The plaque commemorating the victims of the 1956 Revolution was installed on October 23, 1989 in the building which housed the former Kilián Barracks, at the prompting of representatives from the „Oppositional Round Table“ (8th and 9th Municipal Districts). The bronze memorial plaque has the shape of the Hungarian national flag with a hole in its centre. It was designed and constructed by the artist Zsolt Gulácsy-Horváth. The so-called Kilián Barracks had been erected as the Maria Theresa Barracks in the southerly arterial road, Üllői Drive, during the mid-19th century. The long, ambling and imposing edifice was only partly used for military purposes in 1956. Along with the relief units stationed here, who served under the command of Pál Maléter, the residential buildings were also utilised by civilians. Already during the night from October 23rd to October 24, 1956 as the first armed skirmishes began, a group of demonstrators had assembled in front of the Barracks in order to demand weapons for themselves. Although nearly 1,000 soldiers were present at the site, the insurgents managed to penetrate the building and confiscate firearms. At the same time, 300 soldiers exploited the opportunity in order to depart on their own accord. Although portions of the units sympathized with the insurgents, mobilisation against the insurgents was initiated under the command of a police official during the afternoon of October 24th. Especially at Corvin Square directly opposite, armed groups had formed due to the strategically advantageous location, and these began scattered skirmishes with the soldiers at the site. Some were captured and taken to the Kilían Barracks. The fighting continued, and eventually Pál Maléter was sent by the staff of generals as their acting commander into the Barracks on the morning of October 25, 1956. He set off through the city accompanied by five tanks. Of these vehicles, only three succeeded in reaching their destination as a result of heavy bombardment. Upon arrival, they opened fire on the defenders of the Corvin Passage, but they were soon in the defensive as two more tanks broke into flames. Simultaneously, Maléter was given the order to refrain from attacking the insurgents, unless the latter had begun direct attacks beforehand. As a sign of solidarity, white flags with their emblems cut out were supposed to be hung to view. This occurred on October 25th in the evening, which then led to a cease-fire between the Barracks and the Corvin Passage. Soviet troops also stationed in the vicinity interpreted this cease-fire as a shift of loyalties on the part of the Hungarian Army, and thus opened fire on the Kilían Barracks. Only after repeated interventions by the staff of generals was it possible to put an ending to the fighting. Following the announcement of an official truce on October 28th, Maléter – who had in the meantime established initial contact with the insurgents – informed the staff of generals he would no longer take action against the insurgents. Escorted by several officers, Maléter proceeded to Corvin Square, and the first negotiations and conversations ensued which would later define his image for prosperity. During the following days, newspapers reported extensively about the fraternity between the Army and the insurgents at the Kilían Barracks, which also went on to define the myth surrounding the events at the site. On October 31st, negotiations concerning the formation of a common National Guard took place. Along with Maléter, Minister of Defence Király, the Budapest Chief of Police Sándor Kopásci and among other insurgents, Gergely Pongratz, as leader of the Corvin Group, also took part in the talks. Maléter beseeched those present to establish common armed forces which could defend the Revolution. In the further course of these negotiations, disagreements arose between Maléter and Pongratz, the latter giving the former the responsibility for those killed during the first days of the Revolution. On November 3rd, shortly before Maléter was arrested, the last discussions were held between the Corvin Group and the Army at the Barracks. During the early morning hours of the following day, the second invasion of Soviet troops began. The Kilián Barracks were one of the primary objectives of Soviet attacks. The soldiers were caught off guard by the violence of the onslaught. General chaos broke out as the Soviet troops began storming the building. A few defenders were able to escape, but the majority of the building inhabitants lost their lives in the ensuing battle.