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Four Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera and the Founding of the Falange 1933-1934 Ramiro Ledesma's achievement was to define the program of a Spanish fascism, something that no other sympathizer or would-be Spanish fascist had been able to accomplish. Yet Ledesma was clearly no Duce; though he possessed clarity, intensity, and decisiveness, he lacked charisma. He could define a sort of Spanish fascism in doctrinaire terms, but it was quite doubtful that he could give it successful political leadership. That would require more sensitive and charismatic direction, and also more favorable opportunities. Such a combination of factors first began to coalesce under the leadership of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera. Jose Antonio, as he would eventually become known to friend and foe-the only figure in contemporary Spanish history customarily referred to by his first name-was born in I903 into an upper-class family with a strong military tradition dating back at least three hundred years. The Primo de Riveras were socially prominent in Andalucia, having intermarried with large landowners and merchants in the district of Jerez de la Frontera. Most recently the family had been brought to prominence by Jose Antonio's grand-uncle, Lt. Gen. Fernando Primo de Rivera, a major figure of the military hierarchy during the Restoration who had been granted the title of marques de Estella for bringing the last Carlist war to a close with a victory in I876. This title, upon his death in I92I elevated to the rank of grandeza de Espana, passed to the future Dictator and then, following his demise nine years later, to Jose Antonio, who became third marques in that line. Jose Antonio was the oldest of five surviving children (three sons, two daughters) of a mother who died very young, after giving birth to six children (including a set of twins, one of whom failed to survive childhood ) in little more than five years. All five siblings were then raised by 69 PART TWO. JOSE ANTONIO AND FALANGE ESPANOLA their beloved aunt, Tia "Ma" (Maria Jesus Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja, sister of the future Dictator), who served as surrogate mother until all reached maturity and beyond. Despite his family's Andalusian roots, Jose Antonio was essentially a madrileno, having been born in a commodious apartment in a building on the calle de Genova, near the glorieta de Col6n . His early life was divided between residence in the capital and in Andalusia, where his father drew several military assignments. A significant part of his future political orientation was determined by his family upbringing, in which an affectionate but stern and authoritarian father (who required that his children address him as "usted") inculcated an unswerving sense of extreme patriotism, deep respect and affection for the military, and belief in the importance of militant service for the patria. Nearly all his early education was obtained at home through private tutors , and he obtained his secondary school diploma in September 1917 after a series of examinations in private schools.I Since his father had discouraged the military vocation that was his first love, Jose Antonio entered the Faculty of Law at the University of Madrid. In his first major experience with organized classes, he struggled academically during the first two years. These problems may have been exacerbated by the time he devoted for some three years to paid employment -employment required by a family income that was not altogether commensurate with the public prestige of his father. An uncle imported automobiles from the United States, and Jose Antonio, an able linguist who had learned English from an English governess during his childhood, was responsible for the firm's English-language correspondence. His grades subsequently improved markedly, allegedly at first with the assistance of a new friend, the brilliant student Ram6n Serrano Suner. Serrano was two years older than Jose Antonio and according to some was the best student in Spain, having gained "Matriculas de honor" in every single course. Later, in his final courses for the licenciatura (1922) and the beginning of the doctorate (1923), Jose Antonio also did very well, gaining "Matriculas de honor" in all but one course. His military and patriotic upbringing notwithstanding, Jose Antonio shared the elitist liberal orientation common to Spanish university students in the early twentieth century, and this was reflected in his first political activities in the university. After the autonomy decree of 1919 permitted student organization, he later served as general secretary and member of the governing committee...

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