaxation. On this day, most German boutiques, shopping centers and even restaurants are closed.
- German schools have a very unusual (for a Russian person) grading system: the highest score is “one”, and the worst score is “6”.
- By and large, in Germany you can not work at all, but live on social assistance from the state. But the Germans are ashamed not to work. They also don't like to change jobs.
A little about the mentality of the Germans
Hardworking, punctual, disciplined... That's how most people speak of the Germans. To complete our article in an interesting and effective way, we bring to your attention 10 interesting facts about the mentality of modern Germans:
- the Germans are very sensitive to laws and regulations, they say that in this country you can safely walk along pedestrian crossings with your eyes closed;
- in Germany, even wealthy and adult people often live in rented houses or apartments;
- German humor is very different from American or, say, Russian;
- it is incredibly difficult for Germans to pronounce the sound "y";
- dinner in Germany is very often replaced by ordinary sandwiches (with ham, cheese or vegetables); the evening meal here is called Abendbrot (“evening bread”);
- oddly enough, but the most popular street dish in this country is doner kebab;
- the Germans are a very athletic nation, they are most willing to go in for running, swimming and cycling, they actively play football, bowling and handball;
- average age of first child birth for German women: 29-32;
- in Germany it is very difficult to meet a German woman in heels;
- the Germans practically do not cook the soups we are used to, but they eat bread with great pleasure (and in all its possible manifestations and forms).
Conclusion
357,021 is the area of Germany in sq. km. The country is located in the central part of Europe and has wide access to the sea. Today it is a powerful and fairly developed state. Germany is one of the main players in the EU, it is part of the "Big Seven" (G7) and boasts a very high standard of living for its citizens.
The German Democratic Republic, or GDR for short, is a country located in the Center of Europe and marked on maps for exactly 41 years. This is the westernmost country of the socialist camp that existed at that time, formed in 1949 and became part of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990.
German Democratic Republic
In the north, the border of the GDR ran along the Baltic Sea, on land it bordered on the FRG, Czechoslovakia and Poland. Its area was 108 thousand square kilometers. The population was 17 million people. The capital of the country was East Berlin. The entire territory of the GDR was divided into 15 districts. In the center of the country was the territory of West Berlin.
Location of the GDR
On a small territory of the GDR there was a sea, mountains and plains. The north was washed by the Baltic Sea, which forms several bays and shallow lagoons. They are connected to the sea by straits. She owned the islands, the largest of them - Rügen, Usedom and Pel. There are many rivers in the country. The largest are the Oder, Elbe, their tributaries Havel, Spree, Saale, as well as the Main - a tributary of the Rhine. Of the many lakes, the largest are Müritz, Schweriner See, Plauer See.
In the south, the country was framed by low mountains, significantly cut by rivers: from the west, the Harz, from the south-west, the Thuringian Forest, from the south, the Ore Mountains with the highest peak Fichtelberg (1212 meters). The north of the territory of the GDR was located on the Central European Plain, to the south lay the plain of the Macklenburg Lake District. South of Berlin stretches a strip of sandy plains.
East Berlin
It has been restored almost completely. The city was divided into occupation zones. After the creation of the FRG, its eastern part became part of the GDR, and the western part was an enclave surrounded on all sides by the territory of East Germany. According to the constitution of Berlin (Western), the land on which it was located belonged to the Federal Republic of Germany. The capital of the GDR was a major center of science and culture of the country.
The Academies of Sciences and Arts, many higher educational institutions were located here. Concert halls and theaters hosted outstanding musicians and artists from all over the world. Many parks and alleys served as decoration for the capital of the GDR. Sports facilities were erected in the city: stadiums, swimming pools, courts, competition grounds. The most famous park for the inhabitants of the USSR was Treptow Park, in which a monument to the liberator soldier was erected.
