Hungarian Order of Merit

Chain of the Hungarian Order of Merit (2nd model - since 1991)

V. l. No. Knight's Cross, Knight's Cross on War Ribbon, Knight's Cross on War Ribbon and with Swords (1939 to 1944)

Breast star for the Grand Cross with the St. Stephen's Crown (until 1944)

The Hungarian Cross of Merit ( Hu. Magyar Érdemkereszt ) was donated on June 14, 1922 by the Hungarian Governor Miklós Horthy and converted into an Order of Merit on December 23, 1935. From this point on, the designation was (Royal) Hungarian Order of Merit ( Hu. Magyar Érdemrend ). After the end of the titular kingdom , the civil republic was proclaimed, which re-founded the order on September 14, 1946 by the National Assembly as the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary ( hu. Magyar Köztársasági Érdemrend ). With the adoption of the constitution of August 20, 1949, the order expired in its existing form and has been the country's second highest award since the end of communist rule . Since 2012, the official name has been the Hungarian Order of Merit ( Magyar Érdemrend ).

Order classes

The foundation took place in seven classes, as well as an affiliated cross of merit, merit medal and Signum Laudis medal:

Kollane for the special level (with the Holy Hungarian Crown until 1945)
Grand Cross special stages (with golden rays, first without crown, later with the Holy Crown of Hungary: until 1945)
Grand Cross
Commander with a star
commander
officer
Knight
Cross of Merit
- Golden Cross of Merit
- Silver Cross of Merit
- Bronze Cross of Merit
Merit Medal
- Silver Medal of Merit
- Bronze Medal of Merit
Signum Laudis
- Large gold Signum Laudis medal
- Silver Signum Laudis medal
- Bronze Signum Laudis medal.

The Grand Cross could be awarded from 1939 to 1944 as a sign of the highest esteem with the St. Stephen's Crown (Holy Crown of Hungary), which is given primarily to heads of state and government. The class with the crown could also be awarded with a collar . All classes can also be awarded for war merit with war decoration or war ribbon or war decoration or war ribbon and swords.

Since 1991, the order has consisted of five classes in two departments (civil and military) as well as an attached merit cross in three levels (gold, silver and bronze):

Strap buckles
Order class	Civil	military
Grand Cross with Great Order Chain
Grand Cross
Commander with a star
commander
officer
Knight
Cross of Merit in gold
Cross of Merit in silver
Cross of Merit in bronze

Breast star for the Grand Cross (until 1944)

Breast star for the Grand Cross (since 1991)

Order decoration

The medal has the shape of a cross with four white enameled arms, the edges of which are formed by a narrow dark green stripe. The obverse of the cross shows a red enamelled medallion in the form of rays, on which the three-mountain and the white double cross are applied. Both Dreiberg and Doppelkreuz are gold. The red middle field is surrounded by a green laurel wreath . The reverse of the cross shows the inscription SI DEUS PRO NOBIS, QUIS CONTRA NOS, 1922 (Is God with us, who can be against us).

The Cross of Merit is a cross, like the medal, but without white enameled arms. It is awarded in the gold, silver and bronze grade. Each level could only be awarded once.

The medal of merit is awarded in silver and bronze . It shows on her obverse the middle field the described order cross with three mountain and double cross and the heading A HAZÁERT (For the Fatherland). On the reverse, however, the Cross of Merit and the foundation year MDCCCCXXII . Here, too, both levels could only be awarded once.

The Signum Laudis in the silver and bronze stage has the shape of a round medal with the St. Stephen ' s crown and has the same texture as the Hungarian Merit Medal, only without the heading A HAZÁERT . In addition, it only showed the three-line inscription on its lapel: SIGNUM / LAUDIS / 1922 . The bronze level is a sign of the recognition of the imperial administrator expressed for the first time and the silver one as repeated recognition. A third recognition is indicated by a clasp on the ribbon. If civilians were given full recognition , or military personnel were given special praise , the honoree was allowed to wear the gold medal on a red ribbon with white stripes around his neck, hanging from the St. Stephen's crown. This gold-plated medal was donated in 1929. In contrast to the lower levels, the Great Golden Signum Laudis is highly oval.

With the proclamation of the republic the national coat of arms is depicted in the obverse . The medals were no longer awarded.

Carrying method

The Grand Cross with or without a crown is worn as a shoulder band. A breast star belongs to both classes, with the Grand Cross with the crown having a diameter of 93 mm (with golden rays emerging from the angles of the applied Cross of Merit) and 89 mm without the crown. The ribbon of the Grand Cross is bordered in dark green and red and white and is carried from the right shoulder to the left hip. The commander is decorated as a collar order , the officer's cross as a cross on the left breast pocket of the borrower. The star of the Commander's Cross is only 79 mm. The knight's cross and the merit cross are worn on a triangular ribbon on the upper left side of the chest. The band of the other classes is solid green.

The medals, with the exception of the Large Golden Signum Laudis, are worn as a triangular ribbon above the left breast pocket. The band for civilians is green, that for military personnel is green with a narrow white side and a red border. The medal of merit was always worn after the World War awards. The war ribbon that was worn with the order, cross of merit and medals is red with white sides and red stripes.

Known porters

see: Bearer of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary

literature

Ágnes Makai, Vera Héri: Kereszt, Érem, Csillag. Kitüntetések a magyar történelemben. Helikon Kiadó, Budapest 2002, ISBN 963-208-758-5 .
Roman von Procházka : Austrian Order Handbook. Graf Klenau OHG, Munich 1974.

Web links