During Adenauer’s tenure he:

1- knowingly appointed multitudes of "former" nazis into government positions such as ministers, ambassadors, judges, police, secretaries, etc.

2- banned all socialists / communists from public service

3- outlawed the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), the Free German Youth organisation (FDJ), the Federation of Victims of Fascism (VVN) and the German-Soviet Friendship Society(DSFS)

4- passed a special amendment to the constitution (Ausfuhrungs-Gesetz zu Artikel 131 des Grundgesetzes) that gave all former nazis, apart from the few top culpable individuals, the right to return to their posts in the public service. This effectively ended West Germany’s pursuit of prosecuting Nazis.

5- remilitarized West Germany by having it join NATO.

6- opposed and prevented the reunification of Germany.

7- reinstated and continued the Nazi’s persecution of communists with arrests and imprisonment. By the mid-1960s, around 250,000 judicial investigations had been undertaken against suspected communists. Of these, around 10,000 were actually imprisoned.

8- extended this program to include socialists, those opposed to a remilitarisation of Germany, and members of organisations working to promote diplomatic ties with the GDR.

9- funded the Schnez-Truppe, an illegal clandestine paramilitary organisation formed by veterans of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. Growing it from 2,000 members initially to at least 40,000 at its peak

These are just some highlights, there is so much more.

Denazification didn't actually happen in the west.

Concrete examples of this + sources in the comments.

  • FidelCastro [he/him]
    ·
    2 years ago

    The only way to have ensured that west Germany never reinstated former Nazi’s into political power would have been to mass execute every single soldier/judge/politician and lawyer in the country

    False. Compare the denazification efforts of West Germany vs The GDR.

    Nazi’s are irredemable. Every German with any level of power or influence was complicit

    We agree on this part.

    the number of Germans executed after the war should have been on par with the number of people killed during the Holocaust

    Oh you’re a troll. Okay.

    • 30001 [none/use name]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Maybe Im overestimating the number of nazis in west germany?

      • FidelCastro [he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Maybe Im overestimating the number of nazis in west germany?

        Either that or you’re underestimating the total number of those who were murdered during the Holocaust.

        Regardless, the numbers don’t line up. The point is not collective punishment. The point is routing out fascism so it doesn’t come back, which it now has throughout the west.

        Although I guess you can’t say something has returned if it never really left.

        Edit: clever edit from this one. Remember to quote trolls you’re responding to, folks.

        • MendingBenjamin [they/them]
          ·
          2 years ago

          The point is not collective punishment. The point is routing out fascism so it doesn’t come back, which it now has throughout the west.

          It’s the difference between weeding a garden that’s been unattended for a while and just setting fire to the whole thing. Good post, comrade