Monument to the Victims of the Holocaust (Madrid)
Monumento a las víctimas del Holocausto | |
 | |
| 40°27′50″N 3°36′21″W / 40.46389°N 3.60583°W | |
| Location | Juan Carlos I Park, Madrid, Spain |
|---|---|
| Designer | Samuel Nahon Bengio (sculptor) Alberto Stisin (architect) |
| Material | steel and wood railroad ties |
| Height | 10 meters |
| Completion date | 2007 |
| Dedicated date | March 12, 2007 |
| Dedicated to | Victims of the Holocaust |
The Monument to the Victims of the Holocaust (Spanish: Monumento a las víctimas del Holocausto) is a monument in Madrid, Spain, in memory of the victims of the Holocaust during World War II. It is located in the Three Cultures Garden (Spanish: Jardín de las Tres Culturas) in Juan Carlos I Park, Madrid, Spain. At the time of its inauguration in 2007, the monument was the first Holocaust memorial in Spain.
History
On December 15, 2004, Spain established January 27 as the Day for the Remembrance of the Holocaust and the Prevention of Crimes (Spanish: Día Oficial de la Memoria del Holocausto y la Prevención de los Crímenes contra la Humanidad) after a United Nations resolution instituted International Holocaust Remembrance Day.[1] In 2005, Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero visited the Mauthausen concentration camp on the 60th anniversary of its liberation. Mauthausen held thousands of Spanish political prisoners who opposed the Franco regime. Zapatero was the first prime minister to visit a concentration camp.[2]
On April 28, 2005, the Madrid City Council unanimously approved the establishment of a Holocaust memorial.[2] Per an agreement between the Madrid City Council and the Jewish community of Madrid (CJM), the Jewish community bore the 53,600 euro construction cost as a donation to the city.[3]
It was dedicated by Mayor of Madrid Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón on March 12, 2007.[4] At the time of its inauguration, the monument was the first Holocaust memorial in Spain.[4] In 2017, the northwest town of Oviedo became the second city in Spain with a Holocaust memorial.[5]
Description
The monument is placed in the Three Cultures Garden (Spanish: Jardín de las Tres Culturas) in Madrid's Juan Carlos I Park. The garden symbolizes the coexistence of Christians, Muslims, and Jews.[4]
Forty-four columns of steel and wooden railroad ties form a Star of David, with the center column situated on a platform and standing 10 meters high.[2] The railroad ties are nailed upright, directly into the ground, to simulate tombstones in a cemetery.[6]
On one side of the platform is a sculpture made of wooden railroad ties of a father holding his son in his arms. On a pathway leading to the platform is a commemorative bronze plaque with the following inscription:[6]
| Spanish[6] | English |
|---|---|
Monumento en recuerdo a las |
Monument in remembrance to the |
See also
References
- ^ "Order AEC/4150/2004". Official State Gazette of Spain. State Agency of Official State Gazette. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ a b c "Memorial for the victims of the Holocaust". Information Portal to European Sites of Remembrance. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "El Monumento a las Víctimas del Holocausto, de 10 metros y cuatro toneladas, será inaugurado el día 15 en Madrid". Europa Press. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ a b c "Madrid rinde homenaje a las víctimas del holocausto judío". Madrid City Council website. Madrid City Council. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ Castellano, Jorge (2021-11-17). "Holocaust memorial in Spain defaced by vandals". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ a b c "A las victimas del Holocausto" (PDF). Patriomonio Cultural y Paisaje Urbano. Community of Madrid. Retrieved 13 March 2023.