Stolperstein dedicated to Manuel Nieto Sainz

The Stolperstein dedicated to Manuel Nieto Sainz is a small brass "stumbling stone" set into the pavement in Madrid's Centro district, at Huerta del Bayo 5. It commemorates a resident of this building who died in a Nazi concentration camp during the Second World War.

Who was Manuel Nieto Sainz?

According to Madrid's 1935 municipal census, Manuel Nieto Sainz was an only child living with his parents in this very building on Huerta del Bayo. Like thousands of Spanish Republicans, he went into exile in France after the Spanish Civil War, finding refuge in the town of Angoulême. In August 1940 he was one of 927 Spanish Republicans deported from France to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. He was later transferred to the Gusen subcamp, where he was killed on 4 January 1942.

What does the stone in the pavement mean?

Stolpersteine — literally "stumbling stones" — are part of a Europe-wide memorial project started by German artist Gunter Demnig. Small brass plaques are set into the pavement outside the last known home of a Nazi victim, so passers-by pause for a moment and read a name, a deportation date, and a place of death. In Madrid, these stones recall Spanish Republicans deported to German camps, a lesser-known chapter of the city's history.

How do you get there?

The stone sits right in the heart of Madrid's Centro district, close to Malasaña and Gran Vía, an area well served by metro (stations such as Gran Vía, Callao, or Tribunal) and by buses running through the city centre. Walking is the easiest way in, and it's worth combining the visit with a stroll through the surrounding streets of Centro, where other stolpersteine can be found set into the pavement.

What will you see on site?

This is a very modest memorial: a single brass plaque set among the paving stones, easy to miss if you're not looking for it. The stone for Manuel Nieto Sainz was unveiled on 2 July 2021, as part of a district tribute to Centro residents deported to German concentration camps; on the same day, at the same address, a second stone was unveiled for Juan Antonio García. It's worth stopping for a moment to read the inscription and register that behind the bare dates lies one specific, interrupted life.

When should you visit?

The stone is accessible year-round, day and night, since it's simply part of the pavement rather than a site with opening hours. The most comfortable time to see it is during a daytime walk through Centro, when the street is well lit and the inscription is easy to read.

Frequently asked questions

What is a stolperstein? A brass plaque set into the pavement that commemorates a specific victim of Nazism at the place where they lived before being deported.

Who was Manuel Nieto Sainz? A Madrid resident who went into exile in France after the Spanish Civil War and was deported in 1940 to the Mauthausen-Gusen camp complex, where he died in January 1942.

Is there an entrance fee? No — it's part of the public street and free to see at any time.

Are there other stolpersteine nearby? Yes, several more are set into the pavements of the Centro district, commemorating other Madrid residents deported to German camps, including one for Juan Antonio García at the same address.