Štefan Furdek (1855–1915), a Slovak Roman Catholic priest, writer, and national revivalist, was one of the leading figures of Slovak associations and organisations based in the United States. He co-founded the First Catholic Slovak Union in the USA, and Slovak Matica in America, and was the first president of the Slovak League of America.
Location of his statue at the entrance to the passageway at 23 Grösslingová Street was not accidental. The Slovak League built the structure, known as League Passage, on a plot between Dunajská and Grösslingová Streets between 1935 and 1936 in accordance with a design by the renowned Slovak architect Milan Michal Harminc. Symmetrical placement of two statues on each side of the passage entrance was taken into account during design of the building.
In 1936, a statue of Ignác Gessay, founder of the Slovak League of Slovakia, was installed on the west side. A statue of Štefan Furdek by Ladislav Majerský was due to be installed on the east side in 1942. Owing to the war, however, this did not materialise, and the work was placed inside the building. It is unknown whether a model of the statue or the final version was installed on the façade in 2007.
The realistically conceived work depicts Furdek half-length in a priestly robe with hands clasped behind his back.
The work, conceived and designed far earlier, was finally installed in a public space in 2007, at which time a new metal relief inscription, ŠTEFAN FURDEK 1855–1915, was added above the travertine entrance to the passage.
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Research status as of 30. 06. 2023.