Figure 1.--Here we see the operation of one of the Auxilio Social's Centros Familiares, 2 -years after the Civil War ended, The AP ran a series of articles on Auxilio Social while the United States was still neutral. The press caption read, "Health programs for children: In rehabiitatig homeless Spanish children after the Civil War, the Auxilio Social estblishes homes for the youths. Here the childrn are in a gymnastics class at the Maria de Molinas Home for Girls.: The photograph was taken Janiary 9, 1941, we think in Madrid.

The Nationalist Auxilio Social opened an orphanage at Valladolid very early in the Civil War (1936). More such faciities were opened as the War progressed and the Nationalists expnded their control of the country. The Auxilio called these facilities centros familiares or family centers. These were government operated boarding schools with different programs for boys and girls. The girls program heavily stressed domestic duties. The boys had a more athletically oriented program. The program promoted membership in the Falange Youth movement. The younger children would not have been aware of ideology. We are not sure how effective the program was with the older children who would have been aware of their parents hated of the Fascists and Franco. Many of the officials administering the program had been to Germany and observed the methods and operations of the Hitler Youth. The program was not an exact replica of NAZI methods. There was a stronge dose of Catholcism in the Falange program. The HJ program in contrast strove to cut children off fron the Church. I would assume that some of the individuals involved have published accounts of their childhood experience. Unfortunately we are not familiar with this literature. Hopefully our Spanish readers will be able to provide us some information.

Created: 9:16 AM 5/17/2008
Last updated: 12:51 AM 12/13/2014