Thursday December 4th 2014, Benefit for renovation of anarchist local Magdalena in Madrid, Live music with Almudena y Davide, Volkseten Vegazulu, 7pm
7pm, vegan dinner – 9pm, short documantary: “Anarchism in Madrid” 2013, 15 minutes with a short talk about the anarchist local Magdalena – 9:30pm Live music with “Almudena y Davide” voice and guitar, Revolting folk songs from Spain and latin america.
The anarchist space Magdalena is an anarchist project that has existed for years in the center of Madrid. Their objective always has had two focuses: To be a meeting point for information for people interested on critical theory and fight experience; and also serve as infrastructure for Anarchist Movement.
During the year 2003, the library was born. Following the library, the bookstore, video library, archive and many more ideas were also born. From then on, they have organized a lot of political activities: meetings, speeches, films, debates, workshops etc. Actually, there are ten different groups meeting in the space, two editorials storage spaces, there is a small radio studio, one room for propaganda and they are finishing with cataloging the archives.
Since the 1970’s until October 2014, the space was rented for very little. However, the contract is finished and Magdalena had to abandon the local and re-think their project in a new space. This change means bigger economical effort and this is the motive for which Magdalena is asking for economic support for the very first time, to continue with the project and cover the costs.
The new Magdalena will open on December 2014. The relocation means a new period for them, and abandoning the second floor in the old building to move into the heart of Lavapiés, neighborhood epicenter of social and political fights in Madrid, this time finally, at ground level.
What best place to continue conspiring.
The history of the Anarchist space Magdalena originated in the 1970’s when the CNT (already allowed) was able to rent the space for very little. After CNT left (keeping the contract) different groups, such as Mujeres Libres and book’s distributor as Klinamen moved into the space for a period of time, as autonomous groups, only meeting as assembly to talk about the use of the space.
In 2002-03, the situation in Madrid became complicated. Lucha Autónoma stopped to be reference for social and political fights, and the insurrectionist speech brought with it a strong repression and many arrests. During this downward slope, Magdalena was born with the illusion to be a visible and stable project where the anarchist people could be involved.
With the time, the situation in the space also continued changing and some groups disappeared while others took their place. In 2003 the Library was born, in 2006 the bookstore, the video library, the archive…
Although the change began to be more notable, every group kept their autonomy and they only shared the general assembly to talk about the space.
Later it was decided to combine all the ideas into the same political project where the library, bookstore, video library, archive and every activity were in the same assembly with the focus to be information point and meeting place and to serve as infrastructure for the anarchist movement.
However, the passing time brought with it inertia. To fight against this, Magdalena organized new speeches and debates into the local, which were announced on folded two papers called Boletín del Local. They also focused more on producing propaganda creating a space for it.
In that time the local was re-organized. They created one space for assemblies and meetings which was also used by other groups such as Asamblea del Encuentro del Libro Anarquista, Asamblea contra los Centros de Menores, Todo por hacer, Radio Cabezas de Tormenta etc. These groups were enriching the space and provoking the activity of the “compañer@s” (multiplying their participation in different assemblies) contacting like that, with the life outside of the local.
This opening revealed other realities. Also the Movement of May 15th in 2011 and the appearance of the neighborhood assemblies brought with it a direct contact with Lavapies, borrowed them the space for their assembly as a result. All theses changes, as well as all the responsibilities and compromises of everyone, provoked less implication from the people, who lost their illusion in the old and benefiting from the new.
However, this delusion is already past and Magdalena is strong again and ready to continue disturbing even more and open their new project on December.
Help them to keep their fight. http://www.localanarquistamagdalena.org/
Volkseten Vegazulu is a people’s kitchen, every monday and thursday, 19:00 PM, vegan food for 4€ or donation. All benefits go for social & political struggles. No reservation.
We’re always looking for cooks. Any help is welcome in the kitchen. Experience not required. Enjoying it is a must. If you want to know which days are still available in the schedule, send an email to joe [at] squat [dot] net and book yourself the night. You can, of course, also participate by rolling up your sleeves and doing the dishes.
