Grandmaster (10th degree black belt) Frank F. Kovacs celebrated his 90th birthday today.  He was born on July 8, 1921 in the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania (Romania). 

After high school Frank enrolled in the Ludovica Military Academy, the Hungarian "West Point."  He was graduated from the Academy in 1943 with the rank of Second Lieutenant and immediately went into combat as a border patrol guard on the Hungarian-Romanina border during WWII.  He earned the Hungarian Medal of Honor after a fight in which he was hit with 13 bullets from submachine gun fire.

Frank, who had been studying various forms of martial arts since age 6, relocated to Austria soon after WWII and began teaching martial arts to military academies, including the British commandos.

Frank relocated to the United States in 1949 and in 1955 founded a style of martial arts called Minna-Jiu-Jitsu, which means "More Arts Together."  The core techniques of Minna-Jiu-Jitsu include techniques from Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Savate, and Muay Thai.  Minna-Jiu-Jitsu is a practical, effective style that empowers individuals to defend themselves from almost any type of attack, whether against single or multiple opponents and whether armed or unarmed.  

Happy birthday, Frank, my teacher and friend!

With deepest gratitude,

Jim Caruso