Popis: |
It is the intention of this thesis to make a contribution to the history of the French occupation of South-West Germany after the Second World War by presenting an empirical case study of French occupation policy in operation within a single community, i.e. Tübingen, during the period, 1945-1947. Little has as yet been written on French government policy toward Germany in the immediate post-war years - known as the "French thesis" it concentrated chiefly on effecting the dismemberment of Germany into a confederation of individual statue - despite the fact that the Allied occupation of Germany is a period of cardinal importance to historical research as a causal prelude to the establishment of the two post-war German states and of the Common Market.\ud The microstudy model of research has been selected in order to provide a motor of analysis to trace developments within one community which were symptomatic of French occupation policy and of the "French thesis" on Germany. To this end thin microstudy will pursue two objectives: to describe Tübingen as a post-war community under French occupation; and to provide a series of comments on the "French thesis" during its period of predominance in the years, 1945-1947.\ud The conclusions of this thesis are determined by these objectives. The main characteristics of the post-war occupation of Tübingen in the period, 1945-1947, are summarised with specific emphasis on the effects of the emergence of the community as the regional capital of Württemberg-Hohenzollern. The central exercise of this thesis remains, however, the examination of French government policy toward Germany. Consequently the latter section of the concluding chapter aims at isolating; specific features of this policy and commenting on their significance. |