Fact Wizard
Aediles
Posts : 59
Join date : 2021-09-10
 |  Subject: Francisco Franco and the Jews WW2 Sun 07 Aug 2022, 12:11 | |
| During the second world war, the Spanish were in the neutral camp, but was this the reality, Franco himself had pro-German views, and Spain did appear to favour the Axis powers. Spain contributed around 45,000 troops that formed the Blue Division which fought alongside Germany against their mutual enemy the Soviet Union. Bearing this in mind, what was Franco's true attitude towards the Jews. German diplomats in Madrid in the 1930's were very disappointed that Spain had not introduced any anti-Semitic legislation, by 1939 several thousand Jews resided in Spain. Nevertheless the Franco regime's attitude towards Jews remained negative, one of the main reasons could have been that around 6,000-8,000 Jews from abroad fought for the Republicans, while only a handful fought with Franco. It is said that though Franco shared some anti-Jewish concepts, he did not appear to be a racist, and maintained a friendship with several Moroccan Jews during the war , the Spanish Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that “ Spain could not tolerate the persecution of its Jews by foreign powers” in relation to this, Spain provided protective passports for Sephardi Jews in Romania, France and Bulgaria, countries occupied or allied to Germany, in addition Spain accepted the repatriation of Spanish Jews from Greece, but only for transit purposes. Spanish diplomats in Nazi-occupied Hungary were involved in rescue efforts, saving a few thousand Jews. Around 5,000 Jewish refugees crossed into Spain, this enabled them to find safe haven in Portugal. Summing up, it would seem that Franco was ambivalent with regards to the Jews, but in no way was he sympathetic with regards to Hitler's plan to persecute and liquidate Jews, his alliance with the Nazis such as it was, was mainly based on their mutual hatred for Bolshevism. |
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Tim of Aclea
Triumviratus Rei Publicae Constituendae
Posts : 592
Join date : 2011-12-31
| | Subject: Re: Francisco Franco and the Jews WW2 Fri 12 Aug 2022, 11:27 | |
| I believe that after Hitler first met Franco that he declared that he would rather have all his teeth extracted without anesthetic than have another such meeting with him.
Tim |
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