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History
Historians consider the period of the 1848 revolutions the Spring of Europe that accelerated the inevitable process of bourgeois development. Their commemoration though has been impeded for decades by the dictatorships that followed the suppression of the revolutions.
Therefore, statues dedicated to the idea of liberty, to the memory of the revolutions and their heroes began to emerge only in the 1870-1880s in plazas all over Europe. We can admire the impressive series of these monuments in Italy, Germany, Hungary, Poland, or in the Romania born out of the unification of the Principalities. These statues, dedicated to the leaders of the revolutions like: Garibaldi, Mickiewicz, Kossuth, Bălcescu, were erected in the spirit of respect for historical traditions from public donations.
The Statue of Liberty in Arad has found its place among these European monuments.
The monumental statuary composition commemorates the thirteen martyrs executed in the Castle of Arad in a way that it becomes unequivocally the allegory of liberty and social progress.
The bas-relief portraits of the thirteen executed generals are placed on the lower part of the pedestal. Above the bas-reliefs the sculptor modeled four allegorical scenes: the statues of the wakening of Liberty, the Fighting Spirit, the Devotion for Sacrifice and the Dying Soldier. Above all, on the top of a square column rises Liberty, incarnated by the figure of a woman who holds the pieces of a shattered chain. The sculptor used the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor as model for this figure.
Zala György (1858-1937), a sculptor of European rank, has completed the statue in Arad. The grand work comparable only to the statue of Mathias Rex by Fadrusz János in Transylvania is of universal value among the sculptures of its epoch. The statue's value is also underlined by the fact that its already finished pieces were transported in 1886 by and at the expense of the Belgian government to Bruxelles where they were exposed in the world pavilion and obtained “honorable mention ”.
The Statue - Art
The Statue of Liberty in Arad, the work of Zala György, was created in the style of late historism. According to the taste of the epoch several statues in Europe bear this style. We mention the Maria Thereza statuary group in Bratislava (See Picture No. 2), Schlüter András's work of Berlin's elector grand duke (Berlin, See Picture No. 3), Tilgner's Mozart statue in Vienna, Zumbusch's Maria Thereza statuary group in Vienna , Fadrusz János's Mathias Rex in Cluj, the relief entitled The Revolt of the volunteers, the statue of Dalou Alphand and so on. The documents referring to the order and erection of the statue show clearly that the expenses were covered entirely from private donations and the Hungarian state of that time made no contribution at all. The proposal to erect a statue in the memory of the thirteen martyrs was first launched by editor Tiszti Lajos in No. 138 of the “Alföld” newspaper of Arad on June 15, 1867. A committee led by Mayor Aczél Péter, elaborated a long-range plan and initiated a collection for the statue. The list of donors includes Hungarian, Romanian, Serbian and Jewish citizens of the city of Arad and of Arad County. In his Memoirs (published in Arad in 1929), Barabás Béla presents the history of the statue and enumerates the names of several Romanian donors: Iosif Maniu, the
Romanian prefect of Maramures County, Gabriela Ionescu, the wife of the Romanian chief town-clerk of Arad County, Aurel Popovici, Romanian lawyer of Arad, and so an. The explanation of these public donations animated by a devotion unrestrained by sex, age, religion and ethnic belonging is that all the citizens of the city of Arad and of Arad County considered the executed men their own martyrs. They were martyrs who fought for the liberty of all nations. By the way: the majority of the 13 field-officers (more exactly 9!) executed in Arad on October 6, 1849 were not of Hungarian descent or ethnic Hungarians. They joined the Hungarian revolutionary army voluntarily, animated by the idea of liberty likewise Joseph Bem, the Polish general of the English Richard Guyon; Karel Knezic was Croatian, Ernst von Poeltenberg Austrian, Kiss Ernő and Lázár Vilmos Armenians, Ioachim Damjanic Serbian, while Georg Lahner, Joseph Schweudel, Karl Leiningen von Westerburg and Ludwig Aulich were the descendants of German families. Only Török Ignác, Nagysándor József, Vécsey Károly and Desewffy Arisztid (barely 4!) were of Hungarian origin.
