Tűzkereszt means “Fire Cross”, a Hungarian military decoration awarded for front-line combat service between 1941 and 1943.

Hungarian Military History Archive

An online archive preserving Hungarian and Austro-Hungarian military history through original photographs, awards, documents, and research material.

ESTABLISHED 2010

2012-10-24

The breast badge of HONSz. 

Badge of the Hadirokkantak, Hadiözvegyek és Hadiárvák Országos Nemzeti Szövetsége (HONSz) – the National Association for War Disabled, War Widows and War Orphans. Founded in the aftermath of the First World War, the organization provided support and representation for those whose lives had been profoundly affected by the conflict.

HONSz worked to assist disabled veterans, the widows of fallen servicemen, and children who had lost one or both parents during wartime. In addition to advocating for their welfare and social rights, the association helped preserve the memory of those who had sacrificed their lives in military service.

Throughout the 1930s and during the Second World War, HONSz remained one of Hungary's principal veterans' and welfare organizations. Its membership badges identified those associated with the organization and symbolized solidarity with the thousands of families who continued to bear the lasting consequences of war.

Today, badges of HONSz are important historical artifacts, representing not only a veterans' organization but also the enduring commitment to care for those left behind by war. They stand as reminders that the impact of conflict extended far beyond the battlefield, affecting veterans, widows, and orphans for generations.