Budapest to honour Elvis for support after 1956 uprising

[The Northerner]

BUDAPEST — Budapest will name one of its squares after US rock icon Elvis Presley and make him an honorary citizen for his support after Hungarians' 1956 anti-communist uprising.

"The reasons for honouring Elvis are not sentimental but political," mayor Istvan Tarlos said on Wednesday making the announcement.

On January 6, 1957, the legendary singer and actor appeared on US television variety programme The Ed Sullivan Show where he sang the gospel song "Peace in the Valley" as a tribute to the short-lived Hungarian revolt, which was crushed two months earlier by Soviet tanks.

At Presley's request, host Ed Sullivan asked viewers to send donations to Hungarians, which amounted to 26 million Swiss francs in 1957, according to Tarlos, who admitted he did not own a single Elvis Presley CD.

Budapest residents now get to pick which square will bear the King of Rock n'Roll's name in an Internet vote.

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