The Genesis of the German Constitution - From Total Devastation to the Dawn of a New Era

John, Thomas; Koch, Cornelia

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The Genesis of the German Constitution - From Total Devastation to the Dawn of a New Era

SCHRIFTENREIHE ÖFFENTLICHES UND INTERNATIONALES RECHT, Juergen Broehmer, ed., Peter Lang Publishing Group, 2010

U. of Adelaide Law Research

28 Pages Posted: 12 Dec 2009 Last revised: 22 Dec 2009

See all articles by Thomas John

Cornelia Koch

University of Adelaide - School of Law

Date Written: December 6, 2009

Abstract

The German Constitution ('Basic Law') originated under extraordinary circumstances. It was the result of the most terrible war that the world had ever seen, the Second World War. This paper traces the path towards the Basic Law, from the capitulation in 1945 until the promulgation of the new Constitution in 1949. An examination of the wider context of the post-war period in Germany provides the background for a more focused discussion of the origins of the Basic Law.

Keywords: German constitutional history, Basic Law, German constitutional law, constitutional law

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

John, Thomas and Koch, Cornelia, The Genesis of the German Constitution - From Total Devastation to the Dawn of a New Era (December 6, 2009). SCHRIFTENREIHE ÖFFENTLICHES UND INTERNATIONALES RECHT, Juergen Broehmer, ed., Peter Lang Publishing Group, 2010, U. of Adelaide Law Research, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1520819