Stamp Story No. 37 Killed By An Assassin

Press, Volume C, Issue 29626, 23 September 1961, Page 8

Stamp Story No. 37 Killed By An Assassin

ißv KEN ANTHONYI NO stamp sums up the tradgedy of World War I better than this one. Issued in 1917 by Bosnia a country which is today part of Yugoslavia—it shows Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, and his wife. Their assassination at Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, in June. 1914, plunged most of Europe into war Bosnia, a Slav territory, had become a separate country as the result of the Congress of Berlin, whieh met in 1878 to carve up some of the Turkish possessions in Europe. It was decided that Bosnia should be administered by Austria.

In theory, the Austrian occupation was only provisional and Turkey retained her sovereign rights. Nevertheless. Bosnia was annexed by Austria in 1908. to the alarm

ol Serbia, home of the panSlav movement. The Archduke went to Sarajevo to announce plans for an Austrian-dominated Balkan Union, in spite of being advised not to make the visit. But he went—and was assassinated by a Slav nationalist.

The stamp illustrated was one of a set of three issued on the third anniversary of the assassination. Serbia had at that time been overrun, and the war appeared to be going well for Austria. So the stamps were sold with a small premium in aid of a proposed memorial church and sanatorium. A year or two later the picture was very different. Slav aspirations had been fulfilled, and Bosnia had joined with Serbia and other areas to form the new state of Yugoslavia. Perhaps the saddest victim of these Balkan power politics was the Archduchess Sophie. She was not of royal descent, and.- in fact, her marriage to the Archduke bad been strongly opposed. They had been forced to renounce all rights of succession for their children. It made no difference to the assassin. The Archduchess was shot dead with her husband while riding through Sarajevo on that momentous day in 1914.—(Central Press Features. All Rights Reserved).

Burnside Pavilion.—The Canterbury Rugby Union will be asked to contribute towards the cost of a pavilion i °. n . area of Burnside Park. The High School Old Boys' Association Football Club, which also has grounds at the park, has offered to help with the cost of a pavilion.