Anglo-German Economic Rivalry in Nationalist Spain and the Montana Project

Abstract

This chapter discusses the British and German economic rivalry in Nationalist Spain. It notes that the Nationalist military advance had led to the conquest of the British-owned Rio Tinto pyrites mines of Huelva, the biggest pyrites producer in the world. It explains that while Germany was the biggest recipient of Spanish pyrites, British companies were the principal owners of pyrites mines in Spain, which led to an obvious direct dependency of German pyrites importers on British-owned mines in Spain. It emphasizes that with the conquest of Rio Tinto mines by Franco's Nationalist troops, Spanish pyrites became a focus of German attention. It also discusses Hisma's main project known as MONTANA, which intended to turn Spain into an economic colony, a source of raw materials for German industry, and particularly those sectors concerned with rearmament, as well as a buyer of German manufactured goods.