History UsefulNotes / WestGermany

* ''Derrick'' until 1990

%%* A number of GermanMedia most non-Germans never ever heard of.

* A number of GermanMedia most non-Germans never ever heard of.

It considered itself a reconstituted WeimarRepublic (despite the irony of Weimar now being in UsefulNotes/EastGermany), deciding to pay reparations for both wars and keeping the D license plate. It also elected to pay reparations to UsefulNotes/{{Israel}} starting in 1953 as penance for TheHolocaust (and on a more practical level, payment for the labor and property stolen from Jews by the Nazis); Germany remains Israel's foremost advocate in Europe to this day, and has discovered rather interesting ways to show its sorriness to Israel (including giving the [[UsefulNotes/IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles IDF]] nuclear-capable submarines). The ''de facto'' capital of West Germany was UsefulNotes/{{Bonn}}, a small town in Germany (to quote the title of a Creator/JohnLeCarre novel), although Berlin was symbolically named the ''de jure'' capital in the Basic Law. West Berlin, an occupied city, sent non-voting representatives to the German Parliament.

It considered itself a reconstituted WeimarRepublic (despite the irony of Weimar now being in UsefulNotes/EastGermany), deciding to pay reparations for both wars and keeping the D license plate. It also elected to pay reparations to UsefulNotes/{{Israel}} starting in 1953 as penance for TheHolocaust (and on a more practical level, payment for the labor and property stolen from Jews by the Nazis); Germany remains Israel's foremost advocate in Europe to this day, and has discovered rather interesting ways to show its sorriness to Israel (including giving the [[IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles IDF]] nuclear-capable submarines). The ''de facto'' capital of West Germany was UsefulNotes/{{Bonn}}, a small town in Germany (to quote the title of a Creator/JohnLeCarre novel), although Berlin was symbolically named the ''de jure'' capital in the Basic Law. West Berlin, an occupied city, sent non-voting representatives to the German Parliament.

West Germany had the legacy of the UsefulNotes/WorldWarII to deal with. They implemented a NoSwastikas policy and banned all vaguely Nazi organisations. West Germany also became a pretty peaceful nation, not getting involved in any foreign wars. This didn't stop EastGermany from calling them fascists on a regular basis; the UsefulNotes/BerlinWall was called "''der antifaschistische Schutzwall''," literally meaning "the Anti-Fascist Protection Barrier." The GDR regime also had a field day any time when real or supposed connections of high ranking West German officials to the Nazi Era became public and they often leaked documents from Soviet Archives or the likes to the press themselves to land a propaganda coup. That said, the GDR itself had quite a few old Nazis in high ranks of army state and party in the 1950s and early 1960s.

It considered itself a reconstituted WeimarRepublic (despite the irony of Weimar now being in EastGermany), deciding to pay reparations for both wars and keeping the D license plate. It also elected to pay reparations to UsefulNotes/{{Israel}} starting in 1953 as penance for TheHolocaust (and on a more practical level, payment for the labor and property stolen from Jews by the Nazis); Germany remains Israel's foremost advocate in Europe to this day, and has discovered rather interesting ways to show its sorriness to Israel (including giving the [[IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles IDF]] nuclear-capable submarines). The ''de facto'' capital of West Germany was UsefulNotes/{{Bonn}}, a small town in Germany (to quote the title of a Creator/JohnLeCarre novel), although Berlin was symbolically named the ''de jure'' capital in the Basic Law. West Berlin, an occupied city, sent non-voting representatives to the German Parliament.