Big cities
The majority of the country's population was urban dwellers. In a small country, there were several cities with a population of more than half a million people. The large cities of the former German Democratic Republic, as a rule, had a rather ancient history. These are the cultural and economic centers of the country. The largest cities include Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig. The cities of East Germany were badly destroyed. But Berlin suffered the most, where the fighting went literally for every house.
The largest cities were located in the south of the country: Karl-Marx-Stadt (Meissen), Dresden and Leipzig. Every city in the GDR was famous for something. Rostock, located in northern Germany, is a modern port city. The world-famous porcelain was produced in Karl-Marx-Stadt (Meissen). In Jena, there was the famous Carl Zeiss factory, which produced lenses, including for telescopes, famous binoculars and microscopes were produced here. This city was also famous for its universities and scientific institutions. This is a city of students. Schiller and Goethe once lived in Weimar.
Karl-Marx-Stadt (1953-1990)
This city, founded in the 12th century in the land of Saxony, now bears its original name - Chemnitz. It is the center of textile engineering and textile industry, machine tool building and mechanical engineering. The city was completely destroyed by British and American bombers and rebuilt after the war. There are small islands of old buildings left.
Leipzig
The city of Leipzig, located in Saxony, before the unification of the GDR and the FRG was one of the largest cities in the German Democratic Republic. 32 kilometers away is another major German city - Halle, which is located in Saxony-Anhalt. Together, the two cities form an urban agglomeration with a population of 1,100,000 people.
The city has long been the cultural and scientific center of Central Germany. It is known for its universities as well as fairs. Leipzig is one of the most developed industrial regions in East Germany. Since the late Middle Ages, Leipzig has been a recognized center of printing and bookselling in Germany.
The greatest composer Johann Sebastian Bach lived and worked in this city, as well as the famous Felix Mendelssohn. The city is still famous for its musical traditions. Since ancient times, Leipzig has been a major trading center; until the last war, the famous fur trades were held here.
Dresden
The pearl among German cities is Dresden. The Germans themselves call it Florence on the Elbe, as there are many baroque architectural monuments here. The first mention of it was recorded in 1206. Dresden has always been the capital: since 1485 - the Margraviate of Meissen, since 1547 - the Electorate of Saxony.
It is located on the Elbe River. The border with the Czech Republic passes 40 kilometers from it. It is the administrative center of Saxony. Its population is about 600,000 inhabitants.
The city suffered greatly from the bombing of US and British aircraft. Up to 30,000 residents and refugees perished, most of them elderly, women and children. During the bombardment, the castle-residence, the Zwinger complex, and the Semperoper were badly destroyed. Almost the entire historical center lay in ruins.
In order to restore architectural monuments, after the war, all the surviving parts of the buildings were dismantled, rewritten, numbered and taken out of the city. Everything that could not be restored was cleared away.
The old city was a flat area on which most of the monuments were gradually restored. The government of the GDR came up with a proposal to revive the old city, which lasted almost forty years. For residents, new quarters and avenues were built around the old city.
Coat of arms of the GDR
Like any country, the GDR had its own coat of arms, described in Chapter 1 of the constitution. The coat of arms of the German Democratic Republic consisted of a golden hammer superimposed on each other, embodying the working class, and a compass, personifying the intelligentsia. They were surrounded by a golden wreath of wheat, representing the peasantry, intertwined with ribbons of the national flag.
Flag of the GDR
The flag of the German Democratic Republic was an elongated panel consisting of four equal width stripes painted in the national colors of Germany: black, red and gold. In the middle of the flag was the coat of arms of the GDR, which distinguished it from the flag of the FRG.
Prerequisites for the formation of the GDR
The history of the GDR covers a very short period of time, but it is still being studied with great attention by German scientists. The country was in strict isolation from the FRG and the entire Western world. After the surrender of Germany in May 1945, there were occupation zones, there were four of them, since the former state ceased to exist. All power in the country, with all management functions, formally passed to the military administrations.
