HUNGARY’S WAR ACCOLADE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1929, Page 6

HUNGARY’S WAR ACCOLADE

POMP AND PAGEANTRY AT I3UDA PEST.

“In the name of the Lord of Wars 1 ordain thee a Hero!” was the words repeated 3000 times by Governor Horthy, when on the occasion of his recent birthday amid much pomp and pageantry he touched with a sword the should er of each of the 3000 ex-soldiers kneeling before him, so admitting them to the Order of Heroes. For in this festival which is begun with prayers by a Homan Catholic priest and a Protestant minister, the Hungarian heroes are made members of the order on behalf off a pagan diety, known in Hungarian poetry as Lord of Wars. The Order of Heroes, though it was founded only ten years ago, reminds one of feudal times. Members are titled “Hero” and are endowed with a small landed property. They swear allegiance to the Governor and pledge themselves to defend him against external and internal foes. To-day by internal foes are meant the Communists, though at the time of its inauguration the order was directed against liberalism and democracy as well. At the beginning the new institution was fervently attacked in Parliament as the renewal of feudalism, while the Legitimists, adherents of “King Otto,” opposed it because the oath of allegiance was rendered to the Regent. A considerable number of Hungarian Legitimist, “Valiants” have deliberately renounced their claim to title property. ... This will be the last occasion' on which Regent Hortliy will ordain Heroes, If or as he said in his speech at the festival, his chief care must now be to provide the necessary property for the members of the order. Since inauguration the title had been confenajP on 12,479 ex-soldiers, including 3,Oaf) officers. On the last occasion the title was bestowed on Minister of War Gambos and J van Hejjas, one of the most dreaded leaders of the so-called “White Terror.” General consternation was created by the Governor’s declaration that this was the last occasion .whereon the title would be conferred, for the newspapers especially those of the Left parties, contend that in a land in whose cemeteries lie 600,000 warriors, surely more than 12,000 deserve the title Hero. The Opposition parties regard the bestowal of the title as a mere .rewarding of the adherents of the Horthy and Bethlen regime. This last festival of Heroes was celebrated with unrivalled splendour. The members off the order were arrayed in long lines, all in uniform. Amid the blast of trumpets the rata-plan of drums and the strains of the national anthem Regent Horthy made his appearance. Above his chair, according to German custom, a great shield was bung which the captain of the . order struck thrice with tf sword as a sign for the beginning of the festival. The , new members of the order, the officers in gala uniforms the others in the uniIfonns of their country or in black peasant clothes,and wearing their war medals, filed past the Governor, each kneeling to receive the stroke on the shoulder. Finally old and new members marched past the Governor amid the acclamations of the onlookers.