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

2015-10-17

Infantry private  

A Hungarian infantry private wearing the standard 1920-pattern uniform of the Royal Hungarian Army. Introduced during the early years of the interwar period, the uniform reflected the reorganization of the Hungarian armed forces following the First World War while retaining many elements inherited from the former Austro-Hungarian Army.

As a member of the infantry, the soldier belonged to the largest and most important branch of the army. Infantry units formed the backbone of Hungary's military forces, carrying out the majority of combat operations and serving in a wide variety of roles during both peacetime and wartime.

This portrait provides an excellent example of the appearance of an ordinary Hungarian infantryman during the 1920s, preserving the uniforms, traditions, and military bearing of the early Royal Hungarian Army.