NEW YORK -- In October, 1956, a revolution broke out in communist ruled Hungary.
As would happen a dozen years later in Czechoslovakia, the movement was crushed by Soviet backed military forces. Now, 50 years after the uprising in Hungary, the "revolution" is now regarded as a seminal event that sowed the seeds for the eventual downfall of the Soviet Union and its "evil empire" in December, 1991.
This month marks the 50th anniversary of the "Hungarian Revolution," and a series of memorial events both in Europe and the United States will take place to commemmorate the event.
New York City, with its sizable Hungarian expatriate community, will lead American cities in honoring those who died fighting for independence from the iron fist of communist rule in Moscow.
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Among those coordinating the "celebrations" are former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, N.Y. Governor George Pataki, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke and Hungary's current president Laszlo Solyom.
Several major non-denominational religious services are scheduled at New York's world renowned St. Patrick's Cathedral and at the Park East Synagogue this weekend.
The highlight of the weekend events will be a Sunday afternoon concert at famed Carnegie Hall, which will mezzo-soprano Viktoria Vizin and tenor Andras Molnar.
In addition to Pataki, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NewsMax pundit and New York City radio celebrity Barry Farber (barryf@newsmax.com) will be among the local notables leading the festivities.