20 Years On. A Walk Through the Memorialisation of the 11M Attacks

The 11 March 2004 attacks in Madrid (11M) constituted a moment that would mark the political and social dynamics of collective remembrance in contemporary Spain. These processes of commemoration of traumatic events are inherently complex. They intertwine intimate and collective mourning experiences that are not straightforward practices. Added to this equation is the difficulty of managing these practices for institutions. The immediate aftermath of the 11M attacks was characterised by expressions of solidarity and mutual support. Yet, an impending general election and the complex pre-existing political landscape fostered controversy, and the institutions’ handling of both the aftermath and the subsequent memorialisation has been fraught with difficulty. This is made visible through a closer look at the sites of memory that commemorate the victims of the attack in the Spanish capital.