Hungary: Following periods of successive habitation by Celts, Romans, Huns, Slavs, Gepids, and Avars, the foundation of Hungary was laid in the late 9th century by the Hungarian grand prince Árpád. His great-grandson Saint Stephen I ascended to the throne in 1000 AD, converting the country to a Christian kingdom. The Kingdom of Hungary existed for 946 years and at various points was regarded as one of the cultural centers of the Western world. After the Battle of Mohács and about 150 years of partial Ottoman occupation (1541–1699), Hungary was integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy, and later formed part of the Austro–Hungarian Empire (1867–1918).

In October 1918, Hungary's union with Austria was dissolved. In March 1919, the Communists took power in Hungary. In April, Béla Kun proclaimed the Hungarian Soviet Republic but soon the Romanian Army defeated Kun's troops and took Budapest, ousting his regime. Rightist Hungarian military forces, led by the former Austro-Hungarian Admiral Miklós Horthy, entered Budapest in the wake of the Romanian Army's departure and filled the vacuum of state power. Horthy ruled as Regent until Oct 16, 1944. After 1932, autocratic tendencies gradually returned as a result of Nazi influence and the Great Depression.

On June 22, 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union under Operation Barbarossa; Hungary joined the German effort and declared war on the Soviet Union, and formally entered World War II on the side of the Axis Powers.

In late 1944, Hungarian troops on the Eastern Front again experienced success at the Battle of Debrecen, but this was followed immediately by the Battle of Budapest. (source: Wikipedia)

On Feb 1946, Hungarian monarchy was abolished and the Republic of Hungary was established. On Aug 20, 1949, the People’s Republic of Hungary was established after a new constitution was promulgated.

Pudapest, Aug 20, 2012, fireworks illimunate the night. [Photo/Xinhua]