2011 in Germany

Among the defining political issues in Germany in 2011 included the ongoing euro crisis, the nuclear phase-out and from December, the start of the Wulff affair that ultimately led to the resignation in 2012 of the then Federal President Christian Wulff.

While the discharged in Germany women's football World Cup one of the highlights of the sporting year represented, the Pope's visit was accompanied the most important appointment of Catholics, even with significant criticism and protests.

  • 3.1 Music
  • 3.2 Literature
  • 3.3 Film and Television
  • 3.4 Visual Arts
  • 3.5 Sport
  • 3.6 Environment and Health
  • 3.7 Religion

Policy

  • Germany is a non-permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations
  • Convening of the last conscripts
  • The Federal Cabinet prolongs Bundeswehr mandate of the NATO ISAF mission for a further twelve months, and sets the period for withdrawal of troops between 2011 and 2014.
  • The Saarland Prime Minister and CDU Regional Chairman Peter Müller announces to retire early in the course of the year by both offices.
  • The Bundestag approved by a large majority the extension of the Afghanistan mission by one year.
  • The Bundestag elects the former SED opponents and civil rights activist Roland Jahn to the new Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Archives.
  • With the exchange of instruments of ratification by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov at the Munich Security Conference of the New START disarmament treaty on disarmament of nuclear weapons between the two countries enters into force.
  • Because of the circumvention of the Landtag of Baden- Württemberg on the repurchase of shares of the energy supplier EnBW in December 2010, the opposition parties submit SPD and the Greens constitutional challenge against Prime Minister Stefan undersecretary.
  • Resignation of Defence Minister Karl -Theodor zu Guttenberg
  • The former Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière becomes the new defense minister, Hans -Peter Friedrich takes over the Interior Ministry.
  • About 60,000 demonstrators in Stuttgart form a human chain between the seat of the Baden- Württemberg government and the nuclear power plant Neckarwestheim and are protesting for an immediate phase out nuclear power.
  • In response to the accidents in Japanese nuclear power plants after the Tohoku Earthquake, the federal government imposed a three-month moratorium on nuclear.
  • The Bundestag decides that the Bundeswehr with up to 300 soldiers will participate in AWACS surveillance flights over Afghanistan.
  • In several cities across the country demonstrate a total of about 250,000 nuclear opponents for an immediate phase out nuclear power.
  • The energy company RWE submits to the Administrative Court against the force resulting from the nuclear moratorium closure of Unit A of the Biblis nuclear power plant.
  • Guido Westerwelle 's FDP from the Presidency
  • The beginning of the three-day federal congress of the German Police Union
  • The Federal Office for Radiation Protection notes well above the threshold concentrations of cesium-137 in a well -proven as the repository for radioactive waste Asse.
  • According to the Arbitration Commission of the Berlin district of Charlottenburg- Wilmersdorf Association of former Berlin Finance Senator Thilo Sarrazin is not expelled from the SPD.
  • The beginning of the census
  • Rainer Brüderle are his office on as Minister of Economics; his successor -designate FDP chairman Philipp Roesler. Its previous post as minister of health is taken over by Daniel Bahr.
  • With more than 95 percent of the votes Philipp Rösler is elected as the new federal party chairman of the FDP.
  • The Landtag of Rhineland- Palatinate Kurt Beck selected in the first round again to the Prime Minister.
  • Due to impending budget crisis, the four states of Berlin, Bremen, Saarland and Schleswig -Holstein are provided by the Stability Council of federal and state supervision.
  • The Ruprecht -Karls- University eludes of MEPs Silvana Koch- Mehrin (FDP) for plagiarism in the thesis doctoral degrees.
  • Interior Minister Hans -Peter Friedrich opened in Bonn, the National Cyber ​​Defence Centre
  • The Bundestag adopts the gradual phase out nuclear power by the year 2022.
  • With 57 out of 83 votes Böhrnsen is confirmed as President of the Senate and Mayor in his office, his deputy is Karoline Linnert.
  • Conscription in Germany ends.
  • The Bundestag decides on the admission of preimplantation genetic diagnosis within narrow limits.
  • Lower Saxony's district of Soltau -Fallingbostel (SFA ) will be renamed District of Heidekreis ( HK).
  • The CDU politician Annegret Kramp - carts Bauer is elected by the Landtag of Saarland in the second round to the new Prime Minister.
  • For the first time since the founding of the Federal Republic a bilateral tax agreement with Switzerland will be negotiated.
  • Christian von Boetticher resigns because of a previous love relationship with an underage girl as CDU top candidate and state party chief.
  • After the end of a ten -month trial at Hamburg Airport 's Interior Minister Hans -Peter Friedrich known, the widespread use of body scanners in aviation to refrain for the time being.
  • Administrative Reform Mecklenburg- Vorpommern
  • German Interior Minister Hans- Peter Friedrich, prohibits adoption by the far-right organization for national political prisoners and their relatives.
  • The Bundestag approves the expansion of the euro rescue fund EFSF.
  • The Mayor of Munich Christian Ude is nominated as the leading candidate for the state elections in Bavaria in 2013.
  • The Chaos Computer Club published an analysis of the known as the " Federal Trojan " software for state surveillance of telecommunications connections to the effect that this software contains significant security vulnerabilities and unconstitutional functions.
  • At the party congress in Erfurt decides the Left her first policy statement.
  • Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière introduces the concept stationing 2011.
  • Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the recruitment agreement with Turkey
  • Horst Seehofer occurs as scheduled to the Office of the Federal President.
  • The Lord Mayor of Frankfurt Petra Roth announces her resignation for July 2012.
  • German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev opened in Lubmin officially the Nord Stream pipeline.
  • The House of Representatives elects Klaus Wowereit by 84 votes again to the Governing Mayor.
  • Afghanistan Conference at the World Conference Center Bonn
  • Gerhard Schindler is President of the Federal Intelligence Service.

