I understand what you are describing; Spain was a haven for Jews during those times. Their economic decline afterwards resulted from the West ostracizing Franco. I read a speech from Franco (I believe it was in the 1950s), which he delivered to Americans when they approached him about putting US military bases there. He agreed, but chastised them for realizing so late what he had opposed 20 years earlier.
When the Civil War ended, he placed his sword on the altar in a cathedral in Spain vowing to never use force again unless it was to defend Spain. He kept his word, while we fought our wars in Korea, Vietnam, and various Caribbean adventures. We were in no position to judge him; we were allies of Joseph Stalin.
The alliance with Stalin was one of war time necessity. Franco allied himself with Hitler and allowed The Condor Legion(the nascent Luftwaffe) to bomb the basque town of Guernica.