Counter-Memories of the Spanish Civil War: Vandalism of Bilbao's Iron Belt Fortified Line (Basque Country).

This article examines the widespread vandalism affecting Bilbao's Iron Belt, a fortified defensive line from the Spanish Civil War located in the Basque Country, highlighting how such acts reflect contested political narratives and socio-cultural contexts. Through interdisciplinary fieldwork and geospatial analysis of three key sectors—Punta Lucero (Zierbena), Gaztelumendi (Larrabetzu), and Mendibe-Areneburu (Berango/Sopela)—the study documents various forms of vandalism including graffiti, rubbish dumping, and archaeological looting. While much graffiti is non-political, certain sites exhibit ideologically charged markings linked to local historical and political identities, such as communist and anarchist symbols in Zierbena and ETA-related imagery in Larrabetzu. The article discusses the complex role of graffiti as both potential acts of political expression and forms of damnatio memoriae, raising questions about their preservation amid evolving heritage policies and social values.