Spaniards and Nazi Germany

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Using recently declassified documents from Spain and the U.S., personal interviews, and various records, this study significantly enhances the understanding of Hispano-German relations during the 1930s and 1940s. It reveals that Naziphiles within Spain's Fascist party, the Falange, actively sought to involve Spain in World War II, hindered only by Franco's indecisiveness and Nazi diplomatic errors. While Spain maintained a neutral stance, its early wartime policies leaned towards the Axis. Franco, bolstered by support from Hitler and Mussolini during the Spanish Civil War, contemplated aligning with Nazi Germany. By the late 1930s, the Falange viewed World War II as a revolutionary chance to position Spain alongside Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy in a New Europe characterized by social justice and authoritarianism. By late 1939, many pro-Nazi Spaniards were frustrated by Spain's non-participation in the war. The study argues that support for Nazi Germany was widespread among Spaniards, persisting until the war's conclusion. Despite claims of neutrality, the Franco regime was aware of this collaboration as late as 1944-1945 and took little action against it. Had Hitler been more inclined to incorporate Spain into his empire, he might have replaced Franco with a more compliant leader. The analysis suggests that pro-Nazi Spaniards, while not fully aligning with the Axis, still contributed to the Third Reich's strength through mil