Editing Condor Legion (section)

==Commemoration and re-evaluation==
[[File:Legioncondormemorial.JPG|thumb|alt=White memorial, in German and Spanish|Condor Legion memorial in Madrid's Cementerio de la Almudena in 2008]]
Shame about the activities of the Condor Legion and its involvement in the bombing of Guernica have re-surfaced in Germany since its 1990s reunification. In 1997, the 60th anniversary of Operation Rügen, German President [[Roman Herzog]] wrote an apology on behalf of the German people and state to survivors of the raid. Herzog said that he wanted to extend "a hand of friendship and reconciliation" on behalf of all German citizens.<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2000/STYLE/arts/04/25/guernica.anniversary.ap/index.html ''Exhibit recalls German destruction of Spanish town of Guernica''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210141106/http://archives.cnn.com/2000/STYLE/arts/04/25/guernica.anniversary.ap/index.html |date=February 10, 2007}} CNN April 25, 2000.</ref> The sentiment was echoed by members of the German Parliament who, in 1998, legislated the removal of all former Legion members' names from German military bases. The issue surfaced again in 2005 after media reports about the role of pilot [[Werner Mölders]], who had volunteered to serve in Spain. Although he was not involved in the bombing of Guernica, it was decided by German Defence Minister [[Peter Struck (politician)|Peter Struck]] that Mölders' name would be removed from the barracks at [[Visselhoevede]] and from association with Luftwaffe Fighter Wing 74 ([[Jagdgeschwader 74]]) based in [[Neuburg an der Donau]]. Until then, it had not been established that Mölders had flown as a Condor Legion volunteer before his death in 1941.<ref>[http://www.dw-world.de/dw/briefs/0,1574,1472100,00.html ''Germany Army Drops Name of Nazi Pilot''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090506080116/http://www.dw-world.de/dw/briefs/0,1574,1472100,00.html |date=2009-05-06 }} dewelle.de January 28, 2005.</ref>

On 26 April 2017, the 80th anniversary of the Guernica bombing, the Madrid City Council announced that it had dismantled the Condor Legion [[mausoleum]] at the [[Cementerio de la Almudena]]. The mausoleum's facade, removed at the request of the German embassy in Madrid, would be replaced with name plaques for the seven soldiers entombed there.<ref>{{cite web
 | url =https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/26/guernica-massacre-madrid-removes-facade-that-glorified-nazi-role
 | title =Guernica massacre: Madrid removes facade that glorified Nazi role
 | last =Jones
 | first =Sam
 | date =26 April 2017
 | work =The Guardian
 | access-date =26 April 2017
 }}</ref>