KONRAD ADENAUER DAN PEMODENAN SEMULA JERMAN BARAT, 1949-1963

Abstract

The Second World War had brought destruction to Germany as a political entity. More significantly the Germans lost everything including their sovereignty. The emergence of Konrad Adenauer in 1949 as the first Chancellor of West Germany(1949-1963), reinforced under the authority of the Allies, particularly the United States had opened the path towards modernization and the revival of West Germany after the division of Germany into two entities. Thus, this paper discusses the role of Adenauer in the revival of Germany and his contribution that led him to be regarded as the father of modern Germany. Among Adenauer’s contribution are firstly, strengthening democracy as a new ideology of post-war West German society through the implementation of Basic Law; secondly, formulating domestic policy by strengthening West German economy through Marshall Plan and the introduction of the Market Economy to achieve what was to be said as the economic miracle. Further, status-quo during the Cold War era had enabled West Germany to be associated with European economic and military cooperation through ECSC, EEC and NATO that reflected the recognition for the sovereignty and integrity of Germany from the West as one of the powers of Western Europe.