Order of Ľudovít Štúr

The Order of Ľudovít Štúr (Rad Ľudovíta Štúra) is the third highest Slovak state decoration (after the Order of the White Double Cross and the Order of Andrej Hlinka) conferred by the President of the Slovak Republic upon the proposal of the government. The president, who is a recipient, 1st Class, of the order by virtue of holding office, is not obligated to respect the proposal.

The medal is awarded to Slovak citizens who have made exceptional contributions to democracy and human rights, the defence and security of the republic, or for exceptionally significant merit in the fields of politics, state management and administration, the development of the national economy, science and technology, culture, art, education, sports, and for significant spread of the good name of the Slovak Republic abroad.

The Order of Ľudovít Štúr, instituted on 2 February 1994, is bestowed annually on 1 September, on the occasion of the anniversary of the approval of the Constitution of Slovakia. It is named after the Slovak poet, philosopher, politician, and writer Ľudovít Štúr (1815–1856).

Classes
The award has two types—civil and military; each type has three classes, ranked by degree of merit.

Selected recipients
Sources:

1st Class, civil


 * Ján Chryzostom Korec
 * Alexander Dubček
 * Július Binder
 * Milan Rúfus
 * Dominik Tatarka
 * Dominik Hrušovský
 * Ľubor Kresák
 * Ľudovít Rajter
 * Juraj Schenk
 * Sergej Kozlík
 * Peter Baco
 * Ondrej Lenárd
 * Ladislav Chudík
 * Michal Kováč
 * František Zvarík
 * Miroslav Kusý
 * Štefan Vrablec
 * Emília Vášáryová
 * Ján Popluhár
 * Hana Ponická
 * Mária Kráľovičová
 * Milan Hamada
 * Peter Šťastný
 * Jaroslav Filip
 * Ján Stanislav
 * Juraj Králik
 * Miloslav Mečíř
 * Vojtech Zamarovský
 * Michal Dočolomanský
 * Branislav Varsik
 * Eugen Suchoň
 * Michal Martikán
 * Anastasiya Kuzmina
 * Henrieta Farkašová
 * Ernest Valko
 * Ján Langoš
 * Ivan Kamenec
 * Martin Milan Šimečka
 * Ester Šimerová-Martinčeková
 * Ilja Zeljenka
 * Zuzana Kronerová
 * Peter Breiner
 * Daniela Hantuchová
 * Ján Kuciak
 * Veronika Velez-Zuzulová
 * Magdaléna Vášáryová
 * Zuzana Žirková
 * Pavol Demitra
 * Rudolf Chmel
 * Eva Kristínová
 * Klára Jarunková
 * Petra Vlhová

1st Class, military
 * Ján Golian
 * Rudolf Viest
 * Ivan Bella

2nd Class, civil


 * Vojtech Zamarovský
 * Alfréd Wetzler
 * Imrich Andrejčák
 * Miroslav Šatan
 * Bohdan Warchal
 * Ľubomír Lipták
 * Peter Jaroš
 * Martina Moravcová
 * Martin Slivka
 * Martin Bútora
 * Anton Srholec
 * Ján Starší
 * Ján Zachara
 * Eugen Jurzyca
 * Dominik Hrbatý
 * Karol Kučera
 * Soňa Valentová
 * Mirosław Iringh
 * Jozef Plachý
 * Zdeno Chára

2nd Class, military
 * Ján Nálepka

3rd Class, civil


 * Michal Drobný
 * Elena Lacková
 * Eva Siracká
 * Ján Riapoš
 * Michal Mertiňák
 * Peter Solan
 * Vladimír Godár