Germany Since WWII

GERMANY POST WORLD WAR II

World War II (1939-1945) Axis – Germany, Japan, Italy Allied – USA, UK, France, Russia Hitler - Nazi - Xenophobia D-Day , Normandy Holocaust – Genocide 30th April 1945 – End of Hitler

Challenges faced by Germany post WWII

Divided Germany – American, British, French, Soviet Hyperinflation – 85% Moral bankruptcy Food shortage, Transport problem,

Devastated infrastructure. Denazification Responsibility and collective guilt.

Denazification US General – Dwight D.

Eisenhower Remove Nazis from positions of

influence and by disbanding the organizations associated with it.

Influenced the parliamentary council charged with drawing up a constitution for those occupation zones that would become West Germany.

German education regulated to abolish nazism.

May 8, 1949 - Foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany.

1950-1970 West Germany

Joins NATO3rd largest economyResurgence of Neo-Nazi party - 6 day warBerlin Wall , 1961 – Iron Curtain

East Germany Socialism and communism influenced by Russia. Violated DDR ban – entered West Germany

THE GERMAN GUERILLA Red Army Faction ( Baader-Meinhof Group ) Revolutionary Cells ( R Z )

Communist and anti-imperialist "urban guerrilla" group engaged in armed resistance against what they deemed to be a fascist state

  Newly-found youth identity and issues such as racism, Women's liberation  and anti-imperialism were at the forefront of left-wing politics.

German Autumn

Bank robberies to raise funds , killing of german police officers bombing of US military Operations , sabotage , expropriation

The dissolution of the Soviet Union was a serious blow to left-wing groups

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL Divided Berlin East Germany

○ Communist society○ Soviets pilfered valuable assets○ The economy dragged . ○ Individual freedoms were severely restricted .

West Germany ○ Capitalist○ Rapid Growth – Economic Miracle ○ High Standard of living , Technologically

Advanced .

GERMANY : A FOOTBALL GIANT

Germany wins world cup in 1974 and 1990

Germany is the only national to win Men & women’s world cup.

Wins Euro Championships in 1972 , 1980 , 1996

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL Mass Emigration - the flight of the

intelligentsia Westwards . East Germany constructs Berlin Wall . Fourth version of the Berlin Wall,

constructed from 1975 to 1980 was most thorough – Concrete slabs .

Soviet Regime falls , Strong sentiments of unity across Germany .

The Berlin Wall falls on  9 November 1989

CHARLIE MEMORIAL

Memorial of the East Germans who died while crossing the Berlin Wall

Tear Down This Wall : Ronald Reagan

The Night of November , 1989 :The Berlin Wall Falls

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL

Remaining stretch of the Wall near Ostbahnhof in Friedrichshain

REUNITED GERMANY In 1990 in which the German

Democrativ Republic  (GDR/East Germany) joined the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG/West Germany)

Berlin reunited into a single city Berlin experienced a boom in

the construction industry  Mentality gaps between East and West

persist, but so does sympathy

1991 - present

Europe’s largest economy, 4th largest in the world Largest exporters – vehicles, precision

engineering products, chemicals. High public investment in education , training skills , social security & safety net . Until 2009 – More exports that any other

country in the world

VIELEN DANKE!!!

EURO CRISIS TO BE PRESENTED NEXT .