The mottos of Francoism are mottos which encapsulate the ideals of the Francoist dictatorship. Although the regime had many ideological influences (Traditionalism, National Catholicism, Militarism and National syndicalism), it employed Falangism in its popular movements. Falangist ideology was easily incorporated in the creation of mottos as it is believed to demonstrate a certain reluctance towards political agendas, and to favour empiricism, taking action, and the simplification of ideas.Historians have discussed which of the Falange's qualities were most characteristic of the ideology. Stanley Payne maintains it's their vague and confusing ideas, (PAYNE, Stanley (1965) Sobre Falange Española. París: Ruedo Ibérico), while S. Ellwood believes Nationalism, Imperialism and Irrationalism to characterise their ideas, as stated in Prietas las filas. Historia de la Falange Española, 1933-1985. Grijalbo (found at )
Although these mottos originated from the activity of different right-wing intellectuals and nationalist political parties during the Second Spanish Republic, their use became widespread and proved to be an effective propaganda tool used by the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) in mobilising public opinion and persuading the population to conform to nationalist ideas. Mottos were also often used as political chants during Franco's dictatorship (1939–1975).
As well as achieving military victory, the Rebel, or Nationalist, faction successfully used propaganda to link the term "national" with the concept of Spain itself. This is a result of the extended period of time the regime stayed in power in the absence of any public resistance, despite clandestine opposition.José Álvarez Junco: Mater Dolorosa. La idea de España en el siglo XIX (Premio Nacional de Ensayo 2002), conferences on this subject held at the Fundación Juan March. Those within the regime did not all blindly support such simplifications as demonstrated in España como problema by the Falangist intellectual, Pedro Laín Entralgo. Rafael Calvo Serer responded to this with his España sin problema, expressing traditional and orthodox beliefs. These beliefs had to be adopted, as assuming a traditional stance and showcasing 'unwavering support' towards Franco was the only way to maintain any semblance of power, as highlighted by Luis Carrero Blanco when referring to Franco and everything the Caudillo represented:
[...] my loyalty to [Franco] and his work is undoubtedly sincere and completely transparent; it is unconstrained by limitations, nor is it affected by doubts or reservations [...]During Spain's transition to democracy, not only were Francoism's mottos and symbols abandoned, but there was also a decline in the use of national symbols in general. Even referring to 'Spain' was frequently substituted by other terms (such as 'this country', though this term was already used in the Romantic period by the Spanish author Mariano José de Lara), while there was an increase in the use of terms relating to regional nationalism.
(One, Great and Free) (English: One, Great and FreeQuiroga, Alejandro (2015). "Spanish Fury: Football and National Identities under Franco". European History Quarterly. 45 (3): 523. doi:10.1177/0265691415587686. or United, Great and FreePayne, Stanley (1988). The Franco Regime, 1936-1975. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 620. .) was the Francoist tripartite motto which expressed the nationalist concept of Spain as:
'indivisible', expressing opposition to any kind of separatism or territorial decentralization; 'imperial', referring to the part of the Spanish Empire established in the Americas, as well as the one that was intended to be built in Africa; and 'not subject to foreign influences', referring to the international Judeo-Masonic-Communist conspiracy which the Nationalists believed controlled the Soviet Union, the European democracies and the United States (until the agreements of 1953), as well as a large number of threats to the regime which were deemed anti-Spanish, communist, separatist, liberal (see also: White Terror).
The motto was created by jonsist student Juan Aparicio López (he also created the motto ; "for the Homeland, for Bread and for Justice" and was also behind the adoption of the Yoke and the Arrows as symbol of the JONS as well as the red-black flag),Gejo Santos, María Isabel (2015). Tradición y modernidad.: Dos décadas de música en salamanca, 1940-1960. Salamanca: Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca. p. 399. . and was later adopted by Falange Española de las JONS along other JONS' symbols.Rodríguez Labandeira, Jose (2017). La dialéctica de los puños y las pistolas. p. 111. .
was often used at the end of speeches; The leader would exclaim three times ¡España!, and the public would successively respond to each of these shouts with and finally The effect was similar to the way Amen is used in church, as well as to the chant of in Nazi Germany. The ritual would continue with an almost choreographed script of , or just intoning
In his farewell message to the Spanish people upon his death in 1975, Franco referred to "the great task of making Spain united, great and free."
The slogan was incorporated into the Falangist anthem, ; it ended with the stanza (Spain, one [united]! Spain, great! Spain, free!)
Una patria, un estado, un caudillo (one fatherland, one state, one leader) Although ¡Una, Grande y Libre! was the most widespread motto under Franco's dictatorship, una Patria, un estado, un caudillo is another tripartite motto which was used extensively between 1936 and the beginning of 1940. The motto was spread by the Franco's confidant, founder of the Spanish Legion, José Millán Astray, who profoundly admired the Caudillo. In the first few months of the Spanish Civil War, when Franco was still a member of the Junta de Defensa, Millán Astray traversed the nationalist-controlled areas, particularly the provinces of Castille and Navarra, serving Franco's personal cause and convincing the troops and officers of Franco's indisputable claim as the leader of Spain.
