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The Apor Vilmos Medal for Merit
After returning to Hungary, the leadership of the Hungarian Association of the Knights of Malta felt it desirable to have a way of giving "dignified and fair" recognition to exceptional work done in the spirit of selfless service and Christian charity. The President of the Association petitioned the Grand Master for authorization to establish a Medal of Merit - an unprecedented step on the part of a national institution of the Order. Grand Master Fra' Andrew Bertie and the Sovereign Council approved the petition during the Jubilee year, authorizing the estabishment of the Vilmos Apor Medal of Merit and its regulations. The medal is given by the Hungarian Association, in three grades: gold, silver and bronze.
The first medals were awarded in 1999, during the celebrations of the10th anniversary of the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, to those of its members who had rendered exceptional services. The first non-Hungarian to receive the award was Prof. Dr. Helmut Greve, Honorary Consul, for exceptional support given to the Association.
