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ORE 52-48
POLITICAL TRENDS IN WESTERN GERMANY
SUMMARY
The East-West tensions in Germany, resulting from the incompatibility of US
and Soviet policies in conjunction with certain basic internal factors, threaten to
destroy Western German adherence to moderate political groups and to stiffen resist-
ance to Western Allied policy. The US stand against Communism is being interpreted
as tacit permission for a revival of German nationalism, and the Germans are taking
advantage of the current US need for cooperation to demand greater privileges in
the economic and political spheres. The present polarization of Western German
thought toward political extremes is influenced by the following three basic indigenous
factors: (1) growing dissatisfaction with the occupation and with the weak German
governmental administrations identified with it; (2) the probability of the future
disintegration of the moderate Social Democratic Party, the only strong non-Com-
munist labor force in Germany; and (3) the rightist trend of general German political
desires which has increased as a result of the large enfranchisement of ex-Nazis. In
the course of this polarization, the Social Democrats may lose political strength to both
the Right and the Left, while the alignment of the rightist parties will be affected by
the strong current of resurgent German nationalism. At present, there are several
rightist parties in Western Germany; of these, the National Democratic Party, although
under certain restrictions in the US Zone, appears the most important vehicle for an
expansion of German nationalism. The trend as a whole may result in the diminution
of the moderate parties, the development of a small but aggressive Left, and the ex-
pansion of the Right with increasing Western German independence of Allied controls.
by
the
Allies
and
prefer
an
tent
of
hostile
to
the
continuance
of
the
Joint
Export-Import
they
German
foreign
trade
by
its
bureaucratic
plans
of
the Western internationalize
internation
alization of adjecent industrial areas and are opposed to dismentings of
heavy indestry and the imposition of a fixed production level for Cierman industry
In
general,
Powers,
of
to
populace
Note: The information in this report is as of 10 June 1948.
The intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, Army, and the Navy have con-
curred in this report; the Air Intelligence Division, Air Intelligence Directorate, Department
of the Air Force, had no comment.
1
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"ocrText": "ORE 52-48\nPOLITICAL TRENDS IN WESTERN GERMANY\nSUMMARY\nThe East-West tensions in Germany, resulting from the incompatibility of US\nand Soviet policies in conjunction with certain basic internal factors, threaten to\ndestroy Western German adherence to moderate political groups and to stiffen resist-\nance to Western Allied policy. The US stand against Communism is being interpreted\nas tacit permission for a revival of German nationalism, and the Germans are taking\nadvantage of the current US need for cooperation to demand greater privileges in\nthe economic and political spheres. The present polarization of Western German\nthought toward political extremes is influenced by the following three basic indigenous\nfactors: (1) growing dissatisfaction with the occupation and with the weak German\ngovernmental administrations identified with it; (2) the probability of the future\ndisintegration of the moderate Social Democratic Party, the only strong non-Com-\nmunist labor force in Germany; and (3) the rightist trend of general German political\ndesires which has increased as a result of the large enfranchisement of ex-Nazis. In\nthe course of this polarization, the Social Democrats may lose political strength to both\nthe Right and the Left, while the alignment of the rightist parties will be affected by\nthe strong current of resurgent German nationalism. At present, there are several\nrightist parties in Western Germany; of these, the National Democratic Party, although\nunder certain restrictions in the US Zone, appears the most important vehicle for an\nexpansion of German nationalism. The trend as a whole may result in the diminution\nof the moderate parties, the development of a small but aggressive Left, and the ex-\npansion of the Right with increasing Western German independence of Allied controls.\nby\nthe\nAllies\nand\nprefer\nan\ntent\nof\nhostile\nto\nthe\ncontinuance\nof\nthe\nJoint\nExport-Import\nthey\nGerman\nforeign\ntrade\nby\nits\nbureaucratic\nplans\nof\nthe Western internationalize\ninternation\nalization of adjecent industrial areas and are opposed to dismentings of\nheavy indestry and the imposition of a fixed production level for Cierman industry\nIn\ngeneral,\nPowers,\nof\nto\npopulace\nNote: The information in this report is as of 10 June 1948.\nThe intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, Army, and the Navy have con-\ncurred in this report; the Air Intelligence Division, Air Intelligence Directorate, Department\nof the Air Force, had no comment.\n1"
}