The transitional period was complicated by the fact that Germany, especially its eastern part, where the German resistance was desperate, lay in ruins. The barbaric bombardments of the British and American aircraft aimed to intimidate the civilian population of the cities that were liberated by the Soviet army, to turn them into a heap of ruins.
In addition, there was no agreement between the former allies regarding the vision of the future of the country, which subsequently led to the creation of two countries - the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic.
Basic Principles for the Reconstruction of Germany
Even at the Yalta Conference, the main principles for the restoration of Germany were considered, which were later fully agreed upon and approved at the conference in Potsdam by the victorious countries: the USSR, Great Britain and the USA. They were also approved by the countries that participated in the war against Germany, in particular France, and contained the following provisions:
- Complete destruction of the totalitarian state.
- Complete ban on the NSDAP and all organizations associated with it.
- The complete liquidation of the punitive organizations of the Reich, such as the SA, SS, SD services, as they were recognized as criminal.
- The army was completely liquidated.
- Racial and political laws were abolished.
- Gradual and consistent implementation of denazification, demilitarization and democratization.
The decision of the German question, which included a peace treaty, was entrusted to the Council of Ministers of the victorious countries. On June 5, 1945, the victorious states promulgated the Declaration of the Defeat of Germany, according to which the country was divided into four occupation zones controlled by the administrations of Great Britain (the largest zone), the USSR, the USA and France. The capital of Germany, Berlin, was also divided into zones. The decision of all issues was entrusted to the Control Council, it included representatives of the victorious countries.
Party of Germany
In Germany, in order to restore statehood, the formation of new political parties that would be democratic in nature was allowed. In the eastern sector, emphasis was placed on the revival of the Communist and Social Democratic Party of Germany, which soon merged into the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (1946). Its goal was to build a socialist state. It was the ruling party in the German Democratic Republic.
In the western sectors, the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) party formed in June 1945 became the main political force. In 1946, the CSU (Christian-Social Union) was formed in Bavaria according to this principle. Their basic principle is a democratic republic based on market economy based on the rights of private property.
Political confrontations on the issue of the post-war structure of Germany between the USSR and the rest of the coalition countries were so serious that their further aggravation would lead either to a split of the state or to a new war.
Formation of the German Democratic Republic
In December 1946, Great Britain and the United States, ignoring numerous proposals from the USSR, announced the merger of their two zones. She was abbreviated as "Bizonia". This was preceded by the refusal of the Soviet administration to supply agricultural products to the western zones. In response to this, transit shipments of equipment exported from factories and plants in East Germany and located in the Ruhr region to the USSR zone were stopped.
At the beginning of April 1949, France also joined the Bizonia, as a result of which Trizonia was formed, from which the Federal Republic of Germany was subsequently formed. Thus, the Western powers, having entered into an agreement with the big German bourgeoisie, created a new state. In response to this, at the end of 1949, the German Democratic Republic was created. Berlin, or rather its Soviet zone, became its center and capital.
The People's Council was temporarily reorganized into the People's Chamber, which adopted the Constitution of the GDR, which passed a nationwide discussion. 09/11/1949 the first president of the GDR was elected. It was the legendary Wilhelm Pick. At the same time, the government of the GDR was temporarily created, headed by O. Grotewohl. The military administration of the USSR transferred all functions of governing the country to the government of the GDR.
The Soviet Union did not want the division of Germany. They were repeatedly made proposals for the unification and development of the country in accordance with the Potsdam decisions, but they were regularly rejected by Great Britain and the United States. Even after the division of Germany into two countries, Stalin made proposals for the unification of the GDR and the FRG, provided that the decisions of the Potsdam Conference were observed and that Germany was not drawn into any political and military blocs. But the Western states refused to do so, ignoring Potsdam's decisions.
The political system of the GDR
The form of government of the country was based on the principle of people's democracy, in which a bicameral parliament operated. The state system of the country was considered to be bourgeois-democratic, in which socialist transformations took place. The German Democratic Republic included the lands of the former Germany of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
The lower (people's) chamber was elected by universal secret ballot. The upper chamber was called the Land Chamber, the executive body was the government, which consisted of the prime minister and ministers. It was formed by appointment, which was carried out by the largest faction of the People's Chamber.
The administrative-territorial division consisted of lands, consisting of districts, divided into communities. The functions of the legislature were carried out by the Landtags, the executive bodies were the governments of the lands.
The People's Chamber - the highest body of the state - consisted of 500 deputies, who were elected by the people by secret ballot for a period of 4 years. It was represented by all parties and public organizations. The People's Chamber, acting on the basis of laws, made the most important decisions on the development of the country, dealt with relations between organizations, observing the rules for cooperation between citizens, state organizations and associations; adopted the main law - the Constitution and other laws of the country.
Economy of the GDR
After the partition of Germany, the economic situation of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) was very difficult. This part of Germany was very badly destroyed. The equipment of plants and factories was taken to the western sectors of Germany. The GDR was simply cut off from the historical raw material bases, most of which were in the FRG. There was a lack of such natural resources as ore and coal. There were few specialists: engineers, executives who left for the FRG, frightened by the propaganda about the cruel reprisal of Russians.
With the help of the Union and other countries of the commonwealth, the economy of the GDR gradually began to gain momentum. Businesses were restored. It was believed that centralized leadership and a planned economy served as a deterrent to the development of the economy. It should be taken into account that the restoration of the country took place in isolation from the western part of Germany, in an atmosphere of tough confrontation between the two countries, open provocations.
Historically, the eastern regions of Germany were mostly agricultural, and in its western part, rich in coal and deposits of metal ores, heavy industry, metallurgy and engineering were concentrated.
Without the financial and material assistance of the Soviet Union, it would have been impossible to achieve an early restoration of industry. For the losses suffered by the USSR during the war years, the GDR paid him reparation payments. Since 1950, their volume has been halved, and in 1954 the USSR refused to receive them.
Foreign policy situation
The construction of the Berlin Wall by the German Democratic Republic became a symbol of the intransigence of the two blocs. The eastern and western blocs of Germany were building up their military forces, provocations from the western bloc became more frequent. It came to open sabotage and arson. The propaganda machine worked at full power, using economic and political difficulties. Germany, like many Western European countries, did not recognize the GDR. The peak of the aggravation of relations occurred in the early 1960s.
The so-called "German crisis" also arose thanks to West Berlin, which, legally being the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, was located in the very center of the GDR. The border between the two zones was conditional. As a result of the confrontation between the NATO blocs and the Warsaw bloc countries, the SED Politburo decides to build a border around West Berlin, which was a reinforced concrete wall 106 km long and 3.6 m high and a metal mesh fence 66 km long. She stood from August 1961 until November 1989.
After the merger of the GDR and the FRG, the wall was demolished, only a small section remained, which became the Berlin Wall memorial. In October 1990, the GDR became part of the FRG. The history of the German Democratic Republic, which existed for 41 years, is intensively studied and researched by scientists of modern Germany.
Despite the propaganda discrediting of this country, scientists are well aware that it gave Western Germany a lot. In a number of parameters, she surpassed her Western brother. Yes, the joy of reunification was genuine for the Germans, but it is not worth belittling the importance of the GDR, one of the most developed countries in Europe, and many in modern Germany understand this very well.
Seventy years ago, on August 13, 1948, a decision was made and announced in Germany on the venue of the post-war Parliamentary Council (Parlamentarischer Rat), convened to adopt the Basic Law of the future Federal Republic of Germany. The choice fell on Bonn, which later also became the capital of Germany. Or rather, if you use the official wording - the temporary seat of the government and parliament of West Germany (Regierungssitz). The division of the country was considered by West German politicians as a temporary provision - this became part of the political doctrine. Even the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany will therefore be called not the constitution (Verfassung), but the Basic Law (Grundgesetz).
