Several significant monuments in New York City are related to waves of Hungarian immigration taking place during the 20th century. The Hungarian diaspora brought the catastrophic events in Europe directly to the doorstep of the city. Their roots remain today.
The arrival in New York City in 1851 of the Hungarian regent Lajos Kossuth had all the drama of a megastar’s appearance. In a nationwide speaking tour to raise funds for the anti-Habsburg government he planned to form in Hungary. his fiery speeches inspired monuments and towns named in his honor across the US.
It was not until 1928 that a monument to Lajos Kossuth was erected in New York City. Located at Riverside Drive and West 113th St., the classic statuary group, was installed with great public fanfare, sponsored by a prominent Hungarian immigrant organization.
In 2014, at the same site, a memorial was dedicated to the heroes of the 1956 Hungarian uprising against Soviet occupation. Years in the planning, the placement of the granite bench and sculpture medallion just adjacent to the Kossuth monument was challenged by Hungarians seeking a more appropriate location for this significant memorial.
Another monument with direct ties to Hungary is one that honors Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg. Considered to be of heroic status today, Wallenberg personally saved the lives of thousands of Hungarian Jews in Budapest during the Holocaust. A group of international humanitarians and public officials attended the dedication in 1998. One of several memorials to Wallenberg in the New York area, the abstract sculpture is located at First Avenue and 47th St, across from the United Nations.
Public expression of pride of origin and memory are essential elements in adaptation to a different cultural environment.
About the presenterJoyce Corbett
Joyce Corbett is an independent scholar specializing in art history and popular culture of Central Europe. She has curated exhibitions on folk art of Hungary, Slovakia and Romania, and on major 20th century Hungarian artists. She was a Fulbright Research Scholar.