Warning! The Order of Vitéz is being impersonated and forged.
- v. Balázs Róbert
- Nov 2
- 4 min read
We wish to draw attention to the fact that in recent years, numerous groups and organisations have emerged that unlawfully use the name, coat of arms, and insignia of the Order of Vitéz, and misleadingly present themselves as the official legal successor of the Order.
Dear Fellow Citizens,
Unfortunately, an increasing number of so-called “sham organisations” and self-proclaimed groups have appeared in recent years, which, in pursuit of financial gain or false hopes of power, are attempting to present themselves as legitimate, in a manner that is completely contrary to the original spirit and moral principles of the Order of Vitéz.
It is important to know that the name "Vitézi Rend," the Order's coat of arms, insignia, and logo are legally protected, and their use is exclusively reserved for the legally continuous Order of Vitéz, its provincial chapters, or those authorised by them.
The "VITÉZI REND" was registered as a legal entity with the Metropolitan Court of Budapest under registration number 4227 on 3rd February 1992.
The term "VITÉZI REND" is protected by the Hungarian Patent Office under registration number 160 272.
The "VITÉZI INSIGNIA" is also protected by the Hungarian Patent Office under registration number 161 696.
According to the above, those who use or unlawfully appropriate the name "VITÉZI REND" or the "VITÉZI INSIGNIA" without permission, violate industrial property rights under Section 152 of Government Decree 218/1999. (XII. 28.), and can be subject to a monetary fine and imprisonment.
Historical Facts Concerning Legal Continuity
The Order of Vitéz was officially banned in 1944. Its members faithfully preserved the spirit of the Order even in exile; however, Governor Miklós Horthy neither granted permission nor authorised the re-establishment of the Order abroad — in fact, he expressly forbade it.
Consequently, any so-called “Order of Vitéz” founded or registered abroad by private individuals — including the so-called “replica” established in Sweden — cannot be regarded as legally legitimate, even if they falsely claim affiliation with the ICOC (International Commission of Orders of Chivalry).
For more detailed information on who in fact legitimately continued the Order of Vitéz, please refer to the article below.
The ICOC is not an official state body; rather, it is a private enterprise with no state or international legal recognition. We have previously provided a detailed account of its corrupt and deceptive activities in another article.
WIKIPEDIA
This same group is also associated with misleading and false information being spread on the popular WIKIPEDIA platform. Wikipedia is an open-source platform, meaning that anyone can edit or modify its content. Numerous times, correct information has been restored, only for false and inaccurate data to resurface within weeks.
The Order of Vitéz has raised the issue with Wikipedia on several occasions and requested that the relevant page be locked, but they have distanced themselves from investigating the truth of the matter. The images below show when the information was still correctly listed on Wikipedia.
INTERNET (Websites)
Some examples from the websites of imitating, deceptive, and breakaway organisations
Several organisations have appeared on the internet and in the media that unlawfully use the name or coat of arms of the Order of Vitéz. A few of these include:
1. Habsburg ICOC Vitézi Rend - www.vitezi-rend.com
The hyphen ("-") in the domain name misleadingly separates the words "vitezi" and "rend."
2. Történelmi Vitézi Rend - www.vitezirend.hu
The leaders are individuals who have broken away from the Order of Vitéz and are following their own path. Although their organisation is registered, they are not legally permitted to use the coat of arms or insignia of the Order of Vitéz!
3. Kárpát-medencei Vitézi Rend – www.vitezek.hu
4. Erdélyi Vitézi Rend – www.erdelyivitezirend.ro
5. Vitézi Rend (utánzat) – www.vitezirend.org
The official website of the original, legally continuous Order of Vitéz has been located at www.vitezirend.com since 1992.
The official website of the United Kingdom's provincial chapter is:
Unfortunately, the situation is no better on the popular social platform Facebook. Privately run groups, falsely claiming legitimacy, operate with a minimal number of members, but they are capable of deceiving those less familiar with the topic.
Here are a few examples from the Facebook pages of deceptive and breakaway organisations:
The official Facebook contact details of the Order of Vitéz are as follows:
Warning!
Dear Fellow Citizens, Future Vitéz,
We ask everyone to exercise caution and be vigilant, especially when seeking information related to applications for membership or inquiries about joining.
Please do not share personal data or documents with organisations whose legitimacy is questionable!
We respectfully draw attention to the fact that only the legally continuous Order of Vitéz, registered in Hungary, and its provincial chapters are authorised to use the name, coat of arms, and insignia of the Order.
Only individuals appointed by the legally continuous, legitimate Order of Vitéz, who have undergone a rigorous selection process and meet the required standards, are officially recognised as Vitéz.
Admission is always based on individual assessment. Any other organisation misusing the name or symbols of the Order of Vitéz is acting unlawfully and is deceiving and misleading our fellow citizens with its activities.
Let us remain vigilant, well-informed, and together preserve the integrity, honour, and traditions of the Order of Vitéz!
The Leadership of the Legally Continuous Order of Vitéz
...
Comments