Agustín Aznar
Encyclopedia
Agustín Aznar Gerner was a Spanish
medical doctor, political activist with the Falange
and a leading figure during the Spanish Civil War
. Aznar was part of a radical element within the followers of Francisco Franco
and at represented a challenge to his leadership. The son of Juan Bautista Aznar-Cabañas
, Aznar was a burly adventurer who held the Greco-Roman wrestling
title in Castille
.
consul in Alicante
and in 1936 the two co-operated in a scheme to secure the release of the captured Falangist leader José Antonio Primo de Rivera
through bribery. The plan failed and Aznar narrowly escaped capture himself, although the scheme was typical of his adventuring reputation.
he formed the leadership of a group known as the legitimistas who were opposed to the leadership of Primo de Rivera's chosen successor Manuel Hedilla
. In an attempt to secure his position Hedilla organised an extraordinary meeting of the Falange, although trouble was promised as both he and Aznar organised their own militias in the run up to the meeting. It was Aznar who struck first, using his militia to seize to depose Hedilla on April 16, 1937 and instead placing at the head of the Falange a triumvirate
made up of himself, Sancho Dávila and their ally José Moreno.
Hedilla hit back however, enlisting the help of Finnish
Nazi Carl von Haartman
, who led edilla's troops in capturing the Falangist Headquarters from Aznar's forces. With the struggle threatening to impact upon the war effort Franco stepped in to publicly back Hedilla and ensure the arrest of Aznar, Sancho Dávila and the others. However Franco used the opportunity to effectively neutralise the Falange by immediately announcing the formation of the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional-Sindicalista, effectively making the post of head of the Falange little more than ceremonial.
and Nazism
and to make the party more important. The proposals of the Aznar group, delivered to the Junta by his ally Dionisio Ridruejo
, sparked another possible schism, this time with the monarchist faction of Pedro Sainz Rodríguez
who were repulsed by what they saw as the republicanism of fascism
. Again Franco sided against Aznar and had both he and González Vélez imprisoned for the plot. Franco's decision had been aided by an earlier intelligence report he had received which stated that Aznar and González Vélez were plotting against him, although there is little evidence to suggest that this was true.
path adopted by the Franco regime Aznar, along with the likes of Ridruejo and other original Falangists such as the García-Noblejas brothers, joined the Blue Division
during the Second World War. Also serving in the fairly minor role of National Delegate for Health in the government, Aznar became associated with the efforts of José Luis de Arrese
to increase ties with the Nazis following his war service. Combining his two roles Aznar instigated a scheme by which Spanish doctors could work in German hospitals and this programme continued until late 1944. Like most of the pro-Nazis within the Franco government Aznar was sidelined in 1945 as a new pro-western and anti-communist policy was adopted by El Caudillo.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
medical doctor, political activist with the Falange
Falange
The Spanish Phalanx of the Assemblies of the National Syndicalist Offensive , known simply as the Falange, is the name assigned to several political movements and parties dating from the 1930s, most particularly the original fascist movement in Spain. The word means phalanx formation in Spanish....
and a leading figure during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. Aznar was part of a radical element within the followers of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
and at represented a challenge to his leadership. The son of Juan Bautista Aznar-Cabañas
Juan Bautista Aznar-Cabañas
Admiral Juan Bautista Aznar-Cabañas was the Prime Minister of Spain from the resignation of Dámaso Berenguer y Fusté on to the deposition of King Alfonso XIII and the proclamation of the Spanish Second Republic on April 14, 1931.In Aznar's government, there were disagreements between absolutist...
, Aznar was a burly adventurer who held the Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
title in Castille
Castile (historical region)
A former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
.
Early years
In 1935 he was the founder and leader of the Falangist student union, the Sindicato Español Universitario. At the beginning of the civil war Aznar was appointed jefe of the national militias in succession to Luis Aguilar who had been killed. In this role he was close to Hans Joachim von Knobloch, the GermanNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
consul in Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
and in 1936 the two co-operated in a scheme to secure the release of the captured Falangist leader José Antonio Primo de Rivera
José Antonio Primo de Rivera
José Antonio Primo de Rivera y Sáenz de Heredia, 1st Duke of Primo de Rivera, 3rd Marquis of Estella , was a Spanish lawyer, nobleman, politician, and founder of the Falange Española...
through bribery. The plan failed and Aznar narrowly escaped capture himself, although the scheme was typical of his adventuring reputation.
