“F. ENGELS” the Cyrillic inscription proclaims. This isn’t just any statue. This is the Engels Statue a 12-foot concrete giant. It stands proudly at Tony Wilson Place in Manchester.
This imposing figure of Friedrich Engels the German philosopher is a remarkable piece of history. It’s not just a statue it’s a survivor. Originally crafted in the 1970s it stood in a Ukrainian village. Engels arms are crossed his gaze unwavering.
Then came 2015 and Ukraine’s laws banning Soviet symbols. The statue was discarded. Cut in half. Left in a field to decay. A tragic end for a symbol of a bygone era.
But the story doesn’t end there. Artist Phil Collins discovered the abandoned Engels. He saw the potential. He saw the history. He knew this statue belonged in Manchester. Engels after all lived here while writing “The Condition of the Working Class in England”.
After years of searching and months of negotiation he brought it home. After a journey across Europe this iconic figure was unveiled. It found a new home at the 2017 Manchester International Festival.
Now here it stands. A testament to resilience. A symbol of a complex past. A story of relocation and revival. A powerful reminder of Engels’s legacy and the enduring power of art. The Engels Statue isn’t just concrete it’s a piece of living history. A story of perseverance and rebirth right here in Manchester. It is a monument to a man a movement and a remarkable journey.