Down by Cherry Creek, there’s a statue in a small park on the south side of the street just before the intersection of Speer and Downing. That statue is a memorial for the Hungarian uprising of 1956, and it stands in the Hungarian Freedom Park.

This monument, which was the first of its kind in North America, commemorates the revolt of the Hungarian people against Soviet oppression. The park itself was once called Arlington Park, and was originally designed by Saco R. DeBoer, who also designed Alamo Placita Park on the other side of Speer.

In 1963, a group of Hungarians, including Janos Benko, formed the Hungarian Club of Colorado. The club believed there should be a memorial to honor the people who were killed during the revolt. Eight club members created a committee to petition the city of Denver. 

As a result, in 1966, Arlington Park was renamed the Hungarian Freedom Park. The Hungarian Club of Colorado then started collecting money for a memorial statue. In 1971, with the help of sculptor Zoltan Popovits and Orr Construction Company, a statue was erected that remains today. 

Visit www.huclub.org for more information on the events or the Hungarian Club of Colorado.

Photos courtesy of Bobby Bemis

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