page_title: György Klapka
section_title: Before becoming a general
hierarchical_section_title: György Klapka / His military career in the Hungarian War of Independence / Before becoming a general
caption_attribution_description: English: Scene from the Battle of Bodrogkeresztúr 23 January 1849, in which György Klapka defeated the Austrian army commanded by Lieutenant-General Franz Schlik
context_page_description: György Klapka, also known in German as Georg Klapka was a Hungarian general. He was one of the most important Hungarian generals of the Hungarian War of Independence of 1848-1849, politician, member of the Hungarian Parliament, and deputy War Minister.
context_section_description: After the victory, on 15 March, of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, Klapka volunteered in the Hungarian army, and he was conscripted as Captain.
  In May 1848 he was appointed by Batthyány Government with two Hungarian officers to go to Kolozsvár and in the Székely Land to find out if Transylvania want to reunite with Hungary, and to measure how many from the Székely border guard units can be sent to Hungary. On 13 June he is appointed as a Captain to the 16 Hungarian Battalion in Veszprém. Starting with August he joins the Hungarian military operations in Bácska (Southern Hungary) against the Serbian insurgents.
  On 25 September he is sent to be the temporary director of the fortification works of the fortress of Komárom, called the Gibraltar of the Danube. During that time he prevented Wilhelm Mertz, the constable of the fortress, to deliver it in the hands of the Habsburgs, and played a role in forcing Mertz and the officers loyals to the Habsburgs, to leave Komárom, securing this very important stronghold for Hungary. From 16 October 1848 Klapka supervised also the fortification works from Pozsony. During that time, as the commander of the concentrated Hungarian national guards, he participate in the military operations against the Austrian troops led by Balthasar von Simunich which broke into Hungary from Moravia.
  On 13 November he is appointed chief of general staff of the Bánság army corps, and together with general Antal Vetter, he elaborates a plan to crush the Serbian insurgency, but this plan fails because its weak execution by the main commander of the military operations: general Ernő Kiss. In the end of December 1848 he works in the general staff section of the Hungarian Ministry of Defence.
  When in December 1848 the main Austrian imperial troops led by Field Marshal Alfred I, Prince of Windisch-Grätz attacked Hungary, he is appointed as Major in the Hungarian army, by 9 January 1849 he is already a Colonel. Together with his chief Antal Vetter he elaborates the plan of retreating the main Hungarian troops behind the Tisza river, and becomes the commander of the Upper Tisza Corps (Felső-tiszai hadtest).
  Before this the Upper Tisza Corps was led by the Minister of War General Lázár Mészáros, who was defeated by the Austrian troops led by Lieutenant-General Franz Schlik in the Battle of Kassa. Klapka took over these beaten troops in January 1849, reorganized them, and beat Schlik in three consecutive battles at Tarcal (20 January), Bodrogkeresztúr (23 January), and Tokaj (31 January). Thanks to these victories Klapka held the Hungarian defensive line along the Tisza river, and won precious time for the Hungarian commandment to organize the counter-attack against Windisch-Grätz imperial troops. From 29 January 1849 he is under the command of Lieutenant-General Henryk Dembiński the main commander of the Hungarian armies.
  After their victory at 5 February 1849 in the Battle of Branyiszkó, the Upper Danube Corps led by Artúr Görgei approached to the Tisza river from North-West, menacing, together with Klapka's corps, to encircle and destroy Schlik's army. Understanding the importance of this chance, Klapka tried to convince Dembiński, to attack from the South Schlik's corps, but the latter refused, ordering Klapka to retreat. This wrong decision of the main commander enabled Schlik to escape the danger, and to retreat. Klapka defeated him again on 8 February at Hidasnémeti, but the Austrian general was able to retreat towards West, joining the main imperial troops led by Windisch-Grätz.
  Klapka participated at 26–27 February in the Battle of Kápolna, commanding the right wing of the Hungarian army at Verpelét. The battle was lost because of Dembiński's poor army leading and indecision. After Dembiński's order of retreat, at 1 March Klapka fought successful rearguard actions against the Austrian corps led by Ladislaus von Wrbna at Egerfarmos.
  At 3 March he joins the revolt at Tiszafüred of the Hungarian officers dissatisfied with Dembiński's leadership, and force him to resign, supporting Görgei's election to the mai
caption: Scene from the Battle of Bodrogkeresztúr 23 January 1849
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