Solidary networks in favor of Francoism in the Spanish community of Rosario de Santa Fe, Argentina, during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the consequences of the Civil War in Spain (1936-1939) caused in the large Spanish migrant community in Argentina. With a methodological approach focused on the analysis of social networks in a local space, the city of Rosario in the province of Santa Fe, the study aims to investigate the practices of solidarity in favor of the Franco’s regime in the community and in connection with the city of Buenos Aires. Special attention is paid to the personal and institutional relationships that were forged before and during the war, as well as, the material and symbolic collaboration, particularly those related to the propaganda missions tha visited the city, are analyzed. As a result of this investigation, it is clear that the segments in solidarity with the Franco’s regime in Spain from Rosario, not only acted with a high degree of uniformity in the city, but were also made up, for the most part, of family nucleus and interpersonal relationships inserted in the economic, business and professional elite, and in the most traditional institutions of the community.