Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty

A bronze bust of Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty, Archbishop of Esztergom, Hungary from 1945 to 1973. He is depicted wearing Cardinal's attire, with a skullcap and elbow length cape called a Mozzetta. He pinches two fingers and a thumb together on the cross he wears around his neck, a symbol of blessing. Mindszenty was an instrumental force in fighting the Hungarian Nazi party, "The Arrow Cross," along with fighting against the Communist infiltration of Hungary. Many Hungarians point to Mindszenty as a large part of why Nazism never took over Hungary and as a symbol for the Hungarian people to rally behind against Communism. Mindszenty endured torture, humiliation, and several show trials in the name of protecting the Church and the Hungarians from further persecution. He was expectedly not very popular among the Communist Party and was thusly exiled from Hungary for the last few years of his life.

The sizable Hungarian community in the Greater Cleveland Area, many of whom immigrated to the US under Mindszenty's Bishopric, raised money to commemorate the man that they believe is responsible for saving their families and homeland from destruction by Nazis and Soviets.