News

July 8, 2025

Dear Confrères and Consoeurs,

I am pleased to share with you the official invitation (in Hungarian and English) for the Vitézavatás (Investiture of Vitéz), which will be held this year in Debrecen on August 23, 2025.

In order to facilitate the organization, you are kindly asked to register electronically by clicking the registration link on the invitation or here, in the text.

https://forms.gle/e87nu8iG4gu27rVU9

Those, who also wish to participate in the gala lunch following the Investiture; the transfer should be made to the bank account provided on the invitation to our Chief Treasurer, Staff Captain, because first then your registration will be activated as the number of available places is limited this year as well.

We are looking much forward to welcome the Members of the Order, their Families and Friends to this beautiful event in Debrecen!

The invitation can be found via this link:

Vitezavatas_Debrecen_2025_HU.pdf

Investiture_of_Vitez_Debrecen_2025_EN.pdf

With fraternal greetings,
vitéz Ferdinand B. Bardoly-Küzmös
Főszéktartó Törzskapitány / Chancellor Staff Captain
ferdinand.bardoly-kuzmos@vitezi-rend.com
foszektarto@vitezi-rend.com

June 25, 2025

Author: Vitéz Attila Szakál

On June 21, 2025, the members of the Order of Vitéz belonging to the Partium Region Seat Captaincy held their latest staff assembly in Sazatmárnémeti. At the event, Vitéz Attila Szakál, lieutenant of Bihar County and the Nagyvárad (Oradea) Region reported on the latest developments.

During the meeting, Vitéz Attila Szakál gave an overview of the commemoration and wreath-laying ceremony held on June 7 in Legénd for the National Unity Day. He also informed attendees about the discussions at the Officers’ Annual Meeting and recent changes in leadership personnel.

Participants at the meeting included: Vitéz Miklós Tóth Páll, Vitéz Elemér István Matécsa, Vitéz Blanka Rozália Matécsa, Vitéz Csaba Attila Baráth and Vitéz Attila Szakál.

The staff assemblies in Szatmárnémeti have been held regularly every month since March 2024, although a few meetings were missed due to events such as deaths or illnesses. Vitéz Attila Szakál has taken over the temporary leadership of the Partium Region Seat Captaincy and has since placed special importance on holding these gatherings. As he emphasized, these informal events serve not only to share information but also play a significant role in building the community.

June 15, 2025

Author: Vitéz Baron Tamás Tunkel Staff Captain

On the occasion of the National Unity Day, we gathered for the fifth time, on June 7, 2025, in Legénd. The Order of Vitéz was represented by nearly 50 people from many parts of historical Hungary. The uplifting commemoration was both a testimony to the unity of the united nation and a tribute to the Order of Vitéz, founded 104 years ago.

The festive mass was celebrated at 11:00 in the Roman Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Legénd by the Most Reverend Zsolt Szerencsés, Coadjutor Grand Prior of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, canon, deacon, parish priest.

The Seat of Vitéz, the regional staff captaincies and the seat captaincies of the Order of Vitéz placed their beautiful memorial plaques at the Vitéz-Trianon Memorial at 12:00. The following gave a ceremonial speech: Mayor Tamás Tunkel, the regional staff captain of the Order of Vitéz in Eastern Hungary, and Attila Bánó, writer, publicist, publicist, and historical staff captain of the Order of Vitéz. Then Margit Kótai, the regional seat captain of the Order of Vitéz in Duna-Csepel, recited her own poem “For Peace.”

The members and their families of the Order of Vitéz then had a joint lunch. From 2:00 p.m., the Order of Vitéz held a National Officers’ Conference.

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June 04, 2025

Under the leadership of Vitéz Josef Karl von Habsburg-Lothringen, Archduke of Austria, Royal Prince of Hungary— head of the Hungarian branch of the Habsburg palatine line — the Order of Vitéz, recognized by the International Commission on Orders of Chivalry (ICOC), held the induction ceremony for twelve worthy new members of the Order on May 24, 2025 in the beautiful halls of Casale Monferrato.

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May 31, 2025

Author: Dr. Vitéz Gyula Szűcs Lieutenant

On behalf of the Order of Vitéz’s Northeast Hungary Region Seat Captaincy, Dr. Vitéz Gyula Szűcs, Vitéz István Fülöp, and Vitéz József Erdei participated in the Memorial Walk for Vitéz Imre Csengeri on May 22, 2025, in the town of Vaja, organized by the Vay Ádám Museum Collection of the Hungarian National Museum.

Vitéz Imre Csengeri was born in 1888 in Hajdúnánás. During World War I, he served as a non-commissioned officer in the Imperial and Royal 39th Infantry Regiment, in the 1st Battalion’s machine gun unit. He took part in all major battles of his regiment and saw combat on the Serbian, Russian, and Italian fronts. He was wounded thirteen times, sustaining injuries from swords, bullets, and shrapnel. He was a masterful machine gunner, and due to his heroism and injuries, he was awarded the following honours: the Gold Medal for Bravery (Vitézségi) twice, the 1st Class (Large) Silver Medal for Bravery, the 2nd Class (Small) Silver Medal for Bravery, the Bronze Medal for Bravery, the Karl Troop Cross, the Hungarian War Memorial Medal, and the Wounded Medal.

After the armistice, he fought against the Romanians as a member of the Székely (Sekler) Division. In June 1919, he joined the National Army and eventually laid down arms in November 1920. He was the first among the enlisted ranks to be inducted into the Order of Vitéz, thus taking part in the very first investiture ceremony on August 21, 1921. As part of this, he received 15 acres of land in Vaja as a vitéz’s grant, offered by Mrs. Ádám Vay.

He remarried in Vaja (his first wife had passed away) and had four children. He spent his life farming, while also serving as a youth instructor (Levente). His war wounds caused ongoing health problems, which ultimately led to his death on September 4, 1941.

He was widely respected by the people of Vaja even during his lifetime, so it is no surprise that his memory is preserved not only by his family. At the museum’s initiative, interested attendees gathered at 2:00 PM on May 22 in the square in front of the castle, where patriotic music was performed by a military band and tárogató artist Csaba Nagy.

Following this, participants walked to Vitéz Imre Csengeri’s former residence (which he later purchased in the town center, as the vitéz land was in the countryside—an area locals still call “Csengeri-dűlő”), and then to the cemetery, where a wreath was placed at his grave, which had been restored and is maintained by his family. The commemoration included a speech by Sándor Molnár, head of the institution, who recounted the life of the heroic soldier. During the wreath-laying, Csaba Nagy once again played the tárogató, and at his invitation, the event concluded with a recitation by Vitéz József Erdei.

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