SERAJEVO MURDERER WILL HAVE MEMORIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18985, 3 February 1930, Page 10

SERAJEVO MURDERER WILL HAVE MEMORIAL.

•AFFRONT TO THE WORLD," DECLARE NEWSPAPERS.

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

(Received February 2, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 1. The correspondent of the “Times” at Belgrade states that a memorial tablet to the student Gabriel Princip, the nineteen-year-old assassin, whose murder of the Austrian Archduke Frapcis Ferdinand in June, 1914, led up to me world war, will be unveiled at Serajevo on February 2 on the spot where the Archduke was killed.

The Jugo-Slav Government states that as the tablet is being privately erected by Princip’s family and friends, they cannot interfere, but no authorities or associations will be represented at the unveiling and speeches will not be allowed.

Several newspapers referring to the ceremony, describe it as one of the most remarkable ceremonies in history, amounting to an affront to the world.

The memorial will be placed in the exact spot where Princip stood when he fired the fatal spot, as the motorcar in which the Archduke and his Wife were being driven was backing out of a cul de sac. This part of the quayside at Serajevo already bears the name “Princip,” whose deed has been signalised by the erection of an imposing tomb, and by a tablet in another portion of the town, on which are the words: “To a patriot who liberated his country from the oppressor.” The new tablet will be the third memorial bearing his name and portrait.

It was the intention of the “Black Hand” to erect a magnificent monument, pretentious and belligerent, but owing to the intervention of King Alexander, who possibly guessed the effect of such a display abroad, this was abandoned. Great preparations are proceeding for the ceremony, which will be the occasion for wide-spread festivities.

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were shot at Serajevo by Gabriel Princip. As a result of the ensuing ultimatum sent by Austria to Serbia, who was alleged to have aided and abetted the crime, war was declared by Austria on July 28, 1914, thus setting the spark that fired the Great War.