Public personalities and eminent
Romanian intellectuals generously contributed to the expenses of the statue that
immortalized the memory of the martyrs as we have already mentioned. The
explanation of this noble gesture consists in the fact that none of the
13 field-officers executed in
Arad has ever fought against the
Romanians, against the Romanian nation.
Sacrificing themselves for common ideals, they are not the heroes of a single nation, but the martyrs of “universal freedom” as the poet Petőfi Sándor said.
The statue was unveiled on October 6, 1890 and stood in the center of Arad until 1923, when it was dismantled. Its pieces were first deposited at the riding-hall, then in the Castle of Arad. The initiative of its reconstruction was first formulated in 1949. The mayor of that time agreed, but somebody from “spirit of class struggle” insisted: “we have nothing in common with the generals”. The frightened mayor postponed decision-making. Though deputy mayor Kővágó Lajos obtained the agreement of the central authorities from Bucharest, the reconstruction was still not carried out. In 1955, the reconstruction was decided and included in an agreement between the governments of Romania and Hungary. Work was already in progress, when due to the political situation created after the suppression of the 1956 Hungarian revolution, the problem of the statue was again removed from the agenda.
Almost all the stones of the pedestal and the bas-reliefs of the thirteen generals remained intact, but the bronze personalities of the statue need restoration.
The re-erection of the work of art in a public square in Arad would bear a symbolic value concerning the normalization of the Romanian-Hungarian relations and a sign of respect for the historical past and common traditions.
The Thirteen Martyrs of Arad
Ludwig AULICH
(1793-1849)
Born to a German merchant family, he never knew the Hungarian language. In the spring of 1848, after 35 years of Austrian service, he becomes the colonel of the Hungarian army. He is promoted to the rank of general in recognition of his merits in the battles of the Northern regions. On July 14, 1849, he is entrusted with the ministerial service of the army.
He is executed by hanging on October 6, 1849.
Ioachim DAMJANICH
(1804-1849)
He is the descendant of a Serbian noble family. Until 1847 he serves as a lieutenant in Arad. Beginning with the summer of 1848, he enters the services of the revolutionary government as a captain. He instructs the national guards in Szeged, then he evidences himself in the fights of the Southern region. Beginning with October he becomes a lieutenant-colonel, then a colonel. On January 16, 1849, he becomes the commander of the Southern territories in the quality of general. During the spring campaign he re-conquers the city of Szolnok. On July 11 Kossuth appoints him the commander of the castle of Arad. He gives the castle to the Russians.
He is executed by hanging on October 6, 1849.
Arisztid DESSEWFFY
(1802-1849)
Born in Csákány, Abaúj County, he chooses the military career at sixteen. In 1839 he leaves the Imperial Army. In August 1848, he returns in the army as major. In the winter of 1848-1849, he makes himself remarked in several battles in the upper territories and is promoted to colonel. During the spring campaign, he is the commander of the cavalry of the 1 Army Corps (Tápióbicske, Vác). After the occupation of Buda, he is awarded the rank of general. He continues his service in the North of Hungary, then he proceeds towards Timisoara. After the defeat of Timisoara, he surrenders to von Liechtenstein on August 19, 1849.
He is executed by bullet on October 6, 1849.
Ernő KISS (1799-1849)
He was born in Timisoara, as a descendant of a rich big landowner family. His ancestors are of Armenian origin. In the spring of 1848, he is colonel in the revolutionary army. After distinguishing himself in the battle of Pákozd, he is made general. Beginning with the spring of 1848, he is assigned in the service of the government.
He is executed by bullet on October 6, 1849.
Karel KNEZIC
(1808-1849)
Being of Croatian nationality, he is captain in the Austrian army until the 1848 revolution. He distinguishes himself in several battles during the spring campaign and is promoted to general. In 1849, his division ensures the road for Görgey's army along the Tisza.
He is executed by hanging on October 6, 1849.
