National Defense) reclaims it in April, taking the fortress of Buda on 21 May after an 18-day siege. In July, the Habsburg army again captures the two towns. 1849 6 October Lajos Batthyány, the first Hungarian Prime Minister is executed on the present-day Szabadság tér. 1849 Széchenyi Lánchíd, or Széchenyi Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Budapest was opened linking Buda (West bank) and Pest (East bank). 1867 Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, followed by unprecedented civic development, resulting in the style of present day Budapest. 1873 The former cities: Pest, Buda and Óbuda are united, and with that the Hungarian capital is established with the name of Budapest. 1874 The Budapest Cog-wheel Railway service is inaugurated. 1878 Electric public lighting installed in the city centre. 1893 Electrification of Budapest finished 1896 Millennium celebrations, the Millennium Underground is inaugurated, and the Ferenc József híd (today's Freedom Bridge) is opened. 1909–1910 Electric public lighting expanded to the suburbs, the nearby town’s villages had Electric public lighting. 1910 The census finds 880,000 people in Budapest and 55,000 in the largest suburb of Újpest (now part of Budapest). 1918–1919 Following the conclusion of World War I, the Hungarian Republic of Councils is founded and 133 days later overthrown by the Romanian army which then makes excessive requisitions in Budapest. They regarded this as gathering war reparations, while others classify it as looting. 1924 Hungarian National Bank is founded. 1925 Hungarian Radio commences broadcasting. 1933 Disassembly of the Tabán commences. 1944 19 March The Germans occupy Budapest. At the time of the occupation, there were 184,000 Jews and between 65,000 and 80,000 Christians of Jewish descent in the town. The Arrow Cross collaborated with the Germans in murdering Jews. Fewer than half of Budapest's Jews (approximately 119,000) survived the following 11 months
