Vice-Secretariat for Popular Education facts for kids
The Vice-Secretariat for Popular Education (also known as VSEP) was a special department in Spain. It was part of a political group called FET y de las JONS. This department existed during the early years of the Francoist dictatorship, a time when General Francisco Franco ruled Spain. The VSEP was in charge of all news and public information, known as press and propaganda, from 1941 until it closed down in 1945.
What the VSEP Did
The VSEP was like a control center for information in Spain. It managed many things, including:
- News and Books: It controlled what was printed in newspapers and books.
- Movies and Plays: It also managed what people saw in cinemas and theaters.
- Radio: It oversaw radio broadcasts.
- Censorship: A big part of its job was censorship. This meant they checked all information before it was shared with the public. They made sure only approved messages got out.
- State Media: The VSEP also controlled government-owned media, like the "Prensa del Movimiento" (Movement Press) and "Red de Emisoras del Movimiento" (Movement Radio Network).
History of the VSEP
The Vice-Secretariat for Popular Education started on May 20, 1941. It was created when José Luis de Arrese was in charge of the main political group, FET y de las JONS. The VSEP reported directly to him.
In September 1941, a person named Gabriel Arias Salgado became the leader of the VSEP. Before this, the Minister Ramón Serrano Suñer and the Ministry of Governance controlled news and propaganda. But after the VSEP was formed, these duties moved to the single political party. This meant the VSEP had a lot of power over what people in Spain could read, hear, and watch.
As World War II continued, the power of the Axis countries (like Nazi Germany) started to weaken. Because of this, the Spanish government, led by Franco, began to change how it handled news and propaganda.
After Nazi Germany was defeated in 1945, the VSEP was officially closed down. This happened on July 27, 1945. Its jobs and services were then moved to a new department called the Under-Secretariat for Popular Education. This new department was part of the Ministry of National Education. This change meant that traditional Catholic groups, rather than the original political party members, had more control over information. Even though the decree was made in 1945, the new leaders for press and propaganda didn't officially start their jobs until January 1946.
See also
In Spanish: Vicesecretaría de Educación Popular para niños