Chronicle of the constitutional process
In the spring of 1948, the London Conference was held in Great Britain, which was attended by the victorious Western powers (Great Britain, the USA, France), as well as the three Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg) - the immediate neighbors of West Germany. It was on it that the decision was made to create a separate German state in the three western occupation zones. Representatives of the USSR were not invited to London.
On July 1, 1948, the military commanders of the western occupation zones summoned to Frankfurt am Main the prime ministers of the then lands under their control: Bavaria, Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Württemberg-Baden , Württemberg-Hohenzollern and Baden, as well as two Oberburgomasters of the Hanseatic cities of Hamburg and Bremen, who historically had a special state status in Germany.
History lessons
Those invited received the so-called Frankfurt Documents, which contained the conditions of the victorious Western powers for the adoption of a new constitution and other requirements. Ten days before this meeting, the German mark was declared the only legal tender in the western zones of occupation, which also became an important step towards the creation of the FRG and laid the foundations for the future West German economic miracle.
In mid-July, the prime ministers and burgomasters held a meeting in Koblenz, which was in the French zone of occupation. The new constitution of the country was supposed to exclude the possibility of a repetition of the situation that led to the creation of the "Third Reich", to guarantee the inviolability of the person, freedom of opinion and observance of other principles of a democratic state - the separation of powers and so on, that is, to learn from the mistakes of the Weimar Republic, which made it possible to seize power by Hitler.
Photo gallery: "The Path of Democracy" in Bonn
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Through the historical sites of Bonn
First steps
This photograph captures one of the first key moments in Germany's post-war political history. In September 1949, Konrad Adenauer was elected the first chancellor of the FRG and soon began negotiations with the high commissioners of the victorious Western powers in order to achieve greater sovereignty for his government.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
"The Path of Democracy"
Meetings between Adenauer and the commissars took place in a hotel on the Petersberg mountain near Bonn, where their headquarters were located. For the next 40 years, this small city on the Rhine was to become the temporary capital of Germany - until the official reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990. The government worked here even longer, before moving to Berlin in 1999.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
government quarter
Take a look into Bonn's recent past with a walk along the "Way of Democracy" (Weg der Demokratie) route. Most of the historical sites are located in the former government quarter. Near each of them there are information boards. In the photo - a monument to Konrad Adenauer (CDU) on an alley named after another German chancellor - Willy Brandt (SPD).
Through the historical sites of Bonn
special status
Before going for a walk along the route, we note that Bonn is now a city of federal significance. This is enshrined in a special law. About 7,000 government officials continue to work here, the main offices of six of the fourteen ministries, some departments, other official institutions and organizations are located here.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
History Museum
The starting point of the "Way of Democracy" is the Museum of German History (Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik), located opposite the former Office of the Federal Chancellor. It was opened in 1994 and is now one of the most visited museums in Germany - about 850 thousand people annually. Among the exhibits - this government "Mercedes".
