La Fundación Ebert y el socialismo español de la dictadura a la democracia

Abstract

This articles investigates the aid delivered by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation to the Spanish socialist movement during the Franco dictatorship and the beginning of the democratic transition. It explains how the Foundation accompanied the SPD’s politics towards Spain since the mid sixties, aimed at promoting the evolution of the Franco dictatorship into a democracy. It provides an overview of the long lasting relations between the Foundation and the socialist party of Enrique Tierno Galván, and explains the reasons for the Foundation to change its partner and support the PSOE in 1975. Lastly, it analyses the steps leading to the opening of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation office in Madrid in 1976 and the plans of its director to strongly support the conversion of the PSOE into a catch all party.