Gloria Victis

In the Early 1960’s several Hungarian groups in the Bay Area got together and decided that there should be some recognition of the 1956 Hungarian Freedom Fight also known as the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. The group led by Andras Rekay of the local Hungarian Freedom Fighters Association felt that there should be a statue erected in San Francisco.  They decided on a contest for the design of the statue.  The contest was won by local sculptor Olga Rozsa.

The groups set about raising money and were finally able to have the statue completed.  Finding a place for the statue was another challenge. The city felt it had enough statues in Golden Gate Park and other San Francisco locations.

California’s Hungarian - American Assemblyman Ernie Konnyu teamed up with fellow Assemblyman Willie Brown of San Francisco and found a place for the statue in the courtyard of the California State Building  on Van Ness Ave. in  San Francisco.

Each year in late October,  Hungarians gather at the Statue and lay a wreath at the foot of the statue to honor the children and patriots who died in an incredible fight against Soviet domination with muskets and molotov cocktails against Soviet tanks and Mig jets!

Almost every year a poem titled Gloria Victis written by Canadian, Dr. Watson Kirkconnell  is read by the Honorable Ernie Konnyu. The statue on the pedestal below is a small copy of the 12+ foot high statue in the courtyard of the California State building.