Solidarity with Spain

On August 14, 1938 there was a meeting in solidarity with the Spanish Republic in the town of La Louvière. There were various messages intended to influence the policy of the Belgian government. The photograph shows one of them: members of the Young Socialist Guard carrying a banner reading “To recognize Burgos would be to recognize Hitler and Mussolini in Spain”. 

The banner refers to the intense political debate that would reach its peak in the second half of 1938. This was the so-called “Burgos Question”. Initially it was simply a matter of making a decision on an economic matter: the government of Belgium had decided to send a commercial representative to Francoist-controlled territory. Belgium was a highly-industrialized country and in the 1930s the notable growth of its industries, and its financial sector, had consolidated its international economic position. Many major Belgian companies had significant investments in Spain, and taking care of these interests in territory controlled by the rebels was a concern for the business world and some political parties from the beginning of the war. However, it was only in 1938 that it became a major political issue. 

The problem with sending a commercial representative was that it constituted de facto recognition of the government in Burgos. The simple fact that the Socialist prime minister Paul-Henri Spaak, who was under pressure from the business world and the Liberal and Catholic parties that were part of his governing coalition, was considering the possibility provoked vehement opposition on the left. With Spaak needing his POB party to support him, the government was paralyzed for several months. Two circumstances allowed Spaak finally to get this support. First, as a way of easing tension within the coalition and putting pressure on the POB, he started negotiations with Franco about sending a commercial representative and, second, Émile Vandervelde, the leading voice against sending a representative to Burgos, died on December 27, 1938. This made it much easier for Spaak to win his party’s support and in January 1939 the government sent a commercial representative to Burgos, bringing the political crisis to an end. Two months later, Belgium officially recognized the Francoist government as the government of Spain.