Allied Occupation and "Trizonesia" (1945-1949)

Dates

1945
Division of the Rhineland into a British North-Rhine Province (including the districts of Aachen, Düsseldorf, Cologne) and a French Rhineland zone (including Koblenz, Trier and districts) (21st Jun.)

Potsdam Agreement: included the establishment of four occupied zones in Germany and  foreign administration of former eastern territories (2nd Aug.)

International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg for the punishment of the main war crimi-nals among the National Socialists (from 20th Nov.)

Appointment of a "Non-executive Provincial Council of the North Rhine Province" approved by the British Military Government (1st Dec.)

1946
Law No. 24 of the Allied Control Commission: removal of National Socialists from public office and responsible positions (12th Jan.)

Resolution to found the Federal Land North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) passed by cabinet committee under Great Britain's Prime Minister Clement Attlee; resolution passed for Düsseldorf to become regional capital of the Federal Land (21st Jun.)

Foundation of NRW by decree No.46 of the British Military Government (23rd Aug.)

The first appointed regional government of NRW, made up of SPD, FDP, KPD, Centre (Z) and independent members under Minister President Rudolf Amelunxen (Z) (from 29th Aug.)

Opening of the Regional Parliament of NRW in Düsseldorf (2nd Oct.)

1947
Law No.46 of the Allied Control Commission: dissolution of the Land of Prussia (25th Feb.)

First elections for the regional parliament in NRW: confirmation of the CDU's preeminence (20th Apr.)

Opening of the first elected regional parliament of NRW in Düsseldorf (19th May)

Marshall-Plan for the reconstruction of Europe proposed by US Secretary of State George C. Marshall in Cambridge (Mass.) (5th Jul.)

First elected regional government of NRW, made up of CDU, SPD, KPD, Z under Minister-President Karl Arnold (CDU) (from 17th Jun.)

1948
Currency reform: introduction of the deutschmark as currency of payment in the newly formed American-British-French "Trizone" and in West Berlin (20th Jun.)

Establishment of an "International Ruhr Authority" in accordance with the "Ruhr statute": control and distribution of coal and steel production for domestic consumption and reparations, initially without German participation (28th Dec.)

1948
Foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany in the former "Trizone" after promulgation of the constitution in Bonn (23rd May)