It considered itself a reconstituted WeimarRepublic (despite the irony of Weimar now being in EastGermany), deciding to pay reparations for both wars and keeping the D license plate. It also elected to pay reparations to UsefulNotes/{{Israel}} starting in 1953 as penance for TheHolocaust (and on a more practical level, payment for the labor and property stolen from Jews by the Nazis); Germany remains Israel's foremost advocate in Europe to this day, and has discovered rather interesting ways to show its sorriness to Israel (including giving the [[IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles IDF]] nuclear-capable submarines).[[note]]This policy of standing by Israel has occasionally bitten Germany in the arse, as when it threatened to ruin anything resembling a unified European front on the Palestinian statehood resolution in 2011.[[/note]] The ''de facto'' capital of West Germany was UsefulNotes/{{Bonn}}, a small town in Germany (to quote the title of a Creator/JohnLeCarre novel), although Berlin was symbolically named the ''de jure'' capital in the Basic Law. West Berlin, an occupied city, sent non-voting representatives to the German Parliament.

The German Basic Law was aimed at the reunification of Germany. When Germany reunified, UsefulNotes/EastGermany was merely absorbed into WestGermany, creating the reunified Germany- UsefulNotes/TheBerlinRepublic. The Basic Law stayed in place with minor changes as it had served the country well. While Article 23 ''was'' changed (which allowed for Germany being enlarged without major changes to the constitution - something which was seen as obsolete with reunification complete) Article 146 notably ''wasn't'' - meaning the German constitution still contains a paragraph that details how it could be replaced by a new one (this was intended as the other avenue to reunification and is sometimes brought up by populist or opposition politicians)

* The TV series ''Series/{{Derrick}}'' until 1990
* Series/{{Tatort}} and its East German counterpart "Polizeiruf 110" originated in that era - [[LongRunner they are still on]] as of 2016.

Also called the Bonn Republic these days by historians, the Federal Republic of Germany (''Bundesrepublik Deutschland'') was formed out of three of the occupation zones of Germany in the aftermath of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, the other becoming UsefulNotes/EastGermany. This didn't happen overnight - the British and American zones were merged, informally very quickly after the war and more formally combined into something called at the time "the Bizone" or "Bizonia" by 1948 or so, with the French zone allowed in just before the formation of the Bundesrepublik itself in 1949. The Saarland, separately occupied and disputed by France, joined in 1957 after the residents were allowed to vote on which country they wanted to be part of. This is sometimes referred to in modern times as the ''kleine Wiedervereinigung'' ("Little Reunification").

West Germany had the legacy of the UsefulNotes/WorldWarII to deal with. They implemented a NoSwastikas policy and banned all vaguely Nazi organisations. West Germany also became a pretty peaceful nation, not getting involved in any foreign wars. This didn't stop EastGermany from calling them fascists on a regular basis; the BerlinWall was called "''der antifaschistische Schutzwall''," literally meaning "the Anti-Fascist Protection Barrier." The GDR regime also had a field day any time when real or supposed connections of high ranking West German officials to the Nazi Era became public and they often leaked documents from Soviet Archives or the likes to the press themselves to land a propaganda coup. That said, the GDR itself had quite a few old Nazis in high ranks of army state and party in the 1950s and early 1960s.

West Germany also developed culturally, with West German literature, philosophy, films, and music making their mark. On the high end, the likes of ''Gruppe '47'' (including, most famously, [[Literature/TheTinDrum Günter Grass]]) pointed the West German reaction to the horrors of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII (in essence, "we were guilty and foolish, all of us!") and the process of denazification (they were for it). On the pop-cultural level, Music/TheBeatles and countless other British bands had their first breaks in Germany--typically UsefulNotes/{{Hamburg}}--and the West Germans were the first Continental Europeans to really get what this "rock" thing was all about. The Germans returned the favor: late '60s and early '70s German rock (called "KrautRock" by the British music press), led by bands like Neu!, Amon Düül II, and early Music/{{Kraftwerk}}, had a powerful impact on PostPunk, [[NewWaveMusic New Wave]], Electronic, and {{Industrial}} music. West Berlin in particular was famous for both its rollicking club scene and its Hansa-By-The-Wall (yes, ''[[BerlinWall that]]'' Wall) recording studio, which was a magnet for musicians German and non-German alike. Music/DavidBowie spent most of his most productive and creative period in Berlin (termed, fittingly, his "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Berlin period]]"), inspired by the German scene. [[Music/TheStooges Iggy Pop]] was similarly inspired, recording part of his debut album and all of ''Lust for Life'' (you know, the famous one) at Hansa-By-The-Wall.

