The Judeo-Masonic Enemy in Francoist Propaganda (1936-1945)

Abstract

This chapter is devoted to antisemitic and anti-Masonic propaganda during the first period of the Franco regime. It follows a chronological pattern, focusing on the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War respectively. The chapter also focuses on the role of the press in the transmission of antisemitic and anti-Masonic ideas and the most important official and unofficial publishing houses involved in disseminating these ideas in books and pamphlets. It moves beyond the chronological pattern to apply an interpretative scheme based on the following questions: what was the purpose of Franco's propaganda about Jews and Masons, and what were its functions? Two of the functions of antisemitic and anti-Masonic propaganda are analyzed in detail: first, the use of anti-Masonic discourse within the Francoist coalition as a political weapon; and, second, the invocation of a common Judeo-Masonic enemy as a means of cohesion, uniting the different factions of the coalition. Keywords: anti-Masonic propaganda; antisemitic propaganda; Francoist propaganda; Judeo-Masonic enemy; Second World War; Spanish Civil War