Leaders of Spanish Jewry Received by Franco; Legal Rights Discussed

Leaders of the Jewish communities in Madrid and Barcelona were received by Generalissimo Francisco Franco, and asked him to grant legal recognition to Jewish communities in Spain, the New York Times reported today from Madrid.

The audience, which was not publicized, took place last Wednesday at the Prado Palace, General Franco’s residence. The Jewish community of Madrid was represented by its president, Max Mazin. The Barcelona Jewish community was represented by Alberto Levi. There are today about 5,000 Jews in Spain, most of whom live in Barcelona. Less than 2,000 live in Madrid. They worship under a “statement of tolerance” enacted in 1945, but their places of worship are not marked as synagogues. Legal recognition by the state would enable the Jewish communities to own property, to be parties in legal proceedings and to enjoy broader rights.

General Franco, the report from Madrid said, promised to examine the request of the two Jewish community leaders. It was the first time in 473 years that a head of Spain had officially received representatives of Spanish Jewry. In 1492 Rabbi Isaac Abravanel, the Jewish scholar who had served King Ferdinand as an aide, pleaded with the King unsuccessfully for the revocation of the decree expelling the Jews from Spain.

Mr. Mazin told the Times correspondent that the audience was cordial and that the Jewish community leaders who presented their request to General Franco are now waiting for a reply. Under the present law, Jews can act only as individuals in regard to communal property and legal affairs. In this respect the situation of the Jews is not much different than the status of other non-Catholic religions in the country. However, some steps have already been taken to recognize the Protestant religion officially.

A high Spanish Government official was quoted as saying: “There is no anti-Semitism and no Jewish problem in Spain. We respect and like the Jews.” He also revealed that negotiations are now being conducted with the West German Government for payment of reparations to Sephardic Jews who lost their property in Salonika, during the Nazi regime. Those negotiations, nearing completion, are being conducted by Foreign Minister Fernando Maria Castiella y Maiz, an advocate of interfaith harmony in Spain. The Spanish Government has recently shown interest in Sephardic communities in other countries, because it considers the Sephardim as descendants of the Jews from Spain.