1956 plaque in the Fairfield Town Hall Park

The ceremony began with the singing of the National Anthem.  As in the past several years, a wreath was placed on the  plaque honoring the heroes of 1956, set up at the initiative of the late Gyula Egervári and dedicated by Magyar Studies of America in 2003.  The Reverend Béla Poznán of Calvin United Church of Christ said a brief invocation, followed by a moment of silence.  First Selectman Kenneth Flatto of Fairfield  welcomed the gathering.  The Hungarian national anthem closed the brief remembrance, after which flowers were placed around the plaque.

Instead of the usual commemorative program and speaker, there was a showing of the film „Torn from the Flag”, at Calvin Hall.  This is a recently completed  documentary of the events of the Hungarian Revolution of October 1956, and of the era that  led up to it.  The film was produced by Klaudia Kovács, and has already garnered a number of film awards.  It features personal reminiscences by people who participated and lived through those turbulent days.  It was made available through the courtesy of George Mismas,  himself a participant in the events, who was one of those interviewed for the film.