There is a buried secret in Vall de Gallinera, in the village of Llombai, Alicante on the Costa Blanca, where almost all the side streets have fallen into ruin.
Only one house has been restored, and a few others still have neighbours, but the town was mostly abandoned decades ago.
In the late 1940s, a man named Stefan Gregor arrived in Llombai, sparking curiosity in the area. Now known as Don Estéfano, he was a strange character. He liked to take over other people’s gardens and, for some unknown reason, buried his car in a farmyard.
He was the only resident of Llombai. It seems Stefan was trying to escape a dark past filled with swastikas, raised arms, and maybe even death he had caused. Perhaps he wanted to make amends or, more likely, he was running from those chasing him for justice.
Some say he was a war criminal. According to Spiegel magazine, Gregor was Austrian and may have been in charge of a crematorium at a Nazi concentration camp. But no one has been able to confirm this. His strange behaviour, though, suggests there could be some truth to it.
While living in Llombai, he built a house on top of the rocky Penya Grossa watchtower, near the ruins of Benissili Castle. It was a perfect spot to watch the roads and warn off anyone trying to arrest him; a few attempts had already failed.
People say his belongings were carried up to this small home, which is now a refuge for hikers.
Known locally as “The Nazi of Llombai,” Stefan died quietly, but his story didn’t end there. When his house was searched, strange symbols and a manuscript mentioning “Kremlin” and “Rasputin” were found.
