60 years FRG

[Anoree]

Just on a little sidestep I'd like it to be known that today Germany is celebrating the 60th aniversary of its Basic Contitutional Law, marking the beginning of the Federal Republic of Germany.

We're celebrating it with great gratitude to the Allied Forces of WWII, which had since grown to more than friends to Germany.

Thank you for making possible more than half a century of peace in Central Europe, paving the grounds for the European Union.

BTW: Our President, Horst Köhler, has been re-elected for another 5 years today, too.


(OK, my 5 solemn minutes are over now.)

[WhyYou]

Happy Anniversary, Anoree!! I'm glad that our country, as well as all the others, were able to help your country become what it is today!

[mart]

Happy Anniversary Anoree.

[Natal]

Didnt the allied forces raze the country to the ground?

[Anoree]

Originally Posted by Natal

Didnt the allied forces raze the country to the ground?

Well, there were cities which were more or less totally destroyed, like Dresden, Hamburg or Cologne for example. Others came out without too much destruction, depending on the lack of encountered resistance and absence of military fabrication.

Not all destruction was due to the allied forces, though. Retreating German troups had orders to blow up bridges, for example, to delay the Allied's march.


After the German surrender, the allied governments could have made the decission to cut Germany into pieces and join the parts to the surrounding states. That would have been the end of Germany - and probably the start of new problems within the region.
Instead of that the western forces helped to build up a new state with democratic values, and even gave support for rebuilding the economy. (See Marshall Plan)
After a few years the western sectors of Germany began to bloom, while the east, "Soviet Sector" (-> GDR) still suffered from the pullout of material and technology by the Soviet Union as reparation.

The bloom and re-established wealth of Western Germany lead to contentment of the citizens, the European Economic Community (a predecessor of the European Union) and more stability in Central Europe than we ever had.

I'll stop my history lesson here.

[captnjack]

Happy anniversary Anoree, FRG and all my German friends. My dad who was 92 last week was in that war. A lot of innocent people on ALL sides suffered losses during those times. I am glad to hear that some good came out of it.

[ugo]

Happy Anniversary Friend !

Sad story for Europe during the Second World War!
Germany was strong as a worldwide phenomenon. Italy was an ally.

But I was very bad the misfortune of the Jews.

I hope that Germany will not ever forget what happened in the Second World War.
Today Europe is peaceful. There are not those effects that can burst phenomena in the world. Fortunately for us the European Union.

[willi]

hello anoree an friend`s
60 years peace !!!
and many friends in this world
one wants what more as a German.
I hope has this left so !!!
willi

[geolarson2]

My sincerest and warmest wished to all the folks of the Bundesrepublik Deutschland!

"Human dignity is inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority," - Section 1, Article 1, Paragraph 1, the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany.