Stolperstein dedicated to José Bello Sánchez

The Stolperstein dedicated to José Bello Sánchez is a small brass memorial plaque set into the pavement on Calle Ponzano in Madrid, commemorating one of the city's residents deported to a Nazi concentration camp.

What is a Stolperstein?

Stolpersteine, or "stumbling stones", are part of a Europe-wide memorial project started in 1997 by German artist Gunter Demnig. Each stone is a small brass-topped cobblestone set into the sidewalk in front of the last freely chosen home of a victim of Nazi persecution. Rather than concentrating remembrance in a single monument, the stones are scattered across the city, returning history to the exact place where it happened — an ordinary stretch of pavement people walk over every day. Madrid unveiled its first stones in April 2019, and one of them honours José Bello Sánchez.

Who was José Bello Sánchez?

José Bello Sánchez was born on 9 September 1915 in Madrid. Like hundreds of thousands of Spanish Republicans, he left the country after the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939 and crossed into France. During the Second World War he was captured by German forces and held as a prisoner of war at Stalag XI-B in Fallingbostel. In 1940 he was deported to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, where he was registered as prisoner number 4301. Spanish Republicans formed one of the largest foreign groups held at Mauthausen — many of them, like Bello Sánchez, had first been interned in France before their deportation to the camp.

Where is the stone and how do you find it?

The stone is set into the pavement at Calle Ponzano 44, in the Chamberí district — one of Madrid's more elegant and lively neighbourhoods, today known for its bars and small restaurants. This was the address where José Bello Sánchez lived before leaving Spain. It is one of more than 450 Stolpersteine scattered across different districts of Madrid, each commemorating a resident deported to a Nazi camp.

What will you actually see?

The stone itself is small, roughly the size of a single cobblestone, topped with a brass plate set flush into the pavement surface. It is engraved with the victim's name, year of birth, deportation details, the name of the concentration camp, and — where known — the person's later fate. It is easy to walk straight past; you have to look down at your feet to notice it, which is precisely the point of this quiet, unassuming form of memorial.

When was the stone unveiled?

The stone for José Bello Sánchez was unveiled on 26 April 2019, during the ceremony marking the installation of Madrid's first Stolpersteine. His great-grandson attended the event, giving the ceremony a personal, family dimension.

Frequently asked questions

Are Stolpersteine traditional monuments? No — they are modest brass plaques set flush into the pavement, easy to miss from a distance. Their power comes from being scattered across the city and tied to one specific address and one specific person.

Who is behind the memorial stone project? The project has been run since 1997 by German artist Gunter Demnig. It now includes tens of thousands of stones across many European countries; Madrid's first stones appeared in 2019.

Is it worth planning a dedicated trip to see this stone? This is a memorial site rather than a conventional tourist attraction — it's worth a short stop while walking through Chamberí, particularly if you're interested in 20th-century history and the fate of Spanish Republicans.

Are there other similar stones in Madrid? Yes, the city has more than 450 Stolpersteine spread across different neighbourhoods, each one dedicated to a different victim of Nazi persecution.