Stolperstein dedicated to Eleuterio Díaz-Tendero Merchán

The Stolperstein for Eleuterio Díaz-Tendero Merchán is a brass memorial stone set into a pavement in Madrid, one of eight such stones in the city dedicated to Spanish Republicans deported to Nazi concentration camps.

Who was Eleuterio Díaz-Tendero Merchán?

Eleuterio Díaz-Tendero Merchán was born in 1882 in Consuegra, in the province of Toledo. He served as an officer in the Republican army and became one of the more significant military figures on the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War. In 1934, together with artillery captain Urbano Orad de la Torre, he founded the Republican Anti-Fascist Military Union (UMRA), created as a counterweight to the right-wing Spanish Military Union (UME), which gathered officers sympathetic to fascism. During the civil war he took an active part in operations against the so-called fifth column — networks of Franco sympathisers operating behind Republican lines.

After the Republic's defeat, he went into exile. When Nazi Germany occupied France, he was captured and deported to a concentration camp. He died at Dachau on 13 February 1945, only weeks before the camp was liberated by American forces.

What is a Stolperstein?

A Stolperstein, literally a "stumbling stone," is a small brass plaque set into the pavement in front of the last known home or workplace of a person persecuted by Nazi Germany. The project was started by German artist Gunter Demnig and today such stones can be found in thousands of towns across Europe. Each stone carries a name, a birth date, and details of the person's fate — the camp they were deported to and, where known, the place and date of death. The stone for Díaz-Tendero is one of eight in Madrid commemorating Republicans deported to Nazi camps, a group of Holocaust victims that received little public attention in Spain for decades.

Where is it and how do you get there?

The stone is set into a pavement in central Madrid, at a location connected to Díaz-Tendero's life or activities. Because Stolpersteine are small and flush with the ground, they are easy to miss — look down at the pavement rather than at building facades. Central Madrid is easiest to reach by metro or city bus, and the network covers all the neighbourhoods where memorial stones can be found. Viewing the stone itself takes only a moment, so it's worth combining the visit with a longer walk through the surrounding streets.

What should you know before visiting?

A Stolperstein is a memorial, not a conventional tourist attraction. There's no visitor infrastructure, no multilingual information panels, no set route — the stone speaks for itself through a brief inscription. Anyone interested in the history of Spanish Republicans deported to Nazi camps can extend the visit to the other seven stones placed around Madrid, which together form a small memorial trail for Spanish victims of Nazism.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Stolperstein for Eleuterio Díaz-Tendero Merchán? It's a brass memorial stone set into a Madrid pavement, commemorating a Republican army officer deported to Dachau, where he died in 1945.

Why was Eleuterio Díaz-Tendero Merchán deported to a Nazi camp? As a Republican and opponent of Franco, he had to leave Spain after the civil war; when Nazi Germany occupied France, he was captured and sent to a concentration camp.

Are there other memorial stones like this in Madrid? Yes, this stone is one of eight Stolpersteine in Madrid dedicated to Spanish Republicans who died in Nazi concentration camps.

How do you reach the location where the stone is placed? The best way is by metro or bus to central Madrid, followed by a short walk while watching the pavement carefully.