Stolperstein dedicated to Antonio Ortíz Crespo

The Stolperstein dedicated to Antonio Ortíz Crespo is a memorial cobblestone set into the pavement of the Chamberí district in Madrid. It commemorates Antonio Ortiz Crespo, a Spanish Republican murdered by the Nazi regime during the Second World War.

What is this memorial stone?

A Stolperstein, German for "stumbling stone," is a small brass-topped cobble embedded in the pavement outside the last known address of a victim of Nazi persecution. The project was started in 1997 by German artist Gunter Demnig, and today more than 100,000 of these stones lie in pavements across over 20 European countries. Demnig personally laid Madrid's first Stolpersteine in April 2019, describing the act as a "ritual of respect for the victims." The stone honouring Antonio Ortiz Crespo was installed several years later, on 28 April 2023, when six such stones were laid together in the Chamberí district.

Who was Antonio Ortiz Crespo?

Antonio Ortiz Crespo and his brother Gonzalo were Spanish Republicans who ended up in France after the Spanish Civil War. They were arrested on the beach at Dunkirk and deported to the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, where they died in 1941. According to the testimony of a fellow prisoner, both brothers threw themselves against the camp's electrified fence — although historians note that the accuracy of this account is not fully confirmed. As a symbolic gesture, sand from the Dunkirk beach where they were arrested was placed beneath the stones dedicated to the two brothers. Alongside the Ortiz Crespo brothers, that same day also honoured Valentín Fouce Llana, Fernando Salcedo Rabanaque, Mariano Expósito Garrido and Karl Frommknecht — further victims of deportation to Nazi camps with ties to Madrid.

How do you get there?

The stone lies in Chamberí, one of the most elegant and quiet districts in central Madrid, well served by metro (stations such as Iglesia, Gregorio Marañón and Rubén Darío) and city buses. The six Stolpersteine laid in April 2023 were spread across several streets in Chamberí — Calle Espronceda, Paseo General Martínez Campos and Calle Viriato — so it is worth planning a short walk through the neighbourhood to see more than one memorial stone. The coordinates for this particular stone are 40.440528, -3.695909.

What will you see on site?

The Stolperstein itself is a small, ten-centimetre brass-topped cobblestone set flush into the pavement in front of a building. Engraved on the plaque are the victim's name, year of birth, details of the deportation, and the place and year of death. It is a modest but moving monument — easy to walk past without noticing, which is in fact part of the project's idea: passers-by are meant to pause for a moment and "stumble" mentally over the history beneath their feet.

When should you visit?

The memorial stone can be visited at any time, all year round — it is simply part of the pavement, accessible 24 hours a day. The best light for viewing or photographing it is in the morning or late afternoon, when the sun is lower. Chamberí is also a district worth exploring in its own right, with cafés and shops nearby, so a visit can easily be combined with a relaxed walk around the area.

Frequently asked questions

How is a Stolperstein different from a traditional monument? A Stolperstein is not a standing monument but a brass-topped cobblestone set into the pavement outside the building connected to the victim, usually their last known address before deportation.

Is there an entry fee? No, the stone sits in a public street and can be viewed free of charge at any time.

Are there other stones like this nearby? Yes, in April 2023 six Stolpersteine were laid together in Chamberí, including one for Antonio's brother, Gonzalo Ortiz Crespo.

Who created the Stolpersteine project? The project was created by German artist Gunter Demnig in 1997; more than 100,000 of these memorial stones have since been laid across Europe.