Through the historical sites of Bonn
The first stop of the route is the Federation House (Bundeshaus). In these buildings on the banks of the Rhine was the parliament: the Bundesrat and the Bundestag. The oldest part of the complex is the former Pedagogical Academy, built in the 1930s in the style of the new materiality. In the northern wing of the Academy in 1948-1949, the Basic Law (Constitution) of the FRG was developed.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
First hall
The Bundestag of the first convocation began to work in the former Pedagogical Academy, rebuilt in just seven months, in September 1949. A few years later, a new eight-story office building for deputies was erected nearby. The Bundestag sat in its first plenary hall until 1988. Then it was demolished and a new hall was built on this site, which was used before moving to Berlin.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
UN in Bonn
Now most of the former parliamentary buildings in Bonn have been placed at the disposal of the UN units located in the former capital of Germany, in particular, the secretariat of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. In total, about a thousand employees of this international organization work in the city.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
Made of glass and concrete
The next stop is near the new Bundestag Plenary Hall, which was completed in 1992. The last time deputies met here on the Rhine was in July 1999, on the eve of their move to the Berlin Reichstag and the new parliamentary complex on the banks of the Spree.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
New Hall
The plenary hall is not empty now. It regularly hosts various meetings and events. This photo was taken in the former Bundestag in June 2016 during the Global Media Forum. It is hosted annually by the Deutsche Welle media company, whose editorial complex is located nearby. Opposite it, the WCCB International Congress Center and a large five-star hotel were built.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
From September 1986 to October 1992, the plenary sessions of the Bundestag, while the new hall was being built, temporarily took place in the former water station on the banks of the Rhine - Altes Wasserwerk. This imposing neo-Gothic building was built in 1875. In 1958, the water tower was decommissioned. The building was bought by the government and became part of the parliamentary complex.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
From Bonn to Berlin
On October 3, 1990, on the day of the reunification of the country, Berlin again became the capital of a united Germany, but the question of where the government would work was still open. The place where the historic decision to move from Bonn was made was the plenary hall in the old water tower. It happened on June 20, 1991, after a sharp ten-hour debate. The advantage was only 18 votes.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
parliamentary skyscraper
The next stop on the "Way of Democracy" is the high-rise building "Langer Eugen", that is, "Long Eugen". So he was nicknamed in honor of the chairman of the Bundestag, Eugen Gerstenmeier, who especially advocated for this project. Nearby are the white buildings of Deutsche Welle. These buildings were supposed to house the offices of the parliament, which expanded after the reunification of the country, but because of the move to Berlin, plans changed.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
"Tulip Field"
The Tulip Field (Tulpenfeld) office complex was built in the 1960s by order of the Allianz concern specifically to be leased to the government. The fact is that earlier the German authorities decided not to build new buildings in Bonn anymore, since the city was considered as a temporary capital. The premises here were rented by the Bundestag, various departments and the Federal Press Conference.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
Bonn editions
This picture was taken in the hall of the Federal press conference in 1979 during the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR Andrei Gromyko. In the neighborhood of the "Tulip Field" on Dahlmannstraße, there were the Bonn editorial offices of the leading German media and the correspondent bureaus of the foreign press and news agencies.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
We have already talked about this residence of German chancellors in detail in a separate report, which can be viewed at the link at the bottom of the page. In 1964, the father of the German economic miracle, Ludwig Erhard, became the first owner of the chancellor's bungalow, built in the classical modern style. Helmut Kohl, who headed the German government for 16 years, lived and worked here longer than others.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
New Office of the Chancellor
From the chancellor's bungalow - a stone's throw to the Office of the Federal Chancellor. From 1976 to 1999, the offices of Helmut Schmidt, Helmut Kohl and Gerhard Schroeder were located here. On the lawn in front of the main entrance in 1979, the work of the British sculptor Henry Moore "Large Two Forms" was installed. Now the central office of the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development is located here.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
Previously, the offices of German chancellors were located in Schaumburg Palace. It was erected in 1860 by order of a textile manufacturer, later bought by Prince Adolf zu Schaumburg-Lippe and rebuilt in the late classicist style. Since 1939, the building was at the disposal of the Wehrmacht, and in 1945 it was transferred to the command of the Belgian units in occupied Germany.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
From Adenauer to Schmidt
In 1949, Schaumburg Palace became the place of work of the first federal chancellor, Konrad Adenauer. This is what his office looked like. Then this palace until 1976 was used by Chancellors Ludwig Erhard, Kurt Georg Kiesinger, Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt. In 1990, the German-German agreements on the creation of monetary, economic and social unions were signed here.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
The neighboring villa Hammerschmidt, built in the middle of the 18th century, was occupied by German presidents until 1994, when Richard von Weizsäcker decided to move to Berlin's Bellevue Palace. At the same time, the Bonn villa retained the status of a presidential residence in a federal city on the Rhine.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
König Museum
The first pages of the post-war history of Germany were written ... in the Koenig Zoological Museum. In 1948, the Parliamentary Council began to sit in it, whose task was to develop a new constitution. Also here, for two months after his election as chancellor, before moving to the Schaumburg Palace, Konrad Adenauer worked. This photo was taken during a visit to his former office by Angela Merkel.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
old town hall
During its metropolitan decades, Bonn has seen many politicians and statesmen from all over the world. One of the points of their obligatory program was a visit to the city hall in order to leave an entry in the Golden Book of Honored Guests. This photograph was taken on the front staircase during Mikhail Gorbachev's visit to Germany in 1989.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
Many heads of state visiting Bonn have stayed at the Petersberg Hotel, where we started our report. It served as a guest government residence. Elizabeth II, Emperor Akihito, Boris Yeltsin, Bill Clinton lived here. This picture was taken in 1973 during the visit of Leonid Brezhnev, who got behind the wheel of a Mercedes 450 SLC that had just been presented to him. On the same day, he crushed him on the Bonn road.
