Jewish life on the Spanish peninsula in the country's major cities existed in the latter decades of the 19th century, but only coalesced into organized bodies around the time of World War I. Synagogues in Seville, Madrid (1917), and Barcelona (1914) were established.
In 1924, Prime Minister Miguel Primo de Rivera decreed that Sephardim who met certain provisions would be granted Spanish nationality.
After Franco's victory in 1939, the Spanish right-wing moved against so-called "enemy elements" that comprised an "anti-Spain" working in the interests of Bolsheviks and a "Judeo-Masonic conspiracy".
[4] In 1945, the Francoist government enacted the Fuero de los Españoles [es] as the fourth of the ultimately eight Fundamental Laws of the Realm, extendeding the right to private worship of non-Catholic religions, including Judaism.
To obtain the "notorious roots" designation and sign agreements with the state, religious groups had to join in a single federation.
[1] By March 1992, the federation represented approximately 15,000 Jews in Spain, most of whom first- or second-generation immigrants from North Africa and South America.