I agree, footnotes improve this list.
Thanks! I don't necessarily think footnotes are always needed, but they definitely help create a picture of an alternative world. While I love the creative exercise in writing footnotes, I do think they can sometimes put people off from contributing - which is what prompted my shameless plug for the US and UK threads
As a new user and person who also enjoys writing, I also like to write footnotes, but I can see why they can put people off. You don't want to make a mistake because you haven't read the above footnotes and sometimes there is a lot to read.
1949: Konrad Adenauer (CDU)
1953: Kurt Schumacher (SPD)
1957: Kurt Schumacher (SPD)
1958: Erich Ollenhauer (SPD)
1961: Erich Ollenhauer (SPD)
1965: Gerhard Schroder (CDU)
1969: Erhard Eppler (SPD)
1972: Erhard Eppler (SDP-FDP)
1976: Helmut Kohl (CDU-Grüne) [1]
1980: Helmut Kohl (CDU)
1984: Helmut Kohl (CDU)
1988: Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP-SPD)
1991: Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP-SPD) [2]
1992: Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP minority) [3]
1994: Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP-Grüne)
[1] After a nuclear incident in the USSR the newly formed Greens gains massive in popularity. The CDU opposition promises environmental reforms and forms a coalition with the Green Party.
[2] First all-German election since 1938.
[3] After reunification the FDP-SPD coalition falls apart due to disagreements in fiscal and foreign policy. The SPD argued for increased taxes on rich people to pay to reunification. In addition left wing SPD members pressured the Government to leave Nato and called it a relict of the Cold War. After Genscher loses a Vote of no confidence in 1992 new elections are held place. While the FDP becomes the the strongest party in the parliament, Genscher fails to get an absolute majority. The SPD refuses any cooperation with Genscher and the CDU is too divided to form a coalition. The nationalist wing still blames Genscher for accepting the Oder-Neiße border. After weeks of political crisis Genscher forms a minority government backed by the Greens and parts of the CDU. At the same time SPD-FDP Governments in East Germany fall apart. In Thuringia and in Berlin the SPD forms minority governments backed the PDS.