Politically, this year was particularly influenced by the debate on the nuclear phase and the euro bailout fund. With specific reference to internal political affairs attended both analyzed by the Chaos Computer Club State Trojans controversy, as well as the ongoing controversy over the retention between the Interior Minister Hans -Peter Friedrich and Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser -Schnarrenberger. In foreign policy fell on Germany by its abstention in the Resolution 1973 of the UN Security Council, with a no-fly zone over the country set up us in response to the civil war in Libya a NATO operation should be allowed.

After the then German Defence Minister Karl -Theodor had initiated the suspension of conscription zu Guttenberg, he resigned because of the plagiarism scandal surrounding his dissertation.

50 years ago, the recruitment agreement with Turkey was signed. The anniversary was celebrated with a ceremony in Munich and the arrival of the special train "50 Years of Migration" from Turkey in munich central station.

In seven of the 16 states state elections were held this year. While the FDP suffered heavy losses during the year, Alliance 90/The Greens could temporarily recorded the largest increase in membership and electoral votes in its history mainly due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the protest against Stuttgart 21. With the election to the House of Berlin, the Pirate Party began to establish itself as the new parliamentary force.

In September, the number of registered unemployed fell to 2.796 million, the lowest level since 1991. The unemployment rate was 6.6 percent.

2011 Census

With the 2011 Census, a census was the first time since 1984, instead of again. It was about a third of all citizens, including committed all homeowners and other selected households to respond to a questionnaire. Date for the survey was Monday, May 9 While in the census in 1984 held massive protests, the population demonstrated only slightly against the census 2011.

Guttenberg plagiarism scandal

Reactions to the Fukushima nuclear disaster

In response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the federal government initiated within the framework of the so-called nuclear moratorium ( announced March 14, 2011 ) is a safety review of all 17 German nuclear reactors and the three-month closure of the seven oldest nuclear power plants. On June 6, the Cabinet Merkel II decided the gradual phase out nuclear power by 2022 and thus took the life extensions adopted in the autumn of 2010 back again.

The disaster in Japan also reaffirmed the anti- nuclear movement in Germany. In early November, it came in Wendland to massive protests against a nuclear waste transport from the reprocessing plant at La Hague in northern France to the Gorleben interim storage facility. The protesters made ​​it again and again to block the train, so that he arrived in Gorleben only after 125 hours; this was the longest delay until then a Castor transport.

Bundeswehr reform

At one of the biggest reforms of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2011 included the rebuilding of the German army to a volunteer and professional army, which represented both the largest restructuring of the Bundeswehr since its inception. The existing since July 1956 conscription was suspended as of July 2011.

On October 26, Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière presented before the deployment of the Bundeswehr Concept, which was determined that 31 of the 394 Bundeswehr locations were closed and 90 should be significantly reduced. The German army had in 2011 about 7,000 soldiers deployed abroad.

Wulff affair

With the accusation of having a request for the financing of its own home in the Lower Saxony state parliament in 2010 answered incorrectly, began in December 2011, a scandal involving the then Federal President Christian Wulff that led to his resignation in February 2012. The allegations were exacerbated after it became known that Wulff had tried to influence a phone call reporting the Bild newspaper. In the following weeks Wulff has faced out with further allegations of receiving bribes. He was on 17 February 2012 announced his retirement.

State Trojans affair

In October, the Chaos Computer Club published the results of his analysis of it leaked State Trojan, igniting a controversial domestic debate. The included given on behalf of the Bavarian state government and is developed by the company DigiTask software that made ​​it possible for the investigating authorities to reload any monitoring modules, and to copy intimate data, but this is contrary to the set by the Federal Constitutional Court limits. Also, would have led to blatant security holes rough design and implementation errors.

Household

The federal budget was lower by five billion euros of new debt recorded as first assumed in 2011. Caused by higher tax revenues ( through improved economy ) as well as low cost of capital. With 248.1 billion, according to Treasury, the Federal Government took 18.9 billion euros more in tax revenue than expected. At the same time, expenditure on non- employed workers were lower.