After creating the motto ¡Viva la muerte! (Long live death!), Millán Astray adapted the Nazi Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer (one people, one empire, one leader) in order to create the motto Una patria, un estado, un caudillo. When the Junta de Defensa became the Junta Técnica del Estado and Franco was named as the head of state, it became compulsory for all newspapers and postcards in the Nationalist-controlled zones to include this motto in their header.
Significance of the tripartite motto
Many Francoist slogans were purposely designed to be tripartite mottos in clear reference to religious symbolism (the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). This implicitly compares Spain to the defining characteristics of the Roman Catholic Church; "Catholic" (meaning universal), "Apostolic" (meaning chosen) and "Roman" (meaning united).Eugenio D'Ors, found on the Puerta de Velázquez in the Prado Museum, in front of the Edificio de los Sindicatos Verticales, now the Ministry of Health:Todo pasa, vna sola cosa te sera contada y es tv obra bien hecha. Noble es el qve se exige y hombre, tan solo, qvien cada dia renveva su entvsiasmo, sabio, al descvbrir el orden del mvndo, que inclvye la ironia. Padre es el responsable, y patricia mision de servicio la politica. Debe ser catolica, qve es decir, vniversal, apostolica, es decir escogida, romana es decir, vna. Vna también la cvltvra, estado libre de solidaridad en el espacio y continvidad en el tiempo qve todo lo qve no es tradicion es plagio. Peca la natvraleza, son enfermizos ocio y soledad qve cada cval cvltive lo qve de angelico le agracia, en amistad y dialogo.The text is found at the Monumento a Eugenio d'Ors (Madrid). These comparisons must be viewed in the context of National Catholicism, an essential aspect to the Francoist ideology. Although National Catholicism was not a key component of Falangist ideology (and was sometimes even opposed by the Falangists), it was used by the Falange as a rhetorical device.
Throughout history, ideas and concepts have often been incorporated into and expressed as tripartite mottos. It is believed that this occurrence originated with Indo-European populations, who worshipped three gods as one. The social classes of these populations were also split into three categories, in a similar way to those of medieval societies and the Ancien Régime. Other tripartite mottos include "Liberté, égalité, fraternite" (liberty, equality, fraternity), created during the French Revolution; "Dios, Patria y Libertad" (God, Motherland and Freedom), used in the Dominican Republic; and "Dios, patria, rey" (God, Motherland, King) which dates back to Carlism, a traditionalist, right-wing Spanish ideology.
In addition to mottos, examples of other tripartite classifications are the Falange's categories of "natural units of political life" ("Family, town council, trade union"). Furthermore, in the philosophy of absolute idealism, the dialectical method of Hegelian theory (thesis, antithesis, synthesis) is also composed of three parts. On some occasions, these three-part classifications have been linked to a "western" or "patriarchal" way of viewing the world, which contrasts with the two-part "eastern" or "matriarchal" point of view (yin and yang).
A song written in Catalan by Joan Manuel Serrat (Temps era temps) refers to the postwar period as the "time of the ¡Una, Grande y Libre!"
¡Arriba España! (Up with Spain!)
The origin of the cry "Up with Spain!" is usually attributed to the Spanish writer and reformer Ricardo Macías Picavea in 1899, and was later proposed by the Falangist pioneer Rafael Sánchez Mazas. The decision to use 'up' instead of 'long live' was justified on the basis that the term 'live' was insufficient. The word 'up' conveys the idea of Spanish patriots standing at attention, asserting their active willingness to improve Spain. It also resonated with the providential belief that all events are predetermined by God.La historia de España contada con sencillez, Cádiz: Escelicer.
Si eres español, habla español (If you're Spanish, speak Spanish)
The motto 'Speak the language of the empire' was also employed, as instructed by a poster once displayed in the courtyard of the University of Barcelona. This motto was possibly inspired by Antonio de Nebrija, who wrote in 1492 that "Language was always a companion of the empire" in Gramática castellana, the first work dedicated to the Spanish language and its rules.
These mottos were used above all in Catalonia in order to discourage the use of Catalan after the region was taken over by Franco's army in the final stage of the Civil War (Barcelona was taken on 26 January 1939), and were also used in the postwar period.
Rusia es culpable (Russia is guilty)
This slogan is taken from the speech Ramón Serrano Suñer made on 23 June 1941, the day after Germany invaded the Soviet Union (known as Operation Barbarossa), in which he blames Stalin's communist Russia for the Spanish Civil War, and encourages the support of Hitler's Nazi Germany in their fight against them.Cited in Alberto Piris: "La Operación Barbarroja, hoy hace 60 años" Archived on 17 November 2007, on the Wayback Machine., on Estrella Digital. Spain, 22 de June 2001. The quote was printed in newspapers and employed by the anti-Soviet movement which created the Blue Division, formed by volunteers and incorporated into the German army. These volunteers were believed not to affect or compromise Spain's official position of neutrality (although Franco favoured the Axis powers). Eventually, pressure from the Western powers forced Franco's government to withdraw the division.