This Week: Ettlingen Reports Assassination In Sarajevo

The Mittelbadischer Courier, Ettlingen's newspaper on June 30, 1914, reporting on the murders of the heirs to the Austrian throne in Sarajevo, Bosnia

Murder of the Heirs to the Austrian Throne

Serajewo, June 29. Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, the Duchess von Hohenberg, yesterday fell victim to an assassination. As the heir to the throne and his wife arrived yesterday morning in Serajewo, the capital of Bosnia, and were making their way to the City Hall in automobiles together with their retinue, a large crowd of people gathered on the streets to reverentially greet the ducal couple. Suddenly, a bomb was flung at the car of the heir to the throne. The Archduke reacted promptly to the danger, jumped up and threw the bomb to one side. It fell on the ground behind the car. A number of people in the crowd, as well as various gentlemen travelling in the car behind from the Archduke's retinue, were severely wounded by the exploding fragments. Oberstleutnant Graft Boos-Waldeck and Oberstleutnant Merezzi, the adjutant to the state leader of Bosnia, who had taken their seats in the car following the Archduke, were slightly injured, while four bystanders were severely injured. The perpetrator, who was struck to the ground by police who hurried to the scene, stated that his name was Gabrinoviz and that he was a typesetter by profession. He declared that he came from Herzegowina. 

Following this incident, the heir to the throne and his wife, who was extremely alarmed by the catastrophe, adjourned to the City Hall, where, deeply agitated, he addressed the Mayor with the following words, "We come with the most peaceful of intentions to visit Serajewo and we are greeted here with bombs". In his address the Mayor expressed his outrage at the cowardly act. The Archduke had one of his accompanying officers inform him of the condition of the wounded. He then boarded the automobile again together with his wife, to finish the tour through the the city as planned. But barely had the Archduke and his wife once again boarded the car, than a young person pushed forward through the crowd and before the police, racing towards him, could prevent it, delivered in quick succession several shots aimed at the Archduke and the Duchess von Hohenberg. The Archduke was hit by a shot to the face and was covered in blood. The Duchess, who had stood up in the car crying out loudly, received a shot to the abdomen and toppled over her seriously injured husband. The retinue attended to the severely injured couple and the Archduke and his wife were then brought at top speed to the Konal (the government building). The Archduke passed away on the way, while his wife breathed her last a few minutes later. Only with great effort were the police able to drag away the perpetrator who had fired the deathly shots from the angry crowd, who tried to lynch him. It is a 17-year old high school pupil in the 8th grade by the name of Prinizip, of Serbian origin, born in Grahovo on the Serbian border.

The article goes on to report on the reactions in Austria, Germany, Serbia, Hungary and Bosnia.

The Impression in Vienna.

Vienna, Austria, June 29. 

The article reports that at first, the news of the murders is not believed in Austria. Telegraph and telephone communication are ordered to stop until official confirmation. Shortly afterwards, the confirmation is received with the utmost horror. Agitated groups of people gather on the streets, hotly discussing the news. It is reported that Kaiser Franz Joseph of Austria, in Ischl, almost completely collapses on receiving the news. "I am spared nothing in this world", he says. 

Kaiser Franz Joseph has already lost his son, Crown Prince Rudolf, who committed suicide in 1889. He orders the court to be moved from Ischl to Vienna.

The News in Germany.

Kiel, Germany, June 29. 

The article reports that Kaiser Wilhelm receives the sad news in the early afternoon. The "Kiel Week" (Kiel Regatta - the largest sailing event in the world) is in progress and the war vessels and yachts in the harbor set their flags to half-mast. The Kaiser orders a salute to be fired and it is discussed whether the Kiel Week should be aborted. He also orders all imperial palaces and official buildings to set their flags to half-mast.

The commander of the English squadron at Kiel has all the English vessels set their flags to half-mast.

Serbia and the Assassination

Belgrade, Serbia, June 30.

The article goes on to relate that the Serbian press reports that the nationality of the murderers is still unknown. The Serbian nation, however, sincerely regrets the deaths and respects and recognizes the pain of its neighboring state.

Budapest, Hungary.

According to the article, Hungary's daily newspaper reports that both assassins have been living in Serajewo for two weeks, without police registration. Prinzip's landlord reported twice to the police that his tenant refused to fill out the official police registration, resulting in police intervention. Perhaps the men could have been put under surveillance and the assassination prevented? the paper asks.

Police and military authorities have searched Prinzip's room and confiscated letters, documents, and payment advice notes from the Pan-Serbian Action Committee in Belgrade.

Vienna, Austria.

The article goes on to report that the police in Serajewo are using almost half of the Serbian police force. The Serbian newspaper "Narod" published a sarcastic arcticle on the 25th of this month on the entry of the heir to the throne in Serajewo and wrote that this visit would not be able to stop the creation of the pan-Serbian state.

Vienna, Austria, June 29.

There is no doubt, Ettlingen's article continues, that the assassination is the result of Serbian propaganda. Proof of this can be seen in the newspaper "Novosti", published in Belgrade, which wrote in its Thursday edition that the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne should take a good look at Bosnia and Herzegowina this time, as it would be his last opportunity.

Berlin, Germany, June 30.

According to our article, the Serbian deputy to the consulate in Bosnia and Herzogowina circumvented the reception ceremonies of the heir to the Austrian throne in Bosnia by going "on vacation" to Serbia during the time of the visit.

Serbian business people in Serajewo also refused to decorate their houses as required by the city's authorities. However, in the Turkish quarter, houses and buildings were decorated with flags.

Commotion in Bosnia

Serajewo, June 30. 

In Mostar, the Moslems and Croats among the Serbs have created a bloodbath, according to our article. There are talks of 200 dead, the city is in flames. The Serbian businesses and institutions have been completely destroyed and the entire country is in uproar.

The article finishes by reporting that the bodies of the Archduke and his wife are brought home in state. 

Archduke Karl Franz Joseph, aged 26 and the nephew of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, is the new heir to the throne. However, the article tells us, he is not as spirited as his murdered uncle.