Hungarian Freedom Fighter

The monumental “Freedom Fighter” memorial, standing in Atlanta’s Millennium Gate Park—2.7 meters tall and weighing fifteen metric tons—is carved from solid gray granite sourced from the state of Georgia and symbolizes the Hungarian nation’s unwavering desire for freedom and the eternal memory of its heroes. Created by sculptor Stan Mullins, it is the first public monument in the United States to honor the participants of the 1956 Revolution and War of Independence in the form of a female figure. The sculpture was inspired directly by Erika Szeles, who died a martyr’s death at the age of just 15, and by other girls and boys from Budapest like her, who were forced to grow up suddenly due to the horrors of war. This dramatic contrast is also reflected in the composition, where the artist has clad the fragile female figure in a deliberately oversized military coat, signifying that although the body is small, the passion for freedom is immense. The figure’s body is enveloped by the most important symbol of the revolution—a tattered Hungarian flag proclaiming the fall of communist oppression—while her determined expression, gazing into the future, and her proud posture convey hope and unwavering resistance to future generations. The monumental granite sculpture was unveiled on the 66th anniversary of the revolution, October 23, 2022, in the presence of some 250 invited guests, among whom fifteen former freedom fighters from ’56 and their family members were greeted with special honor. In the most moving and symbolic moment of the event, the elderly survivors themselves pulled back the veil.

The project’s financial backing was provided by a broad-based national and international collaboration, with a total budget exceeding 150,000 dollars. To launch the initiative, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Hungarian Embassy in Washington provided an initial government grant of $10,000. This amount was supplemented by significant donations from foundations and private individuals; among the largest donors were the Charles and Catherine B. Rice Foundation, the Hungary Foundation, and the Lauer family. The project’s success was also aided by an extremely successful community fundraising campaign, in which more than fifty individuals and local diaspora organizations—such as the Atlanta Hungarian Meetup and the Hungarian American Cultural Association—provided financial support, in many cases creating a lasting memorial to their own ancestors who fled to America in 1956.