On another cultural note, the West Germans also managed to create a brilliant national soccer team, winning TheWorldCup in 1954, 1974, and 1990 (just before reunification). The win in 1954, against Hungary, was a massive boost to West German pride (which until then had been rather shaky), and was seen as a moral victory for the West over the Soviet bloc.

West Germany had the legacy of the UsefulNotes/WorldWarII to deal with. They implemented a NoSwastikas policy and banned all vaguely Nazi organisations. West Germany also became a pretty peaceful nation, not getting involved in any foreign wars. This didn't stop EastGermany from calling them fascists on a regular basis; the BerlinWall was called "''der antifaschistische Schutzwall''," literally meaning "the Anti-Fascist Protection Barrier."

Also called the Bonn Republic these days by historians, the Federal Republic of Germany (''Bundesrepublik Deutschland'') was formed out of three of the occupation zones of Germany in the aftermath of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, the other becoming EastGermany. This didn't happen overnight - the British and American zones were merged, informally very quickly after the war and more formally combined into something called at the time "the Bizone" or "Bizonia" by 1948 or so, with the French zone allowed in just before the formation of the Bundesrepublik itself in 1949. The Saarland, separately occupied and disputed by France, joined in 1957 after the residents were allowed to vote on which country they wanted to be part of. This is sometimes referred to in modern times as the ''kleine Wiedervereinigung'' ("Little Reunification").

The German Basic Law was aimed at the reunification of Germany. When Germany reunified, EastGermany was merely absorbed into WestGermany, creating the reunified Germany- TheBerlinRepublic. The Basic Law stayed in place with minor changes as it had served the country well. While Article 23 ''was'' changed (which allowed for Germany being enlarged without major changes to the constitution - something which was seen as obsolete with reunification complete) Article 146 notably ''wasn't'' - meaning the German constitution still contains a paragraph that details how it could be replaced by a new one (this was intended as the other avenue to reunification and is sometimes brought up by populist or opposition politicians)

Also called UsefulNotes/TheBonnRepublic these days by historians, the Federal Republic of Germany (''Bundesrepublik Deutschland'') was formed out of three of the occupation zones of Germany in the aftermath of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, the other becoming EastGermany. This didn't happen overnight - the British and American zones were merged, informally very quickly after the war and more formally combined into something called at the time "the Bizone" or "Bizonia" by 1948 or so, with the French zone allowed in just before the formation of the Bundesrepublik itself in 1949. The Saarland, separately occupied and disputed by France, joined in 1957 after the residents were allowed to vote on which country they wanted to be part of. This is sometimes referred to in modern times as the ''kleine Wiedervereinigung'' ("Little Reunification").

The German Basic Law was aimed at the reunification of Germany. When Germany reunified, EastGermany was merely absorbed into WestGermany, creating the reunified Germany- TheBerlinRepublic. The Basic Law stayed in place with minor changes as it had served the country well.

----

* Recurring ''SaturdayNightLive'' segment ''Sprockets''

Media set in West Germany:

Sometimes called UsefulNotes/TheBonnRepublic these days by historians, the Federal Republic of Germany (''Bundesrepublik Deutschland'') was formed out of three of the occupation zones of Germany in the aftermath of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, the other becoming EastGermany. This didn't happen overnight - the British and American zones were merged, informally very quickly after the war and more formally combined into something called at the time "the Bizone" or "Bizonia" by 1948 or so, with the French zone allowed in just before the formation of the Bundesrepublik itself in 1949. The Saarland, separately occupied and disputed by France, joined in 1957 after the residents were allowed to vote on which country they wanted to be part of. This is sometimes referred to in modern times as the ''kleine Wiedervereinigung'' ("Little Reunification").

