Fraternity-Testvériség, 1979 (57. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)

1979-04-01 / 2. szám

KOVATS COMMEMORATIVE BANQUET IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

The Washington chapter of the American Hungarian Federation in cooperation with other Hungarian organizations on May 9th sponsored a commemorative banquet of Colonel Michael Kovats de Fabricy (1724-1779), Commandant of the Pulaski Legion in Charleston, Siuth Carolina in the Cannon House Building, Washington, D.C. The invocation was said by the Very Rev. Dr. Ladislaus A. Irányi, Provincial, Piarist Fathers, National President of the American Hungarian Federation. The National Anthem was sung by Mrs. Maria Alexa Szabolcsi. The greetings of President Carter was extended by Mrs. Vicky Mon- giardo. Lt. Gen. Daniel 0. Graham (Ret.) delivered a commemorative address. The title of the address of Honorable Edward Mezviensky, U. S. representative to the United Nations Committee of Human Rights was: “The Pulaski Legion: a Model for Inter-Ethnic Cooperation.” He emphasized that the legion was made up of five ethnic groups: Americans, Germans, French, Polish and Hungarians. Dr. Elemer Bako, area Specialist - Library of Congress described the “Pulaski Banner” which was designed by Colonel Kovats. Gave its historical background with interesting interpretation.

Mr. László Pásztor as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Hungarian Federation praised the sponsoring organizations for making the banquet a success. He also thanked Mr. Pal Takacs and Mrs. Gabriella Koszorus-Varsa artists for the beautiful Kovats memorial exhibit. Mr. Karoly Teleki toastmaster introduced Congressmen Edmund J. Der- winski I Illinois), Robert K. Dornan (California) and William L. Dickinson (Alabama I who read the heroic death of Colonel Kovats at Charleston into the Congressional Record. He also introduced Mr. Larry Hogan, the administrator of Prince George County and his beautiful Hungarian wife: Ilona. The second part of the program began with the presentation ceremony of the Replica of the 1778 “Pulaski Banner" donated by Mr. John Taba to the Citadel Museum in Charleston. Presentation addresses were made and dedication prayers were offered by: Rev. Dr. Edward L. R. Elsőn, Chaplain of the U.S. Senate; Rt. Rev. John Butosi, Bishop of Calvin Synod; Rev. Vitéz Baan, O.F.M.; Mr. Edmund I. Kovach, Knights of Malta; Dr. Otto De Hamos, Johanniter Knights; Mr. Dezső Szilagyi, Hungarian Hussar Association. “To our Young Compatriots” - Recruiting Ballad for the Pulaski Legion (1778) was recited by Master Richard Altorjay. The closing prayer of benediction was said by Rl. Rev. Arpad George. (A.G.)

Congressman Derwinski in front of the Capitol with members of the Home Office and friends.

‘NON ALIUS REGIT”

Michael Kovats de Fabricy was a Hungarian Reformed person not by birth alone, but by faith and practice as well. He was bom in Karcag-Ujszállás, a place which has been a strong Reformed stronghold since the Protestant Reformation despite of Turkish- Mohammedan and Habsburg-Counter-Reformation pressures for centuries. When he was bom in 1724, the heroic straggle of Francis Rákóczi II. was still in I he air, and he had to realize that the future of Hungary's freedom is bleak indeed without the liberating power of the Gospel and the soldier’s devotion to liberty. Thus, educated in the Reformed College of Debrecen and with “Pro Deo et Libertate ’ in his heart, he became a Christian soldier first in the Prussian army, and then in the Pulaski Legion of the American Revolution. It is not accidental that he offered himself to this latter cause as “fidelissimus

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