Agustín Aznar facts for kids

Agustín Aznar Gerner (born August 18, 1911 – died May 2, 1984) was a Spanish doctor and a key political activist. He was involved with the Falange, a political group, and played an important role during the Spanish Civil War. Aznar was part of a strong group within the followers of Francisco Franco, who was Spain's leader for many years. Sometimes, Aznar even challenged Franco's leadership.

Quick facts for kids Agustín Aznar
Aznar in c. 1941–1943
Member of the Cortes Españolas
In office 1961–1976
Personal details
Born	Agustín Aznar Gerner 18 August 1911 Madrid, Spain
Died	2 May 1984(1984-05-02) (aged 72) Madrid, Spain
Political party	FET y de las JONS
Other political affiliations	FE de las JONS
Occupation	Politician
Military service
Allegiance	Spain  Nazi Germany
Branch/service	Spanish Army Heer
Unit	Blue Division (1941–1943)
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Eastern Front
Awards	Iron Cross

Early Life and Studies

Agustín Aznar was the son of a well-known academic named Severino Aznar. Agustín studied medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid, where his father taught sociology. He became a specialist in haematology, which is the study of blood. Later, he became a top professor in this field.

Aznar started getting involved in politics when he was a student. In 1935, he helped create and lead the Falangist student union, called the Sindicato Español Universitario. He was known for being strong and adventurous. He even held a wrestling title in the region of Castille. He became the leader of the Falange's local group in Madrid.

When the Falange group was made illegal in March 1936, Aznar was put in prison. However, he was quickly set free when the Nationalists, his political side, took control of the area.

At the start of the Spanish Civil War, Aznar became the leader of the national militias. He worked closely with Hans Joachim von Knobloch, a German official. In 1936, they tried to help release a captured Falangist leader named José Antonio Primo de Rivera. The plan did not work, and Aznar barely escaped being captured himself. This event showed his adventurous spirit. He also strongly argued against combining the Falangist militias with other Nationalist forces. He did not trust the other generals.

Political Struggles

After José Antonio Primo de Rivera was executed, Aznar became one of the main people fighting for power within the Falange. He and Sancho Dávila y Fernández de Celis led a group called the legitimistas. This group did not agree with the leadership of Manuel Hedilla, who was supposed to take over from Primo de Rivera.

Hedilla tried to keep his position by organizing a special meeting for the Falange. Both Hedilla and Aznar prepared their own groups of followers for this meeting. Aznar acted first. On April 16, 1937, his group took control and removed Hedilla from power. They then put Aznar, Sancho Dávila, and their friend José Moreno in charge together.

However, Hedilla fought back. He got help from a Finnish Nazi named Carl von Haartman. Haartman led Hedilla's troops to capture the Falange Headquarters from Aznar's forces. This struggle was causing problems for the war effort. So, Franco stepped in. He publicly supported Hedilla and had Aznar, Sancho Dávila, and others arrested.

Franco used this chance to weaken the Falange group. He immediately announced the creation of a new, combined group called the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional-Sindicalista. This made the leader of the Falange a less powerful position. Aznar was briefly put in prison but was soon released. He was then appointed to the Falangist National Council, which had less power by then.

Return to Politics

Even though he had faced a setback, Aznar was quickly released from prison. He soon accepted Franco's new political movement. He was given the job of advising the militias. Aznar was part of a 12-person political group. In 1938, he and Fernando González Vélez tried to make the movement more like Italian fascism and Nazism. They wanted to make the party more important and powerful.

Aznar's ideas caused another possible split within the group. Some members, like Pedro Sainz Rodríguez, who supported the monarchy (a king or queen), did not like these ideas. They saw them as being against the idea of a monarchy. Again, Franco sided against Aznar. He had both Aznar and González Vélez imprisoned for their plans. Franco had received a report saying they were plotting against him, though there is little proof this was true. Aznar was released in November 1939 and allowed to return to a somewhat important role in the party.

World War II Involvement

Aznar was not happy with the more traditional direction Franco's government was taking. So, along with other original Falangists, he joined the Blue Division during World War II. The Blue Division was made up of Spanish volunteers who fought alongside Germany.

Aznar also had a smaller role as the National Delegate for Health in the government. Combining his two roles, Aznar started a program where Spanish doctors could work in German hospitals. This program continued until late 1944.

After the War

After World War II, many people in Franco's government who had supported the Nazis, like Aznar, lost their important positions. This happened because Franco's government started to favor a pro-Western and anti-communist policy.

However, Aznar kept a position on the Falange's political council until 1958. He had first been appointed to this group in the 1930s. In 1961, he was appointed to the Cortes Españolas, which was a body that had little real power. He remained there until 1976. At that time, he was one of the deputies who voted against allowing political parties to operate freely again.

Aznar's political involvement ended when Spain returned to having a constitutional monarchy (a king or queen with limited power). After that, he worked as the head of the blood transfusion service in a hospital in Madrid.

See also

In Spanish: Agustín Aznar para niños