Mothers and children without bread. Hunger in the Auxilio Social Cocinas de Hermandad and Comedores Infantiles during post-war Francoism (1939-1940)

This article analyses one of the main social policies in post-war Spain: the welfare policies of Auxilio Social. In particular, it explores the conditions and daily operation of the Comedores Infantiles and Cocinas de Hermandad run by that Falangist institution in Madrid in the immediate postwar pe...

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Main Author: Gloria Román Ruiz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas 2025-02-01
Series:Culture & History Digital Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cultureandhistory.revistas.csic.es/index.php/cultureandhistory/article/view/521
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author Gloria Román Ruiz
author_facet Gloria Román Ruiz
author_sort Gloria Román Ruiz
collection DOAJ
description This article analyses one of the main social policies in post-war Spain: the welfare policies of Auxilio Social. In particular, it explores the conditions and daily operation of the Comedores Infantiles and Cocinas de Hermandad run by that Falangist institution in Madrid in the immediate postwar period (1939 and 1940). This work sustaines that the rations served in these charitable-assistance institutions were fewer, smaller, and of worse quality than officially recognised. Therefore, the food given to the needy mothers and children at these Auxilio Social premises was insufficient to quell their hunger. Moreover, since the facilities did not meet the minimum conditions of size, cleanliness, ventilation, and kitchen utensils, the attendees were exposed to infectious diseases. It is also argued that, beyond the food supply problems of those famine years, the ineffectiveness of the Comedores and Cocinas was often due to the staff who worked in them, as they often used to steal food for their own consumption or to sell on the black market. Finally, it is argued that, given its failure to feed the needy, Auxilio Social’s aim of extending support to the dictatorship through the guise of charity was tarnished.
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spelling doaj-art-6cd0fdc578b142f5923f02e8f484c5e52025-02-10T09:42:37ZengConsejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasCulture & History Digital Journal2253-797X2025-02-0113210.3989/chdj.2024.521Mothers and children without bread. Hunger in the Auxilio Social Cocinas de Hermandad and Comedores Infantiles during post-war Francoism (1939-1940)Gloria Román Ruiz0University of Granada This article analyses one of the main social policies in post-war Spain: the welfare policies of Auxilio Social. In particular, it explores the conditions and daily operation of the Comedores Infantiles and Cocinas de Hermandad run by that Falangist institution in Madrid in the immediate postwar period (1939 and 1940). This work sustaines that the rations served in these charitable-assistance institutions were fewer, smaller, and of worse quality than officially recognised. Therefore, the food given to the needy mothers and children at these Auxilio Social premises was insufficient to quell their hunger. Moreover, since the facilities did not meet the minimum conditions of size, cleanliness, ventilation, and kitchen utensils, the attendees were exposed to infectious diseases. It is also argued that, beyond the food supply problems of those famine years, the ineffectiveness of the Comedores and Cocinas was often due to the staff who worked in them, as they often used to steal food for their own consumption or to sell on the black market. Finally, it is argued that, given its failure to feed the needy, Auxilio Social’s aim of extending support to the dictatorship through the guise of charity was tarnished. https://cultureandhistory.revistas.csic.es/index.php/cultureandhistory/article/view/521Franco’s dictatorshippost-war periodhungerchildrensocial policiescorruption
spellingShingle Gloria Román Ruiz
Mothers and children without bread. Hunger in the Auxilio Social Cocinas de Hermandad and Comedores Infantiles during post-war Francoism (1939-1940)
Culture & History Digital Journal
Franco’s dictatorship
post-war period
hunger
children
social policies
corruption
title Mothers and children without bread. Hunger in the Auxilio Social Cocinas de Hermandad and Comedores Infantiles during post-war Francoism (1939-1940)
title_full Mothers and children without bread. Hunger in the Auxilio Social Cocinas de Hermandad and Comedores Infantiles during post-war Francoism (1939-1940)
title_fullStr Mothers and children without bread. Hunger in the Auxilio Social Cocinas de Hermandad and Comedores Infantiles during post-war Francoism (1939-1940)
title_full_unstemmed Mothers and children without bread. Hunger in the Auxilio Social Cocinas de Hermandad and Comedores Infantiles during post-war Francoism (1939-1940)
title_short Mothers and children without bread. Hunger in the Auxilio Social Cocinas de Hermandad and Comedores Infantiles during post-war Francoism (1939-1940)
title_sort mothers and children without bread hunger in the auxilio social cocinas de hermandad and comedores infantiles during post war francoism 1939 1940
topic Franco’s dictatorship
post-war period
hunger
children
social policies
corruption
url https://cultureandhistory.revistas.csic.es/index.php/cultureandhistory/article/view/521
work_keys_str_mv AT gloriaromanruiz mothersandchildrenwithoutbreadhungerintheauxiliosocialcocinasdehermandadandcomedoresinfantilesduringpostwarfrancoism19391940