Visit of Heinrich Himmler to Spain in 1940

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Himmler in San Sebastián with José Finat and Gerardo Caballero Olabézar [es].

The visit of Nazi leader

Francoist regime, which at that time was invested in a diplomatic rapprochement with Nazi Germany with the anticipation of Spain's entry into World War II in support of the Axis powers. Himmler's stay in Spain took place between 19 and 24 October.[1] It was one of the very few trips that the Nazi leader made to neutral countries.[2]

The course of the visit

Himmler had accepted the invitation extended by Director General of Security José Finat y Escrivá de Romaní, whom he had met in Berlin in August of that year.[3] The main purpose of the visit was to inspect the Spanish security forces, discuss Spanish-German police cooperation, and prepare for the planned meeting between Franco and Hitler.[4] However, the official version at the time depicted this visit more like a mere tourist trip.[2]

Himmler was accompanied by a German entourage, including close collaborators such as Karl Wolff and Joachim Peiper.[5][6] On the morning of 19 October, the Nazi leader entered the country via the border control checkpoint at Irun, where he was received by, among others, the director general of security; the commander of the Sixth Military Region [es], General José López-Pinto Berizo [es]; the German ambassador to Spain, Eberhard von Stohrer; the head of the Gestapo in Madrid, Paul Winzer [es]; and the president of the Nazi Party in Spain, Hans Thomsen [es].[7][8] Shortly after crossing the border, he stopped in San Sebastián,[9] where he was the guest of honor of the local authorities and visited various sites. He made another stop in Burgos and visited its famous cathedral.[10] While in this city, he met and had dinner with Franco.[7]

Himmler, received with honors at the Estación del Norte railway station in Madrid.

On the morning of 20 October, he arrived at the

bullfight offered in his honor at the Las Ventas ring, organized by José Finat himself.[13] As the newspaper of the Nazi Party, Völkischer Beobachter, reported it, he was greeted with great applause upon his arrival.[2] Bullfighters Pepe Luis Vázquez [es], Marcial Lalanda [es], and Rafael Ortega Gómez [es] (Gallito) took part in the bullfight.[14] The head of the SS was horrified by what he saw and would later express his displeasure with the bullfight,[15] referring to it as a "cruel" spectacle.[16]

Serrano Suñer used this visit to boost his political position within the regime. Since he was not satisfied with the coverage by the regime's press outlets, he gave instructions to Enrique Giménez-Arnau [es]—the general director of the press—so that newspapers such as ABC, Ya, or Arriba would [estar] a la altura de las circunstancias.[c][17]

Himmler and General José Moscardó Ituarte visiting the ruins of the Alcázar of Toledo. Also with them is Karl Wolff.

The following day, Himmler traveled to

Prado Museum,[21] the headquarters of Falangist aid organization Auxilio Social [es], and the National Archaeological Museum—where he meticulously studied a map of the Germanic invasions—and then in the afternoon, gave a speech at the Madrid headquarters of the Nazi Party.[22] During his speech, Himmler announced that "all Jews from the Greater Germanic Reich would be placed in a 'closed ghetto' in the General Government."[23]

After their stay in the capital, the German entourage headed to Barcelona by plane. In the morning of 23 October, Himmler landed in

Montserrat Abbey, well known in relation to the Holy Grail tradition. In fact, Himmler firmly believed that Montserrat was really the "Monsalvat" depicted in Richard Wagner's opera Parsifal.[27] One of the monks, Andreu Ripoll Noble, was the only one who could speak German and thus he served as interpreter for the group of visitors.[18] Himmler—who on several occasions explained to the monks the Germanic and pagan origin of Montserrat—asked to see the archives related to the location of the Holy Grail, although the monks pointed out to him that it was not there.[28] Upon their return to Barcelona, the members of the entourage visited the German consulate and later attended a dinner hosted by the City Council. After the dinner, Himmler and other Francoist leaders visited a former Republican checa located in Vallmajor street.[29] The following day, he boarded a plane and returned to Germany.[22]

It so happened that while the Nazi leader was in Barcelona, his portfolio, carrying secret documents, went missing.[e]

