Welcome Statue 3 in Szeged, Hungary

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This statue marks the entrance to Kárász Utca in Szeged, Hungary's third-largest city. Szeged serves as the largest city and regional center of the Southern Great Plain and county seat of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of Hungary's most distinguished universities. Szeged's famous Open Air Festival is a main attraction; held every summer on May 21, celebrated as the Day of the City. This statue of a man holding a flag suggests Hungary's past with their territory. After World War I, Hungary lost its southern territories to Romania and Serbia, making Szeged a city near the border and lessening its importance. However, it recovered by taking over roles that formerly belonged to lost cities. The University of Kolozsvár moved to Szeged in 1921, and it became the episcopal seat from Temesvár in 1923. Szeged was briefly occupied by the Romanian army during the Hungarian-Romanian War in 1919. During the 1920s, Szeged's Jewish population grew and reached its peak. The city suffered heavily during World War II; 6,000 inhabitants were killed, and Jewish citizens were confined to ghettos before being taken to death camps. In late 1944, the Soviet Army occupied the city. During the Communist era, Szeged became a center for light industry and food production. In 1965, oil was discovered near the city; today it satisfies 67% of Hungary's oil demand. Today, Szeged is an important university town and popular tourist destination, featuring this sculpture as a welcoming greeting to visitors.