National Catholicism in Spain Female Section and the Re-education of Women

Abstract

During the Francoist period in Spain a particular female organization was created, as a military section among the young formations of the Falange: this was the so called Female Section, an auxiliary corps with many and quite different social welfare duties. Nevertheless, among them, that one of formation was always intended as the preeminent one: formation as mere
instruction, particularly the alphabetization of a female population which was mainly illiterate (moreover in the extra-urban areas), but also a formation for women of every age, in order to obey to the principles of the dictatorship sorted after the Civil War (September 1936-november 1938). The idea was that of preparing women for an absolute homely life, intended in every sense, ethic, cultural and psycophysic ways. So the main mission entrusted
to the F.S. was to prepare Spanish woman to her function as a subordinate person, just like the new political system required, with the whole ardent approval of religious authorities. Such conditions lasted until Franco’s death, in the second half of last century’s Seventies.