Significance and transcendence

During his tour around Spain, Himmler also visited some prisons and

Francoist repression.[32] Nonetheless, his reaction was not motivated by humanitarian reasons. Rather, by the fact that he believed the level of repression was "politically" counterproductive[33] and also because of how absurd it was to exterminate valuable labor when there was an urgent need for workers in order to rebuild the country.[28] In light of the depressed atmosphere that Himmler found during his stay in the capital, he recommended Franco and Serrano Suñer to turn the page "so as to prevent all national life from continuing to revolve around the national tragedy."[11]

Himmler held several meetings with Serrano, after which they reached an agreement to strengthen the political and police cooperation between both countries:[34] the Gestapo would open an office at the German Embassy in Madrid and the Sicherheitsdienst (SD) would establish delegations in each German consulate in Spanish soil,[12] while the Nazi agents acting in the Spanish territory would have diplomatic immunity. In return, Spanish agents acting in Germany and occupied France would also have immunity.[3] Likewise, Himmler made sure that one of his deputies who was already operating in the country, Paul Winzer [es], would train the new Spanish secret police.[35] These agreements would ultimately join the one signed in 1938, which provided for the mutual extradition of detainees between both countries and the establishment of an SD network. Apart from police matters, some issues related to Nazi propaganda in Spain were also discussed.[4]

Image gallery

  • Himmler in Irun, after arriving in Spain.
    Himmler in Irun, after arriving in Spain.
  • Strolling through the streets of San Sebastián.
    Strolling through the streets of San Sebastián.
  • Visiting the San Telmo Museum in San Sebastián.
    Visiting the
    San Telmo Museum
    in San Sebastián.
  • Next to Franco and Serrano Suñer, at the reception in the Royal Palace of El Pardo.
    Next to Franco and Serrano Suñer, at the reception in the Royal Palace of El Pardo.
  • Visiting the ruins of the Alcázar of Toledo.
    Visiting the ruins of the Alcázar of Toledo.
  • Visiting an old checa in Barcelona.
    Visiting an old checa in Barcelona.

See also

Notes

  1. Sindicato Vertical (Spanish Syndical Organization).[7]
  2. ^ English: With men like Himmler, strong States reach their zenith.
  3. ^ English: Rise to the occasion
  4. ^ At El Escorial, the entourage also visited the tomb of José Antonio Primo de Rivera—the founder of the Falange Española—where they laid a wreath.[18]
  5. ^ In fact, some authors have hinted at the British secret service as being behind this incident.[30]

References

  1. ^ Thomàs 2008, p. 118.
  2. ^ a b c d Longerich 2012, p. 504.
  3. ^ a b Preston 2011, p. 642.
  4. ^ a b Espadas Burgos 1987, p. 111.
  5. ^ von Lang 2013, p. 168.
  6. ^ Agte 1999, p. 44.
  7. ^ a b c Bowen 2000, p. 92.
  8. ^ Pike 2008, p. 39.
  9. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 169.
  10. ^ Pike 2008, p. 159.
  11. ^ a b c Montoliú 2005, p. 149.
  12. ^ a b Pike 2008, p. 40.
  13. ^ Preston 2011, p. 590.
  14. ^ Gutiérrez Alarcón 1978, p. 104.
  15. ^ García Gibert 2010, p. 285.
  16. ^ González-Doria 1976, p. 78.
  17. ^ Pike 2008, pp. 39–40.
  18. ^ a b Parker 2014, p. 70.
  19. ^ Hidalgo Navarro 2011, p. 110.
  20. ^ Bowen 2000, pp. 92–93.
  21. ^ Pastor i Petit 1990, p. 230.
  22. ^ a b Longerich 2012, p. 505.
  23. ^ Longerich 2012, p. 510.
  24. ^ Ferret i Pujol 2010, p. 91.
  25. ^ Benet i Morell 1979, p. 369.
  26. ^ Westemeier 2014, p. 170.
  27. ^ Preston 2011, pp. 642–643.
  28. ^ a b c Preston 2011, p. 643.
  29. ^ Alcalá 2007, pp. 76, 135.
  30. ^ Martín de Pozuelo & Ellakuría 2008, p. 46.
  31. ^ Stone 2017, p. 88.
  32. ^ Preston 2011, pp. 590–591.
  33. ^ Reig Tapia 1996, p. 267.
  34. ^ Rozenberg 2010, p. 184.
  35. ^ Christie 2002, p. 29.

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

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