Folia historica 23/2
Makai Agnes: Horthy Miklós kitüntetései a Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum Éremtárában
During the First World War he received several decorations for acts of gallantry in the presence of the enemy. For instance, the 2 n d Class of the Prussian Iron Cross in July 1915; the 3 r d Class of the Imperial Austrian Order of the Iron Crown with War Decoration in June 1915; the Knight's Cross of the Imperial Austrian Order of Leopold with War Decoration in December 1915; the 1 s t Class of the Prussian Iron Cross in January 1916 (for supporting German submarines in the Adriatic); the 3 r d Class of the Austro-Hungarian Military Merit Cross with War Decoration in August 1916 (for disabling armed British fishing-boats in the Otranto Strait) and the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa in 1921 (for the breakthrough of the Entente's underwater mine barrage in the Otranto Strait). To another significant group of Horthy's decorations belonged the foreign orders awarded to him as the head of state, along with the Hungarian orders established and officially worn by him by the same right. In 1994, the legacy of the one-time regent, who was taken captive by the Germans on 16 October 1944 and lived in Portugal as an exile, was handed over by the family to the Hungarian Military History Museum, and then it was acquired by the Hungarian National Museum. The greater part of the Regent's decorations disappeared or was destroyed at the end of the Second World War in the Castle of Buda. Thus, the remains of the estate are particularly precious, above all because these are the pieces Horthy wore regularly and with the greatest pleasure. These are the original Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa and a copy made to be worn; the Star of the Grand Cross of the Royal Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen; the 2 n d Class of the Military Merit Cross with War Decoration and Swords; the Star of Merit of the Hungarian Red Cross; the small decoration of the Grand Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit with the Holy Crown, with War Decoration and Swords; the Knight's Cross of the Imperial Austrian Order of Leopold with War Decoration and Swords; the 3 rd Class of the Military Merit Cross with War Decoration and Swords; the Bronze Military Merit Medal on War Ribbon, with Swords; the Hungarian Bronze Medal with the Holy Crown; the Charles Troop Cross; the Hungarian Commemorative War Medal with Swords and Helmet; the Bronze Military Merit Medal on red ribbon; the Wound Medal with one stripe on the ribbon; the 2 n d Class of the Officers' Long Service Sign and the badge of the Knightly Order of 'Vitéz'. The material also includes the 1 s t Class of the Chilean Order of Merit on Collar Chain and the miniature of the Order of Malta on bow ribbon. Fordította: Sallay Gergely Pál 98