Through the historical sites of Bonn
P.S.
Our reporting has come to an end, but the "Way of Democracy" does not end. The route continues past the ministries on the banks of the Rhine, the offices of the parliamentary parties and the Hofgarten park. It was the site of rallies that gathered more than 300 thousand people. For example, in 1981 there were protests against the deployment of American nuclear missiles in West Germany.
To accomplish this task, it was decided to divide the work into two stages - expert and legislative. At the first stage, the Constitutional Convention (Verfassungskonvent) was organized to prepare proposals. It was held at the Old Palace on the island of Herrenchiemsee in Bavaria. The opening took place on August 10, 1948 in the former dining room of the Bavarian King Ludwig II. A secluded quiet place in the middle of the picturesque Chiemsee Lake was not chosen by chance - away from everyday political disputes. The convention was attended by 30 people - lawyers, experts in public administration and politicians. The latter were in the minority. In two weeks, the participants of the convention prepared a complete draft of the constitution, which consisted of 149 articles.
While experts were sitting on the Bavarian island, West German politicians were looking for a place to hold a constitutional assembly - the Parliamentary Council, in which delegates from the land parliaments were to participate. The process of adopting a constitution was supposed to take several months, which required suitable infrastructure, which significantly reduced the number of candidate cities in a country that lay in ruins after the war.
Frankfurt, Celle, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Bonn, Koblenz or Karlsruhe
At first, the Americans were not averse to choosing Frankfurt am Main for these purposes, but still yielded to the British, who really wanted to organize a Parliamentary Council in their occupation zone. The initial candidates included the Lower Saxon city of Celle, the North Rhine-Westphalia capital Düsseldorf, as well as Cologne and Bonn. Later also called Koblenz and Karlsruhe.
The choice of Bonn was largely influenced by the personal sympathies of one of the German politicians. This city was proposed by the then head of the State Chancellery of North Rhine - Westphalia, Hermann Wandersleb, in the future - an honorary citizen of it. Shortly before that, he held a seminar here and very fondly recalled the warm welcome given by the residents. In addition, enough buildings survived in Bonn to hold meetings and accommodate participants, and the resort of Bad Godesberg was located nearby, and it was a stone's throw from here to the French zone of occupation.
Cologne did not make the final list, as it was almost completely destroyed, and Düsseldorf simply did not show due interest in response to the request. What could not be said about Bonn. The final decision was made during a conference call on August 13, 1948. The issue of the capital was not yet discussed, but the holding of the Parliamentary Council here significantly increased its chances.
This decision also could not but please the future first Federal Chancellor of West Germany Konrad Adenauer (Konrad Adenauer), who was to preside over the Parliamentary Council. He could travel to meetings directly from home. Adenauer had lived for more than ten years in the village of Röndorf, located not far away on the opposite bank of the Rhine. The politician moved here from neighboring Cologne after he was removed from the post of Oberburgomaster in 1933 by the National Socialists who came to power in Germany. Adenauer was elected to this position in 1917, becoming then the youngest head of the administration of a major German city. Rondorf was a kind of place of his political exile during the "Third Reich". The Adenauer family home now houses a museum.