Power struggle
Following the execution of Primo de Rivera, Aznar became one of the leading figures within a power struggle in the Falange. Along with Sancho Dávila y Fernández de CelisSancho Dávila y Fernández de Celis
Sancho Dávila y Fernández de Celis was a Spanish Falangist politician. He was an important figure in the early history of the movement but later fell out of favour.-Falangism:...
he formed the leadership of a group known as the legitimistas who were opposed to the leadership of Primo de Rivera's chosen successor Manuel Hedilla
Manuel Hedilla
Manuel Hedilla Larrey was a Spanish political figure who was a leading member of the Falange and an early rival for power towards Francisco Franco. By profession he was a mechanic....
. In an attempt to secure his position Hedilla organised an extraordinary meeting of the Falange, although trouble was promised as both he and Aznar organised their own militias in the run up to the meeting. It was Aznar who struck first, using his militia to seize to depose Hedilla on April 16, 1937 and instead placing at the head of the Falange a triumvirate
Triumvirate
A triumvirate is a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals, each a triumvir . The arrangement can be formal or informal, and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case...
made up of himself, Sancho Dávila and their ally José Moreno.
Hedilla hit back however, enlisting the help of Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
Nazi Carl von Haartman
Carl von Haartman
Carl von Haartman was a Finnish Lieutenant Colonel, writer, film actor, and film director. He played the Zeppelin commander in Hell's Angels directed by Howard Hughes and starring Jean Harlow.His daughter and her family currently lives in Spain.-External links:...
, who led edilla's troops in capturing the Falangist Headquarters from Aznar's forces. With the struggle threatening to impact upon the war effort Franco stepped in to publicly back Hedilla and ensure the arrest of Aznar, Sancho Dávila and the others. However Franco used the opportunity to effectively neutralise the Falange by immediately announcing the formation of the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional-Sindicalista, effectively making the post of head of the Falange little more than ceremonial.
Return to politics
Despite his personal loss of face Aznar, who was released from prison very soon afterwards, was quickly reconciled to Franco's new movement and was appointed to the post of assessor of militias. A member of the group's 12 man Junta Politica, Aznar joined with Fernando González Vélez in 1938 in an attempt to radicalise the movement along the lines of Italian fascismItalian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
and Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and to make the party more important. The proposals of the Aznar group, delivered to the Junta by his ally Dionisio Ridruejo
Dionisio Ridruejo
Dionisio Ridruejo Jiménez was a Spanish poet and political figure within the Falange...
, sparked another possible schism, this time with the monarchist faction of Pedro Sainz Rodríguez
Pedro Sainz Rodríguez
Pedro Sainz Carlos Rodríguez was a Spanish writer, philologist, publisher and politician, an adviser to Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and one of the main architects of the reign of Juan Carlos I of Spain and the Spanish transition to democracy...
who were repulsed by what they saw as the republicanism of fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
. Again Franco sided against Aznar and had both he and González Vélez imprisoned for the plot. Franco's decision had been aided by an earlier intelligence report he had received which stated that Aznar and González Vélez were plotting against him, although there is little evidence to suggest that this was true.
Pro-Nazi activity
Disenchanted by the conservativeConservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
path adopted by the Franco regime Aznar, along with the likes of Ridruejo and other original Falangists such as the García-Noblejas brothers, joined the Blue Division
Blue Division
The Blue Division officially designated as División Española de Voluntarios by the Spanish Army and 250. Infanterie-Division in the German Army, was a unit of Spanish volunteers that served in the German Army on the Eastern Front of the Second World War.-Origins:Although Spanish leader Field...
during the Second World War. Also serving in the fairly minor role of National Delegate for Health in the government, Aznar became associated with the efforts of José Luis de Arrese
José Luis de Arrese
José Luis de Arrese y Marga was a leading Spanish politician with both the Falange and its successor movement the Spanish Traditionalist Phalanx of the Assemblies of National-Syndicalist Offensive.-Early career and Nazism:...
to increase ties with the Nazis following his war service. Combining his two roles Aznar instigated a scheme by which Spanish doctors could work in German hospitals and this programme continued until late 1944. Like most of the pro-Nazis within the Franco government Aznar was sidelined in 1945 as a new pro-western and anti-communist policy was adopted by El Caudillo.