(C) Mourning the Ancient

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[Below: Franco and Hitler in France on 0ctober 23, 1940 discussing Spain's involvement with the Axis.]

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[Below: Franco and Hitler.]

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[Below: Franco and Hitler.]

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[Below: Franco and Mussolini.]

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[Below: Capitán Infantería, Juan José Orozco Massieu. 250 Div. 262 Reg.]

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[Below: Miembros de la 15 Span. jg51 de la 2ª Escuadrilla Aérea Azul, con la guirtarra el Sargento Especialista. Juan Azpéitia Pérez (Members of the 15 Span. jg51 of the 2nd Blue Air Squadron, with Sergeant Specialist with guitar Juan Azpéitia Pérez)]

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[Below: José María Ortín Cno, 250 Div. 263 Reg]

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[Below: Sargento Infantería (Infantry Sergeant), José de la Iglesia Parras, 250 Div. 269 Regimiento]

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[Below: Teniente Infantería (Infantry Lieutenant) , Pedro Caslderón de la Barca y Lillo, 250 Div. 262 Reg]

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[Below: Teniente Guardia Civil (Civil Guard Lieutenant), Ángel Juarranz Garrido. 250 Div. 250 Felgendarmeríe Trupp]

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[Below: Francisco Mena Díaz]

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[Below: Ricardo Sanz, early 1942]

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[Below: Capitán Infantería (Infantry Captain), José Escobedo Ruiz. 250 Div. 262 Reg]

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[Below: Spanish volunteer of the Blue Division during the winter of 1941-42 near Moscow.]

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[Below: Blas Piñar in a speech on the date of the National Uprising.]

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[Below: Cuff title worn by the German Condor Legion]

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[Below: German troops of the Condor Legion march triumphantly through Leon, Spain at end of the Spanish civil war.]

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[Below: German troops after occupying the Atlantic coast all the way to the Spanish border, where they were warmly greeted by the Spaniards. (Photo credit: Hoffmann photo of the daytime photographic report of 1940).]

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[Below: Wehrmacht Major-General Hermann Foertsch (1895-1961, far right) talking with Spaniard nurse Mercedes Mila (second from left) of the 250th Infantry Blue Division of the Wehrmacht (250. Einheit spanischer Freiwilliger). In the photo, second from right - Chief Medical Officer Division, Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Blas Hidalgo (Blas Hidalgo Sánchez).]

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[Below: German officers and a sergeant of the Civil Guard setting up the security operation for the Hitler-Franco meeting in Hendaye (southwestern France).]

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[Below: Falangists celebrate victory. Madrid, Spain. Circa 1939.]

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[Below: This is from the German publication Signal magazine. The original caption read: 'Spain's "Blue Division on the march" - They are determined to take part in the final struggle against the enemy of the whole world.']

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[Below: This is from the German publication Signal magazine. The original caption read:
'The old symbol of victory of the Falange is repeated on the ground and at the top of the staff of the standard carried by every battalion of the Spanish volunteers who have arrived in Germany.'
The man pictured here is Santos Alonso García, 250 Div. 263 Reg]

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[Below: This is from the German publication Signal magazine. The original caption read: 'Heavy guns are taken over. The "Blue Division" is an independent army unit of trained soldiers of all arms. It will only take a short time to teach these men how to use their new weapons and to prepare them for active service.']

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[Below: Believers. A Spanish Falangist among his German comrades at the Nuremberg Party Congress, September 1937]

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[Below: This is from the German publication Signal magazine. The original caption read: 'For the second time against the old enemy. As the badges on his left sleeve show, this volunteer was wounded six times in the fighting against the devestators of his native land. But he cannot rest until the world disgrace of Bolshevism has been destroyed for ever.']

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[Below: A mother teaches her children with the symbol of the Falange party in the background.]

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[Below: A Falange party march in Madrid.]

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[Below: Trumpeters bearing flags of the Falange party on their trumpets.]

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[Below: Members of the 'Falangist Frente de Juventudes' youth movement bearing party standards.]

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[Below: Falangist troops marching through a recently freed town.]

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[Below: An Honor platoon of Falangists saluting Himmler during his visit in Spain. Circa Autumn 1940.]

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[Below: Himmler is welcomed at el Prat airport by a young falangist girl.]

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[Below: Himmler and Franco, October 1940. Courtesy of the Bundesarchiv.]

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[Below: Days of celebration!]

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[Below: A comrade and friend is buried somewhere in Russia. Note that this Division Azul Spanish soldier is using his bayonet to nail on the units shield patch to the grave marker. Circa 1942.]

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[Below: Brave Spaniards who refused to abandon their German friends, even after General Franco told them to come home after pressure from the Allies. Somewhere on the Eastern front.]

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[Below: A member of the Blue Division.]

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[Below: A machine gunner from the Blue Division.]

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[Below: Cazpitán Infantería (Infantry Captain) Urbano Gómez García. 250 Div. 263 Reg. Note the two Tank Destroyer awards on his sleeve!]

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[Below: Spanish nurse of the Blue Division speaking with officer.]

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[Below: Spanish nurse treating a wounded comrade of the Blue Division. Riga, Spring 1943.]

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[Below: A Spanish female in the Falange party talks with Wehrmacht and female BDM comrades. Note the Falange symbol on her pocket.]

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[Below: A nationalist crowd in Madrid.]

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[Below: Spanish troops from the Blue Division on the Leningrad Front, winter 1942/1943.]

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[Below: General der Kavallerie Philipp Kleffel, Commander of L. Armeekorps, congratulates Spanish officers of the Blue Division.]

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[Below: Legion Condor parade.]

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[Below: Legion Condor parade.]

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[Below: Legion Condor parade.]

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[Below: October 23, 1940, Spain.]

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[Below: A German from Legion Condor]

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[Below: A little known volunteer force in the Spanish Civil War: Russians! This shows Russian volunteers in Spain during a religious service.]

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[Below: Spanish volunteers of the Blue Division on the Eastern Front at Krasny Bor.]

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[Below: Condor Legion memorial in Spain.]

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[Below: This is perhaps post war, but it was so cool I had to post it. Check out that cool cloak with the Falange symbol!]