The Eighth Hungarian Tribe, 1983 (10. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1983-03-01 / 3. szám
March, 1983 THE EIGHTH HUNGARIAN TRIBE Page 13 One day, a package arrived at the camp. It contained the lost coat and all its contents. The sender apologized for the mistake and added that although he liked the coat, he was glad to return it, since he now had so many lovely coats, he felt that the owner had greater need for it than he did. The Domjáns were still at Camp Kilmer in January, 1957, when their son was attending a dinner honoring the Olympics winners, given by then Vice President Richard M. Nixon. He asked the guests if they had any problems that needed his assistance. Dómján, Jr., who spoke some English described his family’s flight to freedom and expressed his wish to get them out of the camp and reunited with him in California. “Soon, we were sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church of Sherman Oaks, Calif. They arranged transportation to the West Coast, and provided a free apartment,” Emma recalled. “Everyone was extremely helpful and concerned for our wellveing,” she added. “Americans are very warmhearted people.” “Within days, the Church found us jobs. I had to use a jack-hammer, since I was used to working with stone,” the sculptor laughed. “It was a ten mile walk to and from work each day. Soon, we both got better jobs, mine paying $2.82 per hour,” lie said with pride. In a short time, they saved the money to huv aii older car. “Within a year, we made the downpayment on a home and have been living there ever since,” Emma said. All this makes them grateful to this country and its people. “Anxious to get back to my profession, I signed up for an art course at California State University at Northridge. After the first semester I took a teaching position at the Malibu and Barnsdall Art Centers where I taught art and sculpture for 15 years until my retirement.” Árpád Domján’s work is recognized and exhibited in museums the world over. He has held countless exhibits in this country and has won many awards for his statues. One of his works, “The Pony Express” graces the entrance to the Los Angeles Post Office Annex Building. “We will always remember the welcome to us on our arrival in the United States,” Dómján declared. “Our aim is to try to repay the debt by giving of our talent and support to promising artists wherever we find them.” “Our children are also grateful supporters of this land,” Emma went on. “Our son is now an architect and our daughter, Eva, is a computer designer. They, too, feel that all who have found a home here owe it to this country to be hard working citizens of whoim Americans can be proud.” To give tangible expression to his feelings, Dom ján has created a commemorative statue of the 1956 Hungarian Freedom Fighters. It was erected in Mc Arthur Park in Los Angeles in 1966 and stands 56 feet high. A huge eagle with a wing-spread of 10 feet is perched on top of the shaft, signifying the flight to freedom. Each anniversary of the revolution there is an observance in front of the statue with many digtaries attending. Thousands of liberated Hungarians and other refugees, carrying flags of the nations crushed by the communists, raise their voices to express a common hope: “Someday, when a freedom’s light Like sunbeams from the sky, Once more will flood our brave homeland, All our oppressors will die!” * * * “The story of freedom needs retelling ... by generation to generation, so that the priceless thing fought for may keep its central place in our hearts.” Henry R. Luce, Life Magazine, 1956.
