$Unique_ID{COW04094}
$Pretitle{373}
$Title{Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)
Glossary}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{William C. Cromwell}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{european
germany
communities
community
west
early
part
party
treaty
}
$Date{1982}
$Log{}
Country:     Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)
Book:        Federal Republic of Germany, A Country Study
Author:      William C. Cromwell
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date:        1982

Glossary

     Atlantic Alliance-An alternate designation for NATO (q.v.).

     CDU/CSU-Christlich Demokratische Union (Christian Democratic Union-CDU)
and Christlich Soziale Union (Christian Social Union-CSU) form major political
party. CSU, as the "Bavarian wing" or "sister party" of the CDU, maintains a
separate organization within Bavaria, but constitutes an integral part of the
CDU/CSU in the federal parliament.

     civil service-In 1980 some 1.4 million persons, also known as Beamten
(or "officials"), in public employment, who have a special professional status
that carries privileges (such as lifetime guaranteed employment and a pension
not requiring employee contributions) and special obligations (such as loyalty
to employer and obedience to supervisor). Civil servants are distinct from
public servants, a term that refers to all of the 3.5 to 4 million persons in
public employment in 1980.

     Common Market-European Economic Community, a part of the European
Communities (q.v.).

     CSU-See CDU/CSU.

     deutsche mark (DM)-The national currency unit, consisting of 100
pfennigs. The value of the deutsche mark fluctuated with international
monetary developments-generally upward since its introduction in the currency
reform of 1948. The International Monetary Fund's International Financial
Statistics presents the average value of the mark each year in terms of the
dollar and special drawing rights (SDRs). The number of deutsche marks per
US $1 averaged 2.46 in 1975, 2.52 in 1976, 2.32 in 1977, 2.01 in 1978, 1.83 in
1979, 1.82 in 1980, and 2.26 in 1981.

     EC-European Communities (q.v.).

     ECSC-European Coal and Steel Community, a part of the European
Communities (q.v.).

     EEC-European Economic Community, a part of the European Communities
(q.v.).

     EURATOM-European Atomic Energy Community, a part of the European
Communities (q.v.).

     European Communities (EC)-A 1965 treaty that entered into force July 1,
1967, joining together the ECSC-created in 1951, operational from July 25,
1952-the EEC or Common Market-established by treaty of March 25, 1957,
operational from January 1, 1958-and the EURATOM-also created by a treaty on
March 25, 1957, and operational from January 1, 1958. Although the formal name
is European Communities, most writers refer to the European Community, and the
institution almost always refers to itself as the European Community.

     European Community-See European Communities.

     FDP-Freie Demokratische Partei (Free Democratic Party). The only minor
party to have won seats in the Bundestag in every national election up to and
including 1980 election. In 1982 was junior member of governing coalition with
SPD (q.v.), a role it had filled since 1969 with SPD and earlier with the
CDU/CSU (q.v.).

     FRG-Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany of Federal Republic). In
early 1980s the initials were increasingly used in governmental, academic, and
popular publications as a short designation of the country. BRD, from
Bundesrepublik Deutschland, also frequently seen.

     GDR-German Democratic Republic (East Germany). In early 1980s the
initials were increasingly used in governmental, academic, and popular
publications as a short designation of the country. DDR, from Deutsche
Demokratische Republik, also frequently seen.

     NATO-North Atlantic Treaty Organization; frequently called, particularly
in official NATO publications, the Atlantic Alliance or the Alliance. In early
1982 membership composed of Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, West Germany,
Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey, and
United States.

     SPD-Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (Social Democratic Party of
Germany). One of two major political parties. In early 1982 governed country
in coalition with FDP (q.v.).

     Western European Union (WEU)-In 1948 Belgium, Britain, France,
Luxembourg, and the Netherlands concluded and signed the Brussels Treaty,
which envisaged a collective security agreement that was at least
inferentially a hedge against a resurgent Germany. Instead, in 1949 NATO was
formed. In 1954 a nine-power conference in London concluded agreements to
include West Germany and Italy in the as yet unformed WEU, to terminate Allied
occupation of West Germany, and for the latter to join NATO. These agreements
were ratified on May 6, 1955, at which time the WEU came into being. By
acceding to the WEU, West Germany accepted limitations on its rearmament and
weapons manufacture; in a separate document, West Germany renounced the
manufacture of atomic, bacteriological, and chemical weapons. In the early
1980s the WEU, headquartered in London, dealt mostly with intra-union
political questions.