Older sources will sometimes refer to this place as simply "[[OneMarioLimit Germany]]", possibly due to the feeling that this was the ''real'' Germany- the other one was just CommieLand with Germans. Bonn itself felt that for a while, refusing to recognise any country bar the USSR that had any relations with the GDR until Willy Brandt's ''Neue Ostpolitik'' of the 1970s. The two Germanies recognised each other (but not completely: for example, no embassies, but ''[[InsistentTerminology permanent representatives]]'' [Ständige Vertretung] – this would become important in 1990) and joined the UsefulNotes/UnitedNations together.

West Germany also developed culturally, with West German literature, philosophy, films, and music making their mark. On the high end, the likes of ''Gruppe '47'' (including, most famously, [[Literature/TheTinDrum Günter Grass]]) pointed the West German reaction to the horrors of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII (in essence, "we were guilty and foolish, all of us!") and the process of denazification (they were for it). On the pop-cultural level, Music/TheBeatles and countless other British bands had their first breaks in Germany--typically UsefulNotes/{{Hamburg}}--and the West Germans were the first Continental Europeans to really get what this "rock" thing was all about. The Germans returned the favor: late '60s and early '70s German rock (called "KrautRock" by the British music press), led by bands like Neu!, Amon Düül II, and early Music/{{Kraftwerk}}, had a powerful impact on PostPunk, Music/NewWave, Electronic, and {{Industrial}} music. West Berlin in particular was famous for both its rollicking club scene and its Hansa-By-The-Wall (yes, ''[[BerlinWall that]]'' Wall) recording studio, which was a magnet for musicians German and non-German alike. Music/DavidBowie spent most of his most productive and creative period in Berlin (termed, fittingly, his "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Berlin period]]"), inspired by the German scene. [[Music/TheStooges Iggy Pop]] was similarly inspired, recording part of his debut album and all of ''Lust for Life'' (you know, the famous one) at Hansa-By-The-Wall.

Sometimes called the '''Bonn Republic''' these days by historians, the Federal Republic of Germany (''Bundesrepublik Deutschland'') was formed out of three of the occupation zones of Germany in the aftermath of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, the other becoming EastGermany. This didn't happen overnight - the British and American zones were merged, informally very quickly after the war and more formally combined into something called at the time "the Bizone" or "Bizonia" by 1948 or so, with the French zone allowed in just before the formation of the Bundesrepublik itself in 1949. The Saarland, separately occupied and disputed by France, joined in 1957 after the residents were allowed to vote on which country they wanted to be part of. This is sometimes referred to in modern times as the ''kleine Wiedervereinigung'' ("Little Reunification").

It considered itself a reconstituted WeimarRepublic (despite the irony of Weimar now being in EastGermany), deciding to pay reparations for both wars and keeping the D license plate. It also elected to pay reparations to UsefulNotes/{{Israel}} starting in 1953 as penance for TheHolocaust (and on a more practical level, payment for the labor and property stolen from Jews by the Nazis); Germany remains Israel's foremost advocate in Europe to this day, and has discovered rather interesting ways to show its sorriness to Israel (including giving the [[IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles IDF]] nuclear-capable submarines).[[note]]This policy of standing by Israel has occasionally bitten Germany in the arse, as when it threatened to ruin anything resembling a unified European front on the Palestinian statehood resolution in 2011.[[/note]] The ''de facto'' capital of West Germany was Bonn, ASmallTownInGermany, although Berlin was symbolically named the ''de jure'' capital in the Basic Law. West Berlin, an occupied city, sent non-voting representatives to the German Parliament.

