Fraternity-Testvériség, 1979 (57. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1979-04-01 / 2. szám
PRESENTATION OF THE JOHANNITER KNIGHTS I am representing the Hungarian Chapter of the Knights of St. John of the Hospital of Jerusalem (Johanniter) , North American Sub- Commandery. I also represent our brethren from the Catholic side: the Hungarian Delegation of the sovereign Order of the Knights of Malta. We also want to pay our tribute to the cherished memory of Colonel Michael Kovats, our famous compatriot. He was born in Hungary, which was at his time oppressed by the Austrian House of Habsburg. As a dashing young cavalry officer he went into the service of the famous Prussian king: Frederick the Great. For the Prussian King he organized a free corps of hussars and led them in many battles so successfully, that he earned the highest distinction of the Prussian army of the time: the Pour le Merit for personal bravery and successful leadership. In 1759 patriots in Hungary and in Transylvania started a movement to free Hungary as well as the Hungarian principality of Transylvania from the intolerable oppression of the House of Habsburg. They used the good offices of the French Marshal of Hungarian descent Ladislas Count Bercsényi to ask the King of Prussia to come to their help. In response Frederick the Great sent his successful Colonel Michael Kovats to northern Hungary to organize an uprising. Due to a chain of adverse circumstances this uprising could not materialize and when the freedom movement of the American colonies started, Kovats decided to offer his services to the cause of American freedom. As Colonel Kovats was not only an outstanding soldier, but also a man of deep religious convictions, one of his first contacts in the Colonies was the religious Order of the Moravian Sisters. The head of that Order, the Countess Susan von Gersdorf gave him much help after his arrival. The Hungarian Chapter of the Johanniter Order feels to have many things in common with Colonel Kovats. The ancestors of our Order, which before the Reformation were the same as those of our Maltese Brethren, were fighting in the Crusades against the oppression of Islam: as Colonel Kovats was fighting against the oppression of the Habsburgs, and in America against the oppression of the English. He also was a highly esteemed officer of the Prussian army and now the Master of our Knightly Order also is a Prince of Prussia. We esteem his memory. His deeds serve for us as shining examples of service and sacrifice. Dr. Otto Hamos The acceptance of the replica of '‘Pulaski Banner”. 8