FDP crisis

For the one involved in the government FDP, the year was 2011, the beginning of an ongoing crisis. After Secretary of State, Vice-Chancellor and party leader Guido Westerwelle increasing criticism of its offices exercise was exposed, he was a candidate at the party on May 13, again not as party chairman and gave the Office on thus. Economics Minister Rainer Brüderle took over the group's presidency, Philipp Rösler was party leader, Economy Minister and Vice-Chancellor. Rösler's successor as Health Minister Daniel Bahr was. In polls, the party fell despite the personnel changes at about three percent. On December 14, also joined the then General Secretary Christian Lindner resigned from his post.

The FDP had to suffer significant losses in all of the seven state elections, which meant that they, Rhineland -Palatinate, Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania and Berlin failed in Saxony -Anhalt at the five - percent threshold and no longer move in there in the parliaments in 2011 could.

Turbulence in the Green

Alliance 90/The Greens could due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the protest against Stuttgart 21, recording the highest approval ratings in its history. In polls, the party reached up to 28 percent. Their members number rose to 59,000 at the end of what was the largest increase in the history of the party. With the state elections in Baden- Württemberg, the Greens were the first to ask a Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann with. However, the attempt failed in the election for the House of Representatives of Berlin with Renate Künast to achieve a similar success. In surveys, the values ​​of the party fell again on 14 to 17 percent, and the National Association Berlin became embroiled in internal disputes.

Government

Waistband

  • Federal President Christian Wulff
  • German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Countries

  • Prime Minister of Baden- Württemberg: Stefan undersecretary ( to 12 May ), Winfried Kretschmann
  • Prime Minister of Bavaria Horst Seehofer
  • Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit
  • Prime Minister of Brandenburg Matthias Platzeck
  • Mayor of Bremen: Böhrnsen
  • Mayor of Hamburg: Christoph Ahlhaus ( to March 7 ), Olaf Scholz
  • Prime Minister of Hesse Volker Bouffier
  • Prime Minister of Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania Erwin Selle ring
  • Prime Minister of Lower Saxony David McAllister
  • Minister President of North Rhine -Westphalia Hannelore Kraft
  • Minister President of Rhineland -Palatinate Kurt Beck
  • Prime Minister of Saarland, Peter Müller ( to August 10 ), Annegret Kramp - Karrenbauer
  • Prime Minister of Saxony Stanislaw Tillich
  • Prime Minister of Saxony- Anhalt: Wolfgang Böhmer ( to 19 April ), Reiner Haseloff
  • Prime Minister of Schleswig- Holstein, Peter Harry Carstensen
  • Prime Minister of Thuringia: Dear Christine Knecht
  • State election in Hamburg
  • State election in Saxony -Anhalt
  • State election in Baden- Württemberg
  • State election in Rhineland- Palatinate in 2011
  • Local elections in Hesse
  • Referendum in Hesse
  • State election in Bremen
  • State election in Mecklenburg- Vorpommern
  • Local elections in Mecklenburg- Vorpommern
  • Local elections in Lower Saxony
  • Election to the Berlin House of Representatives
  • Referendum on Stuttgart 21

Within the year found seven elections to national parliaments. This coated with Olaf Scholz, Hamburg, Winfried Kretschmann Baden- Württemberg, Reiner Haseloff, Saxony -Anhalt and Annegret Kramp - carts farmer in Saarland four new prime minister in the provincial assemblies. The state election in Hamburg was scheduled on 20 February by the citizens after the ruling since 2008 black-green coalition collapsed last year and the senators of the GAL in the Senate Ahlhaus had resigned on August 28, 2011. The election resulted in the absolute majority of the SPD in the state parliament, which on 7 March 2011 Olaf Scholz, First Mayor and 23 March 2011 proposed by Senators chose him (Senate Scholz ). After the state elections in Saxony -Anhalt on March 20, the hitherto ruling coalition of CDU and FDP by a run by the CDU under Minister President Wolfgang Böhmer CDU / SPD coalition was replaced. After one week later held state elections in Baden- Württemberg, which was particularly affected by the protest against Stuttgart 21 and the lifetime extension of German nuclear power plants, the CDU had to give to a coalition of Greens and SPD after 58 years, the government responsibility. Winfried Kretschmann was the first Green prime minister of a German Land. At the same time the state election was held in Rhineland -Palatinate, the SPD lost nearly ten percent and the Greens were able to move with more than ten per cent increase in votes in parliament. In the state elections in Bremen lot of the CDU for the first time back behind the Greens. In addition, the Greens were represented for the first time after the state elections in Mecklenburg- Vorpommern in all German Land parliaments. In the election to the House of Berlin, it creates the Pirate Party for the first time in a state parliament.

On March 27, both the popular vote to hold the debt ceiling in the Hessian state constitution as well as the local elections were held in Hesse. More local elections were held in Lower Saxony on September 4, in Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania and on September 11.

After the subject Stuttgart 21 has already dominated the campaign for the state elections in Baden- Württemberg, the nationwide referendum on Stuttgart 21 was special nationwide attention. In this case, a majority of 58.8 percent against the bill, and thus for maintaining the country's financing of the project.

Right

Culture and Society

Music

  • List of number-one hits in Germany (2011)
  • Euro Vision Song Contest 2011
  • Echo Award 2011
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