A temporary exhibition honoring Colonel Mihály Fabriczy Kováts, Hungarian hussar officer and co-founder of the American light cavalry, opened on September 8 at Ludovika University of Public Service in Budapest. The exhibition explores Kováts’s remarkable journey from Hungary to the American Revolution, where he helped organize and train the Continental Army’s light cavalry and ultimately gave his life for American independence.
At the opening, Rector Gergely Deli emphasized how individuals and their actions forge lasting bonds between nations. He highlighted Kováts as a powerful link between Hungarian and American history and as an example of the values central to Ludovika’s mission: military expertise, public service, personal courage, and commitment to freedom. The exhibition forms part of the university’s broader effort to preserve and share Hungary’s military heritage while inspiring future generations dedicated to public service.
Caroline Savage, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, thanked those who made the exhibition possible and reflected on how closely Kováts’s legacy aligns with Ludovika’s spirit and mission. His life embodied tradition, courage, adaptability, and international cooperation. Together with his Polish comrade-in-arms, General Casimir Pulaski, Kováts brought the hussar traditions of European battlefields to America and helped adapt them to the needs of the Continental Army.
His motto, Fidelissimus ad mortem—“faithful unto death”—captures the values that defined his service and ultimate sacrifice. His story remains a powerful reminder that individuals can connect nations, forge enduring friendships, and carry shared ideals of freedom across borders.
The hallway beside Ludovika Public Service University’s main library has been transformed into a “Kováts Corner.” It features vivid artwork by Hungarian American artist Sándor Bodó, educational displays chronicling Kováts’s life and service in the Continental Army, a hussar uniform from Karcag, books exploring his legacy, and our animated video series—all now part of the daily life of the campus that trains Hungary’s future public servants, military officers, police officers, border guards, and diplomats.
The goal was to create a place in Budapest that symbolizes a powerful historical truth: Hungary was present at America’s founding. And Hungarians contributed to the Patriot cause by offering what they knew best—the skill, courage, and fighting tradition of the hussars.
Special thanks to Brigadier General József Padányi, who brought the entire exhibition together; the U.S. Embassy in Budapest and Chargé d’Affaires Caroline Savage for opening it and contributing the letter of General Christopher Donahue, Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe and Africa saluting Kovats; and the Nádasdy Hussar Museum for helping present Bodó’s iconic, colorful depictions of Kováts and the battles that carried him from Pennsylvania to Charleston, South Carolina.
We look forward to building on this momentum next year through new educational partnerships exploring transatlantic military history and geopolitics.
Click here to read more on Ludovika, Public Service University’s website.