Sometimes called The Bonn Republic these days by historians, the Federal Republic of Germany (''Bundesrepublik Deutschland'') was formed out of three of the occupation zones of Germany in the aftermath of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, the other becoming EastGermany. This didn't happen overnight - the British and American zones were merged, informally very quickly after the war and more formally combined into something called at the time "the Bizone" or "Bizonia" by 1948 or so, with the French zone allowed in just before the formation of the Bundesrepublik itself in 1949. The Saarland, separately occupied and disputed by France, joined in 1957 after the residents were allowed to vote on which country they wanted to be part of. This is sometimes referred to in modern times as the ''kleine Wiedervereinigung'' ("Little Reunification").

Sometimes called The Bonn Republic these days by historians, the Federal Republic of Germany (''Bundesrepublik Deutschland'') was formed out of three of the occupation zones of Germany in the aftermath of WorldWarII, the other becoming EastGermany. This didn't happen overnight - the British and American zones were merged, informally very quickly after the war and more formally combined into something called at the time "the Bizone" or "Bizonia" by 1948 or so, with the French zone allowed in just before the formation of the Bundesrepublik itself in 1949. The Saarland, separately occupied and disputed by France, joined in 1957 after the residents were allowed to vote on which country they wanted to be part of. This is sometimes referred to in modern times as the ''kleine Wiedervereinigung'' ("Little Reunification").

West Germany became a democracy and an economic superpower. It joined {{NATO}} and had a considerable number of foreign military bases there. The bridges had speed limits for tanks (and still do in TheBerlinRepublic), because WorldWarIII would have been fought there.

West Germany had the legacy of the WorldWarII to deal with. They implemented a NoSwastikas policy and banned all vaguely Nazi organisations. West Germany also became a pretty peaceful nation, not getting involved in any foreign wars. This didn't stop EastGermany from calling them fascists on a regular basis; the BerlinWall was called "''der antifaschistische Schutzwall''," literally meaning "the Anti-Fascist Protection Barrier."

West Germany also developed culturally, with West German literature, philosophy, films, and music making their mark. On the high end, the likes of ''Gruppe '47'' (including, most famously, [[Literature/TheTinDrum Günter Grass]]) pointed the West German reaction to the horrors of WorldWarII (in essence, "we were guilty and foolish, all of us!") and the process of denazification (they were for it). On the pop-cultural level, Music/TheBeatles and countless other British bands had their first breaks in Germany--typically UsefulNotes/{{Hamburg}}--and the West Germans were the first Continental Europeans to really get what this "rock" thing was all about. The Germans returned the favor: late '60s and early '70s German rock (called "KrautRock" by the British music press), led by bands like Neu!, Amon Düül II, and early Music/{{Kraftwerk}}, had a powerful impact on PostPunk, Music/NewWave, Electronic, and {{Industrial}} music. West Berlin in particular was famous for both its rollicking club scene and its Hansa-By-The-Wall (yes, ''[[BerlinWall that]]'' Wall) recording studio, which was a magnet for musicians German and non-German alike. Music/DavidBowie spent most of his most productive and creative period in Berlin (termed, fittingly, his "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Berlin period]]"), inspired by the German scene. [[Music/TheStooges Iggy Pop]] was similarly inspired, recording part of his debut album and all of ''Lust for Life'' (you know, the famous one) at Hansa-By-The-Wall.

Older sources will sometimes refer to this place as simply "[[OneMarioLimit Germany]]", possibly due to the feeling that this was the ''real'' Germany- the other one was just CommieLand with Germans. Bonn itself felt that for a while, refusing to recognise any country bar the USSR that had any relations with the GDR until Willy Brandt's ''Neue Ostpolitik'' of the 1970s. The two Germanies recognised each other (but not completely: for example, no embassies, but ''[[InsistentTerminology permanent representatives]]'' [Ständige Vertretung] – this would become important in 1990) and joined the UnitedNations together.

