The memorial plaque commemorating the members of the Hungarian Writers' Association was dedicated next to the entryway of the Association building on October 23, 1994. This plain plaque inspired by its members bears an inscription reiterating the fate of the Association during the 1956 Revolution. The Hungarian Writers' Association (Magyar Írók Szövetsége) was founded in 1945. Especially during the second half of the 1940's and the beginning of the 1950's, the Association was committed to enforcing the official Stalinist policies for cultural life in Hungary. Nonetheless, critical artists also joined its ranks, the majority of which affirmed the reforms championed by Imre Nagy in 1953. Even after its dissolution in 1955, a portion of the membership actively supported the continuation of reform measures and published a corresponding memorandum during the early part of the same year. After the 20th Party Convention of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the establishment of the Petőfi Circle in 1956, the Association became more receptive for critical positions. Even before the outbreak of the Revolution, non-Communist members were elected to the Executive Committee for the first time. The chairman of that period, Peter Veres, participated in the first large-scale rallies on October 23, 1956. All the same, the Association was taken fully unawares by the rush of events. In newspapers and the renowned Association newspaper „Literature Newspaper (Iroldami Ujság)“, appeals and declarations were published not only in affirmation of the policies introduced by the Nagy government, but in protest against the violent uprisings at Köztársaság Square on October 30, 1956 as well. On November 2nd, a donation campaign fully unique in its kind was initiated for the family members of imprisoned or fallen insurgents. Donation boxes were positioned everywhere in the city for the general population. In this way, several hundred thousand Forinth were able to be collected before the second invasion of Soviet troops. After this second invasion on November 4, 1956, the Association officially protested against the violent suppression. During the following weeks, its members sought to establish contact with those oppositional Workers' Councils still existing in the various production centres, hoping to continue the non-violent resistance. Other members fled abroad in order to continue the work of the Association in exile. The „Literature Newspaper (Iroldami Ujság)“ was banned in Hungary in November 1956, only to appear abroad with the same title after 1957. As a reaction to the role played by the Writers' Association during the Revolution, and as a consequence of the efforts made by the Association to continue active resistance against the Kádár regime, the organisation was banned in Hungary on January 17, 1957. At least ten members were given long-term prison sentences. In 1959, the Association was rehabilitated through a resolution of the Hungarian Workers' Party, although it was soon subdued by the strict regulations of the Party and security bureaucracy. Only at the close of the 1980's did the Association once again develop into a critical forum which could fulfil a vital function during the change of power in 1989/90.