Union or Death: Ujedinjenje ili Smrt
The Black Hand's Logo
The Black Hand, a Serbian nationalist terrorist group, was the group that funded and sent the 9 assassins to kill Franz Ferdinand. The reason Austria-Hungary lashed out against Serbia in World War 1, despite the fact Princip was Bosnian, was because all the other assassins were Serbian, and the assassination plot was funded and lead by Serbians, and was started in Serbia. In fact, the leader of the Serbian military, Dragutin Dimitrijevic (also called Apis) was their leader. The majority of the members were Serbian military officers, Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia was a proud financial supporter, and the Serbian government supported their cause.
By 1914, there were about 2500 members, but only 9 were sent to assassinate the Archduke. Ten were present on the bridge where Cabrinovic's grenade missed, because a non-assassin member, Benjove Jevtic, was there on unrelated business. The assassins on the bridge were Nedjelko Cabrinovic, Trifko Grabez, Gavrilo Princip, Muhamed Mehmedbasic, Danilo Ilic, Vaso Cabrilovic, Veljko Cabrilovic, Cvjetko Popovic, and Misko Jovanovic.
In Serbia, Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijevic and 3 others were sentenced to death by firing squad in June, 1917. Cabrinovic, Grabez, Ilic, both Cabrilovics, Popovic, and Jovanovic were executed by Austro-Hungary. Under Austro-Hungarian law, Princip, who was only 18, was too young to be executed, and Mehmedbasic escaped into Serbia. Princip died 4 years later of tuberculosis while in a Bosnian prison.
While the Black Hand was destroyed and made illegal, a group of Black Hand members later formed the White Hand, an organization with the same goals. Vojislav Petrovic, who was writing a book about the Black Hand, was said to be assassinated by them. The White Hand was said to be encouraged by the Yugoslav government.
By 1914, there were about 2500 members, but only 9 were sent to assassinate the Archduke. Ten were present on the bridge where Cabrinovic's grenade missed, because a non-assassin member, Benjove Jevtic, was there on unrelated business. The assassins on the bridge were Nedjelko Cabrinovic, Trifko Grabez, Gavrilo Princip, Muhamed Mehmedbasic, Danilo Ilic, Vaso Cabrilovic, Veljko Cabrilovic, Cvjetko Popovic, and Misko Jovanovic.
In Serbia, Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijevic and 3 others were sentenced to death by firing squad in June, 1917. Cabrinovic, Grabez, Ilic, both Cabrilovics, Popovic, and Jovanovic were executed by Austro-Hungary. Under Austro-Hungarian law, Princip, who was only 18, was too young to be executed, and Mehmedbasic escaped into Serbia. Princip died 4 years later of tuberculosis while in a Bosnian prison.
While the Black Hand was destroyed and made illegal, a group of Black Hand members later formed the White Hand, an organization with the same goals. Vojislav Petrovic, who was writing a book about the Black Hand, was said to be assassinated by them. The White Hand was said to be encouraged by the Yugoslav government.