Row 61518

Row ID: 61518 | Dataset Entry | Axioma AXP Content Repository

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**Germany's constitution and its 75-year history**

West Germany adopted its constitution in 1949 and amended it many times, with some controversial additions, such as the creation of the Bundeswehr.

"Human dignity shall be inviolable" — so begins Article 1 of the  German constitution, officially known as the Basic Law. This first line was drafted in response to the unprecedented crimes of Nazi Germany, a country responsible both for World War II and the Holocaust, the murder of six million Jews and many others throughout Europe.

**1949: Basic Law adopted**

When the Basic Law was adopted on May 23, 1949, it applied only to the Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany, which was formally established on the same day. This comprised the three zones occupied by the Western powers that had won World War II: the US, the United Kingdom, and France. The east of the country was in the Soviet Occupation Zone, which became the German Democratic Republic (GDR) on October 7, 1949 — a communist dictatorship ruled by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED).

It was because of the division of Germany that the men and women who drafted the Basic Law saw their work as provisional, one of the reasons why it was not called a "constitution."

As Germany celebrates the Basic Law's 75th anniversary, many have brought up this historical oddity once again: "It was not intended to be a permanent constitution, but a transitional arrangement until the German people as a whole were free to make their own decisions," said Potsdam-based historian Martin Sabrow at an event organized by the Federal Foundation for the Study of the Communist Dictatorship.

**1956: The German military**

Even though no new constitution was drafted, the Basic Law has been amended almost 70 times over the decades — usually to reflect social and geopolitical changes. One particularly controversial issue was rearmament, which arose when West Germany joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1955, the same year that the German armed forces, or Bundeswehr, were established. Following this, the Basic Law was amended in 1956 to give Germany a constitutional framework for the country to arm and defend itself.

**1968: Limiting basic rights in times of emergency**

The "Emergency Laws" amendment, passed in 1968, also had far-reaching consequences. The aim of these laws was to guarantee the state's ability to act in crisis situations, in particular natural disasters, uprisings, and wars. Among other things, this constitutional amendment enabled the domestic deployment of the Bundeswehr and the restriction of basic rights in emergency situations, including the secret surveillance of communications.

**1990: No new Basic Law for a reunified Germany**

The reunification of Germany in 1990 could have been a decisive moment. After the Berlin Wall had fallen, and the GDR regime with it, the new Germany could have adopted a new constitution. Instead, the German parliament simply voted to expand the reach of the Basic Law to include the new states in eastern Germany — effectively turning its provisional status permanent.

"Although a debate was started about a constitution for all of Germany, this idea did not have majority support in Germany," explains political scientist Astrid Lorenz of the University of Leipzig. "The main reason for this was that the Basic Law had proved its usefulness and a new one was unnecessary. People wanted stability."

FieldValue
text **Germany's constitution and its 75-year history** West Germany adopted its constitution in 1949 and amended it many times, with some controversial additions, such as the creation of the Bundeswehr. "Human dignity shall be inviolable" — so begins Article 1 of the  German constitution, officially known as the Basic Law. This first line was drafted in response to the unprecedented crimes of Nazi Germany, a country responsible both for World War II and the Holocaust, the murder of six million Jew…
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datetime 2024-05-23
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Raw Record

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  "text": "**Germany's constitution and its 75-year history**\n\nWest Germany adopted its constitution in 1949 and amended it many times, with some controversial additions, such as the creation of the Bundeswehr.\n\n\"Human dignity shall be inviolable\" — so begins Article 1 of the  German constitution, officially known as the Basic Law. This first line was drafted in response to the unprecedented crimes of Nazi Germany, a country responsible both for World War II and the Holocaust, the murder of six million Jews and many others throughout Europe.\n\n**1949: Basic Law adopted**\n\nWhen the Basic Law was adopted on May 23, 1949, it applied only to the Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany, which was formally established on the same day. This comprised the three zones occupied by the Western powers that had won World War II: the US, the United Kingdom, and France. The east of the country was in the Soviet Occupation Zone, which became the German Democratic Republic (GDR) on October 7, 1949 — a communist dictatorship ruled by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED).\n\nIt was because of the division of Germany that the men and women who drafted the Basic Law saw their work as provisional, one of the reasons why it was not called a \"constitution.\"\n\nAs Germany celebrates the Basic Law's 75th anniversary, many have brought up this historical oddity once again: \"It was not intended to be a permanent constitution, but a transitional arrangement until the German people as a whole were free to make their own decisions,\" said Potsdam-based historian Martin Sabrow at an event organized by the Federal Foundation for the Study of the Communist Dictatorship.\n\n**1956: The German military**\n\nEven though no new constitution was drafted, the Basic Law has been amended almost 70 times over the decades — usually to reflect social and geopolitical changes. One particularly controversial issue was rearmament, which arose when West Germany joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1955, the same year that the German armed forces, or Bundeswehr, were established. Following this, the Basic Law was amended in 1956 to give Germany a constitutional framework for the country to arm and defend itself.\n\n**1968: Limiting basic rights in times of emergency**\n\nThe \"Emergency Laws\" amendment, passed in 1968, also had far-reaching consequences. The aim of these laws was to guarantee the state's ability to act in crisis situations, in particular natural disasters, uprisings, and wars. Among other things, this constitutional amendment enabled the domestic deployment of the Bundeswehr and the restriction of basic rights in emergency situations, including the secret surveillance of communications.\n\n**1990: No new Basic Law for a reunified Germany**\n\nThe reunification of Germany in 1990 could have been a decisive moment. After the Berlin Wall had fallen, and the GDR regime with it, the new Germany could have adopted a new constitution. Instead, the German parliament simply voted to expand the reach of the Basic Law to include the new states in eastern Germany — effectively turning its provisional status permanent.\n\n\"Although a debate was started about a constitution for all of Germany, this idea did not have majority support in Germany,\" explains political scientist Astrid Lorenz of the University of Leipzig. \"The main reason for this was that the Basic Law had proved its usefulness and a new one was unnecessary. People wanted stability.\"",
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