Figure 1.--Here we see the boys at a patriotic flag lowering ceremony. These ceremonies were a standard part of the program at a Falange centro familiar. This looks more like a youth orgabization summer camp.

The Spanish Civil War left many displaced and orphaned children. We do not yet have details on the number of children involbed, but it was substantial. The Basque children were a specil problem because it was an area of heavy fighteing. Many children lost their fathers. Often they still had their mothers, but a widowed mother had few ways of supporting a family. Both the Republic and Nationalists attempted to care for the children. We do not yet have much informtion on Republican efforts. After the Nationalist victory, thtak of carrying for the children became a refugee issue. We do know a little about Nationalist programs. The organization that took the responsibility for the care of the street and other displaced children left in the wake of the Civil war for the Nationalists was the the Auxilio Social. This was the women's auxiliary of the Falange Party. The Auxilio 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 readrs will be able to provide us some information.

Problem

The Spanish Civil War left many displaced and orphaned children. We do not yet have details on the number of children involbed, but it was substantial. The Basque children were a specil problem because it was an area of heavy fighteing. Many children lost their fathers. Often they still had their mothers, but a widowed mother had few ways of supporting a family. Both the Republic and Nationalists attempted to care for the children. We do not yet have much informtion on Republican efforts. After the Nationalist victory, thtak of carrying for the children became a refugee issue. We do know a little about Nationalist programs.

Auxilio Social

The organization that took the responsibility for the care of the street and other displaced children left in the wag founded by Mercedes Sanz-Bachiller, widow of Onesimo Redondo. Redondo was the leader of the Soanish lbor unions with a Fascist oriebtation. He was killed in combt during the Civil War. This was the foundation of the National Syndicalist Offensive Boards (JONS). Auxilio Social was modeled in the NAZI Winterhilfswerk. Auxilio Social played an important role during the Civil War and early years of the Franco dictatorship. It was not a Spanish governmental organization, but was encompassed within the Women's Section of the Falange Party. With the Nationalist victory it begn to receive substantial government funding.

Falange Party

Franco made the Falangist Party the governing party and incorporated a range of right-wing and Catholic groups. Franco became El Caudillo (the leader) of Spsin. The Falangists in Fascist traditiion became the Blue Shirts, copying the decives of Italian Fascists and German NAZIs (black and briwn shirts). Franco held back, however, from the Falange. He was not the leader of the Party as Hitler was of the NZI Party. And he never accepted fully the Falnge pogram. The Falange wanted to cooperate more fully with the NAZIs and enter Workd War II on the Axis side.

Centro Familiares

The Auxilio 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 readrs will be able to provide us some information.

Created: 3:26 AM 4/12/2005
Last updated: 3:23 AM 7/19/2015