Spain Under Franco (1939-1957): From Civil War to Cold War
The Franco Regime (1939-1957)
Phase 1: 1939-1957
The Success of the Scheme
Franco’s regime, despite its long duration, remained dictatorial until his death in 1975. There were no attempts to transition towards democracy. Although the Civil War ended in April 1939, peace was far from achieved. Around one million people went into exile, workers sympathetic to the Republic were dismissed, and the government underwent a purge. Republican leaders who couldn’t escape were shot or imprisoned. Those who sought refuge in France were often handed over to the Gestapo by the Franco regime and executed. Between 1939 and 1941, 7,000 professors were imprisoned and expelled, with an estimated 6,000 executed. During these years, there were approximately 300,000 political prisoners and 200,000 executions. This repression was legally supported by laws like the Law of Political Responsibilities and the Law for the Repression of Masonry and Communism. The last execution for Civil War-related offenses was Julián Grimau, a communist, in 1963. The final executions under the regime took place in 1975.
Foundations of Power
Franco’s power stemmed from his victory in the Civil War. He held absolute authority, enacting laws and decrees without consultation. No state institution served as a check on his will. While courts were established in 1942, they lacked legislative or advisory power. Members of parliament were appointed by Franco. After World War II, Franco sought to broaden the legal basis of his regime. The Jurisdiction of the Spanish (1945) claimed to grant some freedoms while denying their practical exercise. The Civil Law (1974) defined Spain as a Catholic, social, and representative monarchy, effectively a kingdom without a king, with Franco as Head of State, titled “Leader of Spain.” The regime’s pillars were the army, the Church, and the National Movement (the only permitted party). The Church, a staunch supporter of Franco, benefited immensely. The state became officially Catholic, other religions were outlawed, secular laws from the Republic were repealed, bishops participated in the Cortes (parliament), Catholicism became compulsory in education, co-educational schools were abolished, and Catholic morality became the social norm. The Church received state funding and tax exemptions. The only permitted organization outside the Falange was Catholic Action.
The Falange, later the National Movement, held significant power, especially in the early stages. Franco retained control, appointing all directors.
The Political Evolution of Franco (1939-1957)
Politics: Between 1939 and 1945, the regime operated during World War II. Spain, ideologically aligned with Nazi Germany, declared itself non-belligerent. Officially neutral, Spain supported the Axis powers while simultaneously aiding the Allies against the Soviet Union with the Blue Division. Domestically, the Falange held sway, controlling the sole permitted union, the National Organization of Trade Unions, and occupying key government positions. Foreign Minister Serrano Suñer, Franco’s brother-in-law, favored closer ties with the Axis. After the Axis defeat in 1945, Franco, advised by Carrero Blanco, reshuffled his government, replacing Falangists with members of National Catholic Action, such as Ruiz Jiménez. However, Spain faced international isolation due to its wartime alliances, and was excluded from the newly formed UN. In 1950, the UN allowed the resumption of diplomatic relations. Franco’s diplomacy adapted to the Cold War, finding common ground with the US, culminating in a 1953 military treaty that provided financial aid in exchange for bases in Spain. A new concordat with the Vatican was signed in 1954. However, Spain’s entry into the European Common Market was blocked due to the regime’s totalitarian nature.
Society: Widespread hunger and food rationing, which lasted until 1952, led to numerous deaths and a thriving black market. Wages were frozen, and poverty was rampant, driving emigration from rural areas to cities. Slums proliferated around major urban centers. Repression and fear maintained control, with political organizations and unions outlawed. Strikes were forbidden, and participation often resulted in imprisonment. Despite this, labor protests emerged: a general strike in Biscay’s mining region in 1947, another in Barcelona in 1951, and a transport boycott in Barcelona in 1957. These protests, coupled with student demonstrations in Madrid and Barcelona, signaled a growing crisis for the regime.