Archduke Franz Ferdinand's car.
The July Crisis
1914
28 June 1914
Image of the New York Times front page on 29 June 1914.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand's shirt - notice the tear caused by the bullet.
28 June 1914 - the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia by Gavrilo Princip.
Princip was a member of the "Black Hand" organisation fighting for an independent Slavic state.
Did you know?
The Military Museum in Vienna keeps the bloodied shirt of the Archduke. It is kept in a glass container and can be viewed as part of the exhibition at certain times of the year.
Did you know?
Franz and Sophie had three children: Maximillan, Ernst and Sophie who are often considered the 'first orphans of the First World War'. During WWII Maximillan and Ernst were imprisoned in Dachau concentration camp, thankfully both men survived.
Read The Times UK "The Tragedy of Sarajevo" article below published in The Times on June 29, 1914.
https://extras.thetimes.co.uk/public/firstworldwar/2014/sarajevotragedy/index9.html
29 June
- Discussion between Count Berchtold (Austrian foreign minister) and Conrad (Austrian Army chief of staff.) The pair discuss immediate action against Serbia.
- Austro-Hungary aims to make sure of the alliance with Germany.
Austrian Army Chief of Staff - Conrad von Hotzendorf
Have a look at this website for a quick overview of the Austro-German Alliance.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Austro-German-Alliance
Did you know?
Austrian Army Chief of Staff was dismissed in 1911 after demanding to enter a war against Italy.
30 June
Count Berchtold (Austrian Foreign Minister) states that the assassination was planned by Serbia and due to the unrest in the Balkans, there was a general feeling that Serbia should be dealt with. German Ambassador von Tschirschky advises Austria not to act hastily.
Make notes on this brilliant lecture detailing the plot of the assassins and the conflict between the Balkans and Austro-Hungary before the war.
Twenty-Five Lectures on Modern Balkan History
Lecture 15: The Balkan causes of World War I
3 July
Franz and Sophie Ferdinand are buried.