Georg LAHNER
(1795-1849)
Born in Necpál, Turóc County, to a German bourgeois family, serves in the Imperial Army beginning with 1812. In April 1848, he serves as major and reaches the River Drava with his troops. Beginning with the autumn of 1848, he controls the manufacturing of ammunition and arms. In February 1849 he is promoted to general. He accompanies the revolutionary government to Arad too and approves Görgey's plan to surrender.
He is executed by hanging on October 6, 1849.
Vilmos LÁZÁR
(1815-1849)
Born in Nagybecskerek (Zrenjanin) to an Armenian family, studied in Timisoara. Until 1844 he is lieutenant in the Imperial Army. In the spring of 1848, he enrolls again in the army. In Győr, already as a captain, he organizes the sappers. On June 15, 1849, he distinguishes himself at the defense of the Dukla Pass, in the battle against the Russians and is promoted to general. As the commander of 9 Army Corps he retreats first to Szolnok, then to Szeged. After the defeat of Timisoara, in the rank of colonel, he also surrenders to the Austrian General von Liechtenstein.
He is executed by bullet on October 6, 1849.
Count Karl LEININGEN
von Westerburg (1819-1849)
Born in Ilbenstadt, in Hessen, to a German aristocratic family, he is related to the English Queen Victoria. He is demobilized early from the Austrian army, lives in Bratislava and manages his farm in Becse. He enrolls in October and asks to be sent to the Southern region because his estates are there. First he is a major, then colonel after the victory of Szolnok. In July 1849, leads the army to the Mures-Tisza corner as general. Beginning with August 10, he watches over the line of the Mures River near Arad.
He is executed by hanging on October 6, 1849.
József NAGYSÁNDOR
(1804-1849)
Born in Oradea, he joins the army at the age of fifteen. Until 1847, he is an active officer of the Austrian army. He retires as a captain. In the summer of 1848, he enrolls in the army and is assigned to the Southern regions as colonel. After the occupation of Buda, he is the commander of the 1 Army Corps and is directed towards Timisoara on August 9.
He is executed by hanging on October 6, 1849.
Ernst von POELTENBERG
(1813-1849)
He is born to an Austrian family of lawyers in Vienna as Ernst Poelt. For his services as a lawyer knighthood is conferred on his father and they obtain the name of Poeltenberg. He becomes a soldier at the age of 14. After the victory of Pákozd, he joins the Hungarian army, where he soon becomes general. In August, mandated by the government, plans to have talks with imperial general Rüdiger, but the negotiations fail.
He is executed by hanging on October 6, 1849.
Joseph SCHWEIDEL
(1796-1849)
Born to a German family in Zsombor, he is the officer of the Imperial Army in 1815-1847. He retires as major. In the spring of 1848, he becomes the major of the 2 Hungarian Hussars, then colonel in the fights against Jellasics, who invades Hungary. On October 11, he is already general. Bringing up illness, he retires, but in 1849, he enrolls again and on May 1, 1849, he is the military commander of Pest. Then he is the commander of the current headquarters of the government following the evacuation of the city.
He is executed by bullet on October 6, 1849.
Ignác TÖRÖK (1795-1849)
He is born in Gödöllő, to a Hungarian noble family. At the outbreak of the Revolution, he serves in the army in Croatia. He is transferred to Komárom, where he is promoted to colonel. In January 1849, he is named as the commander of the Castle of Komárom. Beginning with April, he is in the service of the government, then he becomes the commander of the technical units.
He is executed by hanging on October 6, 1849.
Károly VÉCSEY (1807-1849)
Born to a Hungarian noble family, until the summer of 1848, he serves as major in the Imperial Army. During the summer of 1848, he fights in the Southern regions as lieutenant-colonel, then becomes colonel. Beginning with December 1848, he is general. Following the defeat of Timisoara, he marches with the remnants of his army until Borosjenő and on August 21, lays down arms and surrenders to the tsarist army.
He is executed by hanging on October 6, 1849.
The Cultural Department of the DAHR Presidium
Other links to the Statue’s History:
http://www.statuialibertatii-arad.ro/html/enhtml/index.html where you will find the text (besides English)in both Romanian and Hungarian.