Prohászka László: Polish Monuments - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2001)

THE PRZEMYáL MONUMENT

captive. On 15 June 1915, Austro-Hungarian troops re-conquered Przemysl after a siege of four days. The town, together with the whole of Galicia, became part of the Polish state which re-emerged as a sovereign body after the war.

On 13 November 1932 a monument was unveiled at the Buda end of Margaret Bridge in honour of the soldiers who were killed in action during the long siege of Przemysl. The official tender stipulated that only artists who had themselves fought at the front in World War I were allowed to submit designs. The winner, Szilárd Sződy, designed a huge lion standing on a limestone pedestal, with symbols of war at its feet—a gun-emplacement devastated by artillery fire, and war banners. Written below the bronze cast lion, a symbol of courage and firmness, is simply Przemysl / 1914-1915. A longer inscription carved into white marble on the back of the base reads: Erected by their comrades / with the support of the citizens / of the capital / in glorious remembrance of / out32