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HUNG~RIAN COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS OF THE HORTHY ERA 1922/1944

by John L. Trenka OLJ, OCM, KSL. OMSA 1102

The three Hungarian Medals which are presented here were awarded for participation in the liberation of former Hungarian territories that was taken from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and divided by the Treaty of Trianon on June 4~ 1920o

These sections were reoccupied by Hungarian forces:

Czechoslovakia (Felvidek) in 1938

Transylvania (Erdelyi) in 1940

Yugoslavia (DeliYidaki) in 1941

The medal commemorating the "liberation" of Czechoslovakia displays on the obverse the bust of Franz II Rakoczi, in armor with the motto PRO PATRIA ET LIBERTATE (for country and liberty) surrounding. On the reverse appear the words THE HUNGARIAN FELVIDEK LIBERATION COMME>~ORATIVE 1938. The 34mm medal is of bronze and has a triangular ribbon eqully divided, red and blue.

The medal for Transylvania has on the obverse the bust of King Matthias Corvinua with the words (Liberation Commemorative of Trnasylvania 1940) surr- ounding. On the reverse is the legend VlTEZ NAGYBANYAI (a title) Horthy Miklos in his 20th year as regent of the country". In the center is a shield bearing the arms of Transylvania with the legend REX MATYAS IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE 500th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH." The 35mm medal is of zinc and the triangular ribbon is cornflower blue.

The third medal, commemorating the return of Hungarian Yugoslavia in 1941 has on ehe obverse the words "HUNGARIAN DELVIDEK IN REMEMBRANCE OF ITS RETURN" surrounding~ and in the center the old kingdom’s vice-regent Johannes Hunyadi (1456) mounted and in full armor.

On the reverse the legend VlTEZ NAGYBANYAI HORTHY MIKLOS IN THE 22nd YEAR AS REGEND OF HUNGARY."

In the center are three arms: Those of Hunyadi (left) and those of Hungary in the center and those of Miklos Horthy at the right.

The medal is of zince and is 3§mm in diameter.

The triangular ribbon is equally divided, blue and gold yellow.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

So little in English is available on Hungarian medals and awards that articles by Messrs Trenka and Evans are readily acceptable to our reading members. In 1975 a bi-lingual listing and line drawings of the Hungarian awards from 1922-1944 was published as a booklet by Talas Geza in Budapest. Entitled MAGYARORSZAG RENDJELEI ES KITUNTETESEI 1922-1944 the line drawings are excellent and the German-Hungarian renderings understandable to those who have pondered over the German descriptions of their medals. In World War II the Hungarians were determined and brave fighters as some of our fliers who met them over Europe will attest to.

F.v.A.

OBVERSE AND REVERSE-L/R Czechoslovakia~ Transylvania and Yugoslavia