Hungarian Park

Located in the city of Erie, in northwestern Pennsylvania on the shores of Lake Erie, Hungarian Park is one of the most symbolic historical memorial sites of the Hungarian diaspora in the United States; it was created specifically to honor the 1956 Revolution and War of Independence and to commemorate the freedom fighters. The well-maintained, small, triangular park is situated at the intersection of West 38th Street and Glenwood Park Avenue, serving as a reminder to local residents and visitors alike of the Hungarian people’s desire for freedom. The memorial was originally dedicated on March 13, 1994, at the initiative of a local organization called the Sons and Daughters of Hungary. Ferenc Juhász (Frank Juhasz), a member of the American Hungarian Federation, played a key role in the park’s creation and in bringing the community together. He himself arrived in the city as a refugee from the 1956 uprising and sought to honor his former comrades-in-arms, the “Pest boys,” with this memorial.

Ferenc Juhász continues to care for and maintain Hungarian Park to this day. The monument was relocated to its current site in later years, and then, in 2006—on the 50th anniversary of the revolution—its surroundings were completely renovated, landscaped, and surrounded by evergreen shrubs. The centerpiece of the park is a majestic, massive block of granite, into which the iconic symbol of the revolution—a Hungarian flag with a hole cut out in the center—has been carved, alluding to how the freedom fighters removed the hated Soviet coat of arms from the national flag.

Hungary 1956 // “God Bless the Hungarians”