Adenauer’s dominance

in Democracy and Dictatorships in Germany 1919 - 1963

We answer 3 key questions in this podcast. Why was Adenauer able to dominate West Germany for so long? Why was there stability in West Germany? How far were social structures changed within West Germany? The content includes a look at the basic Law and the constitution of West Germany; the 1949 election; political and social stability; foreign policy, rapprochement with France, EEC, rearmament, NATO, policy towards USA, USSR and DDR, elections of 1953, 1957 and 1961; Berlin Wall; Adenauer’s decline and Der Spiegel Crisis of 1962. Throughout this period the consider the concept of western integration.