It considered itself a reconstituted WeimarRepublic (despite the irony of Weimar now being in EastGermany), deciding to pay reparations for both wars and keeping the D license plate. It also elected to pay reparations to UsefulNotes/{{Israel}} starting in 1953 as penance for TheHolocaust (and on a more practical level, payment for the labor and property stolen from Jews by the Nazis); Germany remains Israel's foremost advocate in Europe to this day, and has discovered rather interesting ways to show its sorriness to Israel (including giving the [[IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles IDF]] nuclear-capable submarines).[[note]]This policy of standing by Israel has occasionally bitten Germany in the arse, as when it threatened to ruin anything resembling a unified European front on the Palestinian statehood resolution in 2011.[[/note]] the ''defacto'' capital of West Germany was Bonn, ASmallTownInGermany, although Berlin was symbolically named the ''de jure'' capital in the Basic Law. West Berlin, an occupied city, sent non-voting representatives to the German Parliament.

It considered itself a reconstituted WeimarRepublic (despite the irony of Weimar now being in EastGermany), deciding to pay reparations for both wars and keeping the D license plate. It also elected to pay reparations to UsefulNotes/{{Israel}} starting in 1953 as penance for TheHolocaust (and on a more practical level, payment for the labor and property stolen from Jews by the Nazis); Germany remains Israel's foremost advocate in Europe to this day, and has discovered rather interesting ways to show its sorriness to Israel (including giving the [[IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles IDF]] nuclear-capable submarines).[[note]]This policy of standing by Israel has occasionally bitten Germany in the arse, as when it threatened to ruin anything resembling a unified European front on the Palestinian statehood resolution in 2011.[[/note]] Contrary to popular belief the capital of West Germany was always Berlin, but given the political reality the national government was located in Bonn, ASmallTownInGermany. West Berlin, an occupied city, sent non-voting representatives to the German Parliament.

It considered itself a reconstituted WeimarRepublic (despite the irony of Weimar now being in EastGermany), deciding to pay reparations for both wars and keeping the D license plate. It also elected to pay reparations to UsefulNotes/{{Israel}} starting in 1953 as penance for TheHolocaust (and on a more practical level, payment for the labor and property stolen from Jews by the Nazis); Germany remains Israel's foremost advocate in Europe to this day, and has discovered rather interesting ways to show its sorriness to Israel (including giving the [[IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles IDF]] nuclear-capable submarines).[[hottip:*:This policy of standing by Israel has occasionally bitten Germany in the arse, as when it threatened to ruin anything resembling a unified European front on the Palestinian statehood resolution in 2011.]] Contrary to popular belief the capital of West Germany was always Berlin, but given the political reality the national government was located in Bonn, ASmallTownInGermany. West Berlin, an occupied city, sent non-voting representatives to the German Parliament.

* A number of GermanMedia most non-Germans never ever heard of

West Germany also developed culturally, with West German literature, philosophy, films, and music making their mark. On the high end, the likes of ''Gruppe '47'' (including, most famously, [[Literature/TheTinDrum Günter Grass]]) pointed the West German reaction to the horrors of WorldWarII (in essence, "we were guilty and foolish, all of us!") and the process of denazification (they were for it). On the pop-cultural level, Music/TheBeatles and countless other British bands had their first breaks in Germany--typically UsefulNotes/{{Hamburg}}--and the West Germans were the first Continental Europeans to really get what this "rock" thing was all about. The Germans returned the favor: late '60s and early '70s German rock (called "KrautRock" by the British music press), led by bands like Neu!, Amon Düül II, and early Music/{{Kraftwerk}}, had a powerful impact on PostPunk, Music/NewWave, Electronic, and {{Industrial}} music. West Berlin in particular was famous for both its rollicking club scene and its Hansa-By-The-Wall (yes, ''[[BerlinWall that]]'' Wall) recording studio, which was a magnet for musicians German and non-German alike. DavidBowie spent most of his most productive and creative period in Berlin (termed, fittingly, his "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Berlin period]]"), inspired by the German scene. [[TheStooges Iggy Pop]] was similarly inspired, recording part of his debut album and all of ''Lust for Life'' (you know, the famous one) at Hansa-By-The-Wall.