Do you see that modest miniature memorial? It is made of red bricks and cement. It resembles the original Carabanchel prison. This is the Réplica de la Antigua Cárcel de Carabanchel Sculpture.
The Carabanchel Prison was once Europe’s biggest and most notorious prison. It stood until its closure in 1998. General Franco oversaw its construction. From 1940 to 1944 prisoners built the prison themselves. They dared not lay a brick loosely. They could not leave a screw untightened. The prison was a star-shaped fortress. Nobody could escape.
During its 55 years, thousands of inmates entered. Few walked out. Torture abuse and accidental deaths occurred. There were numerous executions. Political prisoners faced a rough ride. Trade unionists terrorists and homosexuals suffered greatly. It was an awful place that still haunts Spain.
In 1998, about 2000 men and 500 women were detained. They were moved to other prisons. The building was looted. Railings doors and scrap metal disappeared. For ten years, the Carabanchel Prison stood abandoned. Forgotten groups moved in. Drug addicts and the poverty-stricken sought shelter. Unwanted immigrants and ex-offenders made cells their homes. Many artists also resided here. The walls held untold stories. They became a canvas for something new. Carabanchel Prison became a city of misfits.
Spain is notorious for burying its dark past. This is called the pact of silence. After Franco’s death, those in power ordered scars to be plastered over. Records were wiped. Voices were silenced. But the Carabanchel Prison remained. It was a colossal reminder of the country’s past. It stood until 2008.
Local residents and historians fought for its preservation. They wanted the central dome saved. They wanted it converted into a theater or library. This would preserve a part of Spain’s infamous prison.
In 2008 demolition began. People were horrified. The entire building was torn down. Only the former entrance remains. It stands on the northwest corner of the site. It is directly opposite Madrid’s immigrant detention center. The demolition was to make way for new houses. A school a theater and a library were planned. But the site remains a vast empty wasteland. Protesters still gather to express outrage. The demolition of Carabanchel Prison was poorly thought-out.
Even if the prison walls could speak they are now gone. One story remains documented by C. Michael Bennit. He was a falsely imprisoned American. He met Pablo the barber. Pablo killed a man who had violated his sweetheart. He slit the man’s throat in his barbershop.
Bennit served unjust time in Carabanchel Prison in 1964. He never knew why he was there. Yet it was an experience he did not regret.
This Réplica de la Antigua Cárcel de Carabanchel Sculpture serves as a physical connection to the past. It helps preserve memories. It allows us to hear the voices of those who can no longer speak. This matters. It helps keep us from making the same mistakes again.