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Thursday, June 28, 2018

I SPENT NIGHTS THINKING ABOUT OUR MISERABLE CONDITIONS

AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN ARCHDUKE DEAD AT HANDS OF ASSASSIN

Sarajevo, Bosnia (JFK+50) On June 28, 1914, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated and his wife, Sophia, was killed as they rode in an open touring car here in Sarajevo.  The Royal couple were on a state visit and celebrating their wedding anniversary.

The assassin, a 19 year old Serbian named Gavrilo Princip*, was taken into custody.  Princip was one of seven members of a Bosnian-Serb militant organization desiring independence from Austria-Hungary.

Princip later said...

"I often spent nights...thinking about our miserable conditions...and so...I resolved to carry out the assassination."

His action was to trigger a chain reaction of events which led to a declaration of war by Austria-Hungary on Serbia and the beginning of world war.

*Gavrilo Princip (1894-1918) was born near Bosansko Grahovo & studied in Belgrade.  GP was a member of the Young Bosnian Movement.  He was found guilty of the deaths of the Archduke & his wife & was sentenced to 20 years in prison. GP died of tuberculosis in prison.

SOURCES

"First World War Centenary: the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, as it happened", The Telegraph, June 22, 2018, www.telegraph.co.uk/

"Sarajevo marks 100 years since Archduke Francis Ferdinand shooting," by Allan Little, June 28, 2014, www.bbc.com/



Murder in Sarajevo



Princip on Trial in Sarajevo
(front row/center)