Stolperstein dedicated to Valentìn Fouce Llana

The Stolperstein dedicated to Valentín Fouce Llana is set into the pavement of Calle Espronceda 13, in Madrid's Chamberí district. This small brass-topped memory stone marks the home of a man who was deported to a Nazi concentration camp during the Second World War.

What is this monument, and who does it honor?

Stolpersteine — "stumbling stones" — are a Europe-wide project of small memorials: 10x10 cm cobblestones topped with a brass plate, laid into the pavement outside the last freely chosen home of someone persecuted under the Third Reich. In Madrid, the initiative documents residents of the region who were murdered, deported, forced into exile, or driven to suicide by Nazi policy. The stone at Espronceda 13 bears the name of Valentín Fouce Llana.

How do you get there?

The stone lies on the pavement at Calle Espronceda 13, in a quiet residential stretch of Chamberí — a central Madrid district well served by the city's metro and bus network. There are no opening hours, no tickets, and no signage beyond the stone itself; you need the address to find it.

What is known about Valentín Fouce Llana?

According to his family, he lived at Espronceda 13 with his household until 1939, when — as his daughter later recalled — a neighbor "suggested" they leave. He belonged to the wider group of Spanish Republicans who, after the civil war and the outbreak of the Second World War, fell into the hands of Nazi authorities and were deported to a German concentration camp. For decades his story went untold amid the enforced silence of post-war Spain; the Stolperstein project has since brought it back into public memory.

When was the stone laid, and who attended?

The stone at Espronceda 13 was unveiled on 28 April 2023, during a joint ceremony in which six new Stolpersteine were laid across Chamberí — also honoring Gonzalo and Antonio Ortiz Crespo, Fernando Salcedo Rabanaque, Mariano Expósito Garrido, and Karl Frommknecht. Fouce Llana's elderly daughter attended with her family, alongside neighbors and members of the organizations behind the memory project.

What will you see on site?

The plate itself is easy to miss — which is part of the point: passers-by "stumble" visually on a name and a date, pause for a moment, and are reminded of a life once lived there. The stone carries the victim's name and a note of deportation. Elsewhere in this part of Chamberí you can find other Stolpersteine unveiled the same day, turning a short walk through the neighborhood into a brief history lesson.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a grave? No. A Stolperstein is not a burial site — it is a symbolic marker placed at the victim's last known home, not at the place where they died.

Is it free to visit? Yes. The stone sits in public space, on an open pavement, accessible at any time.

Is it worth combining with other stones in Chamberí? Yes — several Stolpersteine have been laid in the district over the years, so a short walk lets you see more than one.

Was the victim's family present at the unveiling? Yes. In April 2023, Valentín Fouce Llana's daughter attended the ceremony together with relatives.