On this day 73 years ago the Grundgesetz (Basic Law) was adopted. Since then, it has served as the constitution of the West German federal republic and, after 1990, also of the reunited Germany.
For months, the 4 mothers and 61 fathers of the Basic Law had worked on the text of the law with one goal: Never again fascism, never again Nazi Germany. It was originally conceived as a provisional constitution, since a real constitution was not considered legitimate without a united Germany. All state parliaments voted in favor of the Grundgesetz between May 18 and May 21, with the exception of the Bavarian state parliament, which rejected it for fear of too much federal influence over the affairs of the states. Nevertheless, the Grundgesetz was able to enter into force because only 2/3 of the states had to agree.
Prior to the creation of the Grundgesetz, the occupying powers of the West German zones had consulted on the circumstances under which they would agree to a political reunification of the occupation zones. The will to have a strong partner in the German state was to be weighed against the fear of states like France of possible aggression by a resurgent German nation. It was agreed that the Germans should create a federal West German state that kept open the possibility of an all-German unification. Coal, steel and pig iron production, which were necessary for the development of a war industry, were additionally to be able to be supervised in this state.
(mda)