Lajos Kossuth statue 120th anniversary
University Circle - Cleveland Ohio September 17, 2022
Lajos Kossuth (1802-1894) was a Hungarian nobleman, lawyer, journalist, politician, statesman and governor-president of the Kingdom of Hungary during the revolution of 1848-1849.
Statue of Lajos Kossuth in Cleveland
According to Wikipedia, "With the help of his talent in oratory in political debates and public speeches, Kossuth emerged from a poor gentry family into regent-president of the Kingdom of Hungary. As the influential contemporary American journalist Horace Greeley said of Kossuth: "Among the orators, patriots, statesmen, exiles, he has, living or dead, no superior."
He was widely honored during his lifetime, including in Great Britain and the United States, as a freedom fighter and bellwether of democracy in Europe.
Formed in 1902, the United Hungarian Societies (UHS) serves as an umbrella organization that unites the Greater Cleveland area Hungarian-American organizations and works to represent their interests, and in so doing, seeks to preserve, cultivate, develop and disseminate Hungarian culture.
In 1902 the 23 groups in UHS gathered to dedicate a statue in honor of Hungarian statesman Lajos Kossuth on the occasion of his 100th birthday and 50th anniversary of his visit to Cleveland Ohio. 60,000 people gathered for the statue unveiling.
120 years later there are again 23 organizations in the UHS and members gathered to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the Kossuth statue.
The program began with MC Ann Walter who introduced UHS president Dr. Endre Szentkiralyi who spoke in both Hungarian and English. Dr. Szentkiralyi said the statue is more about a community and their shared values than about a single man.
NOTE: All the images below with a white arrow in the middle are videos. (The other images are just photos) You can click on the white arrow to watch the video of whatever is described. Make sure your speakers are on and you can make the video full screen once it begins by clicking the icon in the lower right corner.
Ann Walter, MC for the ceremony
Dr. Endre Szentkiralyi
Next, Dr. John Grabowski told about the visit of Kossuth to Cleveland - how he was like a modern rock star and how the immigrant communities came to Cleveland.
John Grabowski
At the 1902 unveiling there were 6 veterans of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution who stood guard at the statue and removed the shroud to unveil it. One was Anton Deininger. His great great grandson and US Air Force Veteran Kevin Deininger spoke at the 120th anniversary event.
Kevin Deininger
Then, 2 members of the Hungarian Scout Folk Ensemble sang a folk song from the time of Kossuth and did a dance from a village in Transylvania.
Hungarian Scout Folk Ensemble singer
Hungarian Scout Folk Ensemble dancers
This was followed by remarks from Mr. Mate Hollos who came in from Budapest for the event. Mr. Hollos is the great grandson of the sculptor.
Mr. Mate Hollos Great grandson of Kossuth statue sculptor
The celebration continued with a gala banquet at the First Hungarian Reformed Church in Walton Hills.
Enjoy these other images from the celebration.
Endre Szentkiralyi and Mate Hollos - Lel Somogyi photo