"Human dignity is inviolable"
The first meeting of the Parliamentary Council, which was attended by 65 delegates from the state parliaments and city councils of Hamburg and Bremen, took place on September 1, 1948, the last on May 8, 1949. The solemn ceremony of signing and promulgation of the Basic Law took place in Bonn on 23 May. Members of the Parliamentary Council are called "parents of the German constitution", or rather - "fathers" (Verfassungsväter). There were only four women among the delegates. Five representatives of West Berlin also participated in the meetings of the council, but without the right to vote.
Photo gallery: How chancellors lived on the Rhine
Former residence of German chancellors in Bonn. It was erected in a park on the banks of the Rhine near the Office of the Federal Chancellor and the government district. The first owner of the chancellor's bungalow (Kanzlerbungalow) in 1964 was Ludwig Erhard, the father of the German economic miracle.
Sculpture in front of the chancellor's bungalow.
Entrance to the chancellor's bungalow.
Visiting Helmut Kohl - Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, 1992.
Dining table in the living room of the chancellor's bungalow.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl in front of a bungalow, 1998.
Coalition talks between the SPD and the FDP in the chancellor's bungalow, 1980. Participants include Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt.
Silver service from the chancellor's bungalow.
Popular singer and composer Udo Jürgens visiting Federal Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger, 1969.
Office kitchen.
List of internal telephones of the service apartment.
Bedroom in the service apartment of the chancellor's residence.
Chancellor pool.
The Basic Law, like the draft Constitutional Convention, consisted of 149 articles. Many of the wordings were taken unchanged, some were rewritten. For example, the first article begins with the phrase "The dignity of a person is inviolable. It is the duty of all state authorities to respect and protect it" ("Die Würde des Menschen ist unantastbar. Sie zu achten und zu schützen ist Verpflichtung aller staatlichen Gewalt"). In the project, it sounded like this: "The state exists for the person, not the person for the state" ("Der Staat ist um des Menschen willen da, nicht der Mensch um des Staates willen").
The car of the first chancellor of Germany, the passport of the first guest worker, documents and photos from the Nuremberg trials... The post-war history of Germany comes to life in this museum.
The procedure for expressing no confidence in the incumbent chancellor was also significantly complicated. A so-called constructive vote of no confidence was introduced instead of a destructive vote. According to this procedure, the Bundestag can remove the head of government only if it simultaneously elects a successor. This is exactly what happened in 1982, when the Social Democrat Helmut Schmidt was replaced by the Christian Democrat Helmut Kohl.
The new interim constitution of the FRG significantly strengthened the role of the federal lands and the upper house of parliament - the Bundesrat. The jurisdiction of the lands passed control over the police, financial departments, as well as in the field of education and culture.
Is there anything more permanent than temporary?
Frankfurt am Main claimed the right to become the capital of Germany in 1949. In any case, he was the favorite, but this caused concern among representatives of West Berlin. They believed that in such a case, Berlin would never again regain this status - given the important role that Frankfurt played in German history. In the local Old Town Hall, German emperors were elected and crowned for centuries. The Frankfurt National Assembly, the first all-German parliament, met in the same city in 1848-1849. In turn, small and cozy Bonn was not noticed in such ambitions and has already shown its best side. On November 3, 1949, he received the votes of 176 of the 200 deputies of the first Bundestag.
Bonn did an excellent job with its tasks, and this period entered the history of Germany under the name of the Bonn Republic. On October 3, 1990, the official reunification of the country took place. At that moment, Berlin again became the capital of Germany, but the parliament and government were in no hurry to move to the banks of the Spree from their temporary residence.
The final vote on this issue, after long and emotional discussions, took place on June 20, 1991. The idea to stay to work in Bonn was supported by 320 deputies. 338 voters were in favor of moving to Berlin. However, Bonn received the status of a federal city, in which many ministries are still located and thousands of government officials work.
