Zoltán Decleva

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Zoltán Decleva (30 July 1887 – 17 July 1950) was a Hungarian military leader who reached the rank of lieutenant-general. He commanded the Hungarian I Corps during the invasion of Yugoslavia and later held top staff positions in 1941–1942, including deputy chief of the General Staff and deputy commander in chief of the army. From 1 November 1941 to 3 December 1942 he led the 3rd Army, which occupied parts of Yugoslavia. He retired on 1 February 1943.

Decleva was born in Alsószemeréd (now Dolné Semerovce, Slovakia) when the area was part of Austria-Hungary. He began his military career after graduating from the Military Academy in Pécs, becoming a second lieutenant in 1906. He fought on the front lines in World War I for about 42 months. He later studied in Budapest and finished the Military Academy in 1923. He held many roles, including aide-de-camp to the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, Chief of Staff of the 1st Mixed Brigade, head of the Training Department in the Ministry of Defence, and Deputy Chief of the General Staff. In 1940 he commanded the 1st Army Corps and was promoted to lieutenant general. He also took part in the Transylvania campaign and the campaign in Bácska.

Decleva died in Budapest in 1950. He was posthumously awarded the Order of Vitéz in 2004. His son Ferenc Decleva (1942–2016) became a captain in the Hungarian National Guard.