| José Luis de Arrese | |
|---|---|
| Born | José Luis de Arrese y Marga 1905 Bilbao |
| Died | 1986 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Known for | Politician |
| Political party | Falange |
José Luis de Arrese y Marga (1905, Bilbao – 1986) was a leading Spanish politician with both the Falange and its successor movement the Spanish Traditionalist Phalanx of the Assemblies of National-Syndicalist Offensive.
An architect by profession, Arrese identified himself with the camisa vieja tendency, although he did not actually join the Falange until 1936 and so was on the cusp of qualifying for such a title.[1] An enthusiastic supporter of Nazism, Arrese was one of the first to propose the creation of the Blue Division to support the Nazi war effort.[2] On the 20th May 1941 in an attempt to appeal to Adolf Hitler, who was still enjoying much success in World War II at the time, Arrese was one of three extremists appointed to the cabinet by Francisco Franco, in this case to the position of General Secretary of the Movement.[3] The appointment was a shrewd one by Franco as, although Arrese was identified with the Old Shirt tendency, he also had a strong personal loyalty to El Caudillo.[4] Arrese retained his strong interest in Nazism and in January 1943 he made a visit to Nazi Germany where he met with Adolf Hitler and Joachim von Ribbentrop and inspected German aircraft and building projects. This was to be the last formal contact between Spain and Germany before the fall of Hitler.[5] On the 20th July 1945 Arrese was removed from his position, his appointment no longer politically expedient, and indeed the role was left symbolically vacant in an attempt to disassociate the Franco regime from fascism.[6]
He enjoyed a return of sorts in 1956 when Franco dismissed Raimundo Fernández-Cuesta as the leader of the paramilitary Blue Shirts, although in truth the role had lost much of its importance as both the Army and the Monarchists had grown in power at the expense of the traditional Falangists.[7] In attempt to regain control for the Falangists he approached Franco the following year with a new draft constitution that would enshrine totalitarianism in Spain and threatened to resign if it was denied. Franco however rejected the move, endorsing a much more pro-monarchy document and, in a cabinet reshuffle, handing Arrese the humiliation of the very minor portfolio of Minister of Housing.[8] By 1960 Arrese had disappeared from any governmental role.[9]
| Preceded by Agustín Muñoz Grandes |
General Secretary of the Movement 1941-1945 |
Succeeded by Raimundo Fernández-Cuesta |
| Preceded by Raimundo Fernández-Cuesta |
General Secretary of the Movement 1956-1957 |
Succeeded by José Solís Ruiz |