Stolperstein dedicated to Fernando Salcedo Rabanaque

The Stolperstein dedicated to Fernando Salcedo Rabanaque is one of the small "stumbling stones" set into the pavement of the Chamberí district in Madrid. The brass plaque commemorates a Madrid resident deported by the Nazi regime during the Second World War, who died in the Gusen concentration camp (a subcamp of Mauthausen in Austria) on 31 December 1942, at the age of 25.

What is a Stolperstein?

Stolpersteine ("stumbling stones") are part of a Europe-wide memorial project started in 1997 by German artist Gunter Demnig. Each stone is a 10x10x10 cm concrete cube topped with a brass plate engraved with the victim's name and the key dates of their life. The stones are laid into the pavement outside the victim's last known home, so that passers-by literally stumble upon the name and the memory. Across Europe, more than 100,000 stones have been laid, mainly for Holocaust victims but also for other groups persecuted under the Third Reich.

Madrid joined the project in 2019, using it to honour Spanish residents deported to Nazi concentration camps — often Republicans who went into exile in France after the Spanish Civil War and were captured by German forces following the 1940 invasion of France.

Who was Fernando Salcedo Rabanaque?

Fernando Salcedo Rabanaque was from Madrid. He was caught up in the Nazi concentration camp system and deported to Gusen, one of the deadliest subcamps of the Mauthausen complex, notorious for its quarry labour and extremely high mortality rate. He died there on 31 December 1942, at the age of 25. His memorial stone is one of six laid on 28 April 2023 in the Chamberí district, alongside plaques for Gonzalo Ortiz Crespo, Antonio Ortiz Crespo, Valentín Fouce Llana, Mariano Expósito Garrido and Karl Frommknecht.

How to get there

The stone lies in the Chamberí district, in the area around Calle Espronceda and Calle Viriato, in central Madrid. The nearest metro stations are Alonso Cano and Iglesia (Line 1), both a short walk from the site. The neighbourhood is also well served by several EMT bus routes.

What will you see?

It is a discreet but striking piece of urban memory — a small brass plate set flush into the paving stones, easy to miss unless you know where to look. Several other stones laid on the same day for other victims are nearby, so it's possible to visit multiple memorials during a short walk through Chamberí.

When to visit

The stone sits in a public street and is accessible at any time, year-round. Daytime is best, since natural light makes it easier to read the engraved text on the plaque.

Frequently asked questions

How is a Stolperstein different from a monument? A Stolperstein is not a monumental memorial but a small, grassroots gesture of remembrance — a brass plate set into the pavement at the exact spot where the victim last lived, making the memory part of everyday city life rather than a separate site to visit.

Is there an entry fee? No. The stone is located on a public street and can be viewed freely at any time, with no admission charge.

Are there other Stolpersteine in Madrid? Yes. Since 2019, several dozen have been laid across the city, with a concentration in districts such as Chamberí, commemorating Madrid residents deported to Nazi camps.

Is it worth combining the visit with other memorial sites? Yes — other stones laid on the same day are located nearby, allowing visitors to learn about several victims connected to this part of Madrid in a single short walk.