1939 Madrid Victory Parade

The 1939 Madrid Victory Parade (Spanish: desfile de la Victoria de Madrid de 1939) was held in Madrid on 19 May 1939, over a month after the victory of the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). It was the climax of a series of parades held in various Spanish capitals. It was also the first of a yearly series, named Día de la Victoria (Victory Day), held on 1 April until 1976, the year after Francisco Franco's death. The parade, along with a church ceremony at Santa Bárbara on the following day, aimed to underscore the enduring nature of Franco's headship of the state during the conflict and to solidify his role as the victorious "Caudillo" to the nation.

Preparations

After the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War, the Franco regime began preparations for a display of power in Madrid, a city that had withstood a siege by the victors for nearly three years. Within a few weeks of Madrid's capitulation on April 14, the specific units that would participate in the parade were determined. The Madrid parade was to be the final event in a series that had previously taken place in various locations across Spain, including the Andalusian capitals and Valencia. In the spring, Franco embarked on what would be the first of his tours through the Spanish provinces. This tour had the dual purpose of establishing contact with the population and affirming his leadership.

In preparation for the parade, extensive arrangements were made throughout the city. The Chamber of Commerce mandated that shop windows should display portraits of Franco and posters with slogans such as "Franco, Franco, Franco, Up Spain," "Glory to the Caudillo," "Spain, One, Great and Free," and "For the Homeland, Bread and Justice." The exteriors of cinemas, theaters, department stores, and cafes were adorned with photographs of Franco and José Antonio, alongside flags of Spain and the Movement. To facilitate these decorations, the army provided 20,000 meters of red and yellow hangings and approximately one hundred thousand flags at cost price.

Additionally, the population was encouraged to host the parade's leaders and officers in their homes. Due to a lack of sufficient voluntary offers, a mandatory accommodation scheme was implemented on May 9, as the event held official status.

A designated route was established for the parade, spanning Paseo del Prado and continuing along Recoletos and Castellana, which were renamed Paseo de Calvo Sotelo and Avenida del Generalísimo, respectively. The procession concluded at Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo. A tribune, designed in the form of a triumphal arch, was positioned on the right side of the final stretch of the route, between the streets of Lista (currently Ortega y Gasset) and Marqués de Villamagna (where the Hotel Villamagna now stands). This arch was adorned with a tapestry featuring the Eagle of Saint John, and the word "VICTORY" was prominently displayed above the arch. The pillars of the arch each bore the inscription "FRANCO" three times, echoing the repetitive style of the fascist motto "Duce, Duce, Duce," though it may also draw parallels to the liturgical phrase "Holy, Holy, Holy." Beneath the arch was a specially constructed box with a balcony, decorated at the front with a figure of a victor, from which Franco was to appear. Additional architectural features included a double colonnade erected in Plaza de Colón and a bridge in Plaza de Cibeles.

The day before the parade, Falangist writer Ernesto Giménez Caballero delivered a speech on the National Radio of Spain, asserting, "The war is not over. The war continues. Still silent: in front of invisible white. And a war as relentless as the one our bodies and our viscera suffered until April 1. It's the same war, it's the same enemies. It is the same scoundrel that will not resign itself until its definitive, historic crushing." That same day, General Francisco Franco arrived in Madrid from Burgos, where the government was still situated, and made a ceremonial entry through the decorated streets of the capital. The press office in Burgos had previously stated that "the entry of General Franco into Madrid will follow the ritual observed when Alfonso VI, accompanied by the Cid, took Toledo in the Middle Ages." The Marchioness of Argüelles offered him the Palacio de la Huerta on Serrano Street for his stay; this location is currently the site of the American embassy in Spain.

The parade was commanded by General Andrés Saliquet, Commander of the Madrid Military Region, and was presided by the Franco.

More than 120,000 men and 1,000 vehicles took part in the parade, including small contingents of the German Condor Legion, the Italian Corpo Truppe Volontarie and the Portuguese Viriatos. The forces went along Paseo de la Castellana, the main Madrid avenue, in a North to South direction and in total spent around 4 hours in marching past the full path. Around 400,000 people attended the event.

The environment was spectacularly fitted out with countless patriotic, triumphal and Franco's Cult of personality slogans.

See also

• Hispano-Suiza J12

Sources

• Casanova, Julián (2010). The Spanish Republic and Civil War. Cambridge, England; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-73780-7.
• Payne, Stanley G. (2008). Franco and Hitler: Spain, Germany, and World War II. Connecticut, CT: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-12282-4.
• Payne, Stanley G. (2011). Spain: A Unique History. University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0299250249.
• Payne, Stanley G. (2012). The Spanish Civil War. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-17470-1.
• Preston, Paul (1996) [1986]. A Concise history of the Spanish Civil War. London: Fontana. ISBN 978-0-00-686373-1. OCLC 231702516.
• Thomas, Hugh (1961). The Spanish Civil War (1st ed.). London: Eyre and Spottiswoode.
• Westwell, Ian (2004). Condor Legion: The Wehrmacht's Training Ground. Spearhead. Vol. 15. Ian Allan publishing. ISBN 978-0-7110-3043-5.