German Post-War Election Database (GPWED)

Historical social science research on the electoral politics of transitional countries is often undermined by a lack of disaggregated, fine-grained election data. This paper presents the first national database of municipal-level results for one of the most notable cases of a transition to democracy in recent history: Post World War II West Germany. Spanning the country's initial six federal elections between 1949 and 1969, the data covers significant historical developments such as the early phase of economic reconstruction and recovery, the social and political integration of millions of Germans expelled from the former eastern territories, the beginning judicial confrontation with the crimes of the Nazi regime, and the emergence of radical left-wing activism during the 1960s. The database will allow future research to address important questions on topics such as democratization, the dynamics of post-authoritarian and post-war politics, and the long-term evolution of electoral politics in one of Europe's most populous nations.