yugoslavia - battleground of the south slavs 3

8/12/2019 Yugoslavia - Battleground of the South Slavs 3

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The New Federalist April 28, 1989 Pages 6-7

American Almanac

Yugoslavia: Battleground Of the South Slavs

Part III

by Allen and Rachel Douglas

Dr. Frederick Guggonbuhl

A street scene in the southern Yugoslavia coast city of Dubrovnik


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Our series on the Bal ans is e!"erpted #ro$ %The &oots o# the Trust,% anunpu'lished stud( '( Allen and &a"hel )ouglas o# Executive Intelligence

Review. This install$ent "ontinues the a""ount o# the (ears 'e#ore *orld*ar +, 'egun in The New Federalist o# April 7 ol. ++, No. 1/0, %Theenetians )is$antle the Otto$an $pire.% The stor( #o"uses on the "ir"le

around enetian #inan"ier iuseppe olpi.

!he Russian Influence In Serbia

)ating #ro$ the ti$e o# 3ount N.P. +gnat(e45s sta( in 3onstantinople in the186 s and 187 s, the &ussians had $aintained and e!panded theirintelligen"e apparatus in the Bal ans, "entered on their "onsular apparatusand the O hrana, the se"ret poli"e. The latter, #or so$e (ears, $aintained aseparate Bal an head uarters, in addition to its $ain head uarters a'road, inParis. The Bal ans was the largest area o# $one( and $anpower allo"ations

'( &ussian intelligen"e in the pre-*orld-*ar-+ period, #ollowed '( the Farast.

As in +gnat(e45s da(, and $irroring olpi5s a"ti4ities, er'ia and ontenegrowere e( #o"i o# &ussian a"ti4ities. The #uture o4iet agent N. . Potapo4was the tsarist o##i"er in "harge o# training the ontenegrin Ar$( #ro$ 19 :to 191/, the sa$e period when olpi entirel( do$inated the "ountr(. The

ontenegrin prin"esses ilitsa and Anastasia, sisters o# olpi5s puppetPrin"e )anilo and wi4es o# the &ussian grand du es, were 4er( in#luential at

the &ussian "ourt.As in the 187 s, there was one Bal ans poli"( o# %o##i"ial &ussia%;that o#the Tsar;and one o# the #anati"al Pan- la4 e!pansionists, %uno##i"ial&ussia.% an( o# the latter were deter$ined that the &o$ano4 )(nast( 'eswept out o# power in &ussia.

%


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A leading #igure in the Asiati" )epart$ent o# the Foreign inistr( sin"e he 'egan his "areer there in 187/, ?art4ig was one o# the $ost wild-e(ed Pan-

la4 e!pansionists. ?e #re uentl( atta" ed %o##i"ial &ussia5s% eastern poli"(#or its %la" o# patriotis$% and la" o# e!pansionis$. For de"ades, ?art4ighad 'een an all( o# the pan- la4 e!pansionists in the &ussian eneral ta##and the "ourt, whi"h #ro$ 19 9 to 191@ $eant espe"iall( the ontenegrinsisters and Anastasia5s spouse, the "hie# o# the &ussian eneral ta##, rand)u e Ni olai Ni ola(e4i"h.

A 'itter opponent o# the Austro-?ungarian $pire, %?art4ig e$'ra"edwholeheartedl( the er'ian . . . "ause,% wrote Andrew &ossos in a 197thesis %&ussia and the Bal ans, 19 9-191@%0. %?en"e, he se"ured #orhi$sel# a position o# unri4aled in#luen"e in Belgrade.% ?art4ig5s "olleagueToshe4 noted that %step '( step he 4irtuall( too into his own hands the

a"tual dire"tion o# the ingdo$.% Another o# his diplo$ati" "olleagues,)es"os, eulogi=ed ?art4ig, who died o# an apparent heart atta" not longa#ter the assassination o# the Austrian Ar"hdu e Fran= Ferdinand in 191@% . de ?art4ig5s death is an irrepara'le loss #or er'ia. Fro$ his longser4i"e in the Asiati" )epart$ent, he had deri4ed an in"o$para'le now-ledge o# Bal an a##airs, the wa( the( wor ed and the &ussian traditions. ?ewas a'le, energeti", and i$pla"a'le. Ced '( te$pera$ent and "ir"u$stan"esinto the wa(s o# re4olt . . . he used the er' "ause as a weapon in hisstruggle against his own o4ern$ent.%

!he Black "and*ith the "o$'ined anti-?aps'urg "lout o# olpi and the &ussians, the pan-

er' a"ti4ities o# 3ol. Apis, hi$sel# tied "losel( to the %uno##i"ial &ussia% o# pan- la4 e!pansionists, O hrana agents, and re4olutionaries, #lourished. +n

a( 1911, around a "ore o# the original 19 : regi"ides, 3ol. Apis organi=edhis se"ret so"iet(, Ujedinjenje ili !rt %


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"rticle #. This organi=ation is #or$ed in order to a"hie4e theideal o# uni#i"ation o# er'do$D all er's, regardless o# se!,religion, or pla"e o# 'irth, "an 'e"o$e $e$'ers, and an(oneelse who is prepared to ser4e this ideal #aith#ull(.

"rticle $. This organi=ation "hooses re4olutionar( a"tion ratherthan "ultural, and is, there#ore, ept se"ret #ro$ the general

pu'li".

"rticle %. The na$e o# the organi=ation is Ujedinjenje ili !rt.

"rticle &. 1. +n a""ordan"e with its essential nature, it willin#luen"e er'ia, at o##i"ial le4els and throughout all "lasses o#so"iet(, to 'e"o$e a Pied$ontD 2. underta es the organi=ationo# re4olutionar( a"ti4ities in all territories inha'ited '( er'sD

:. will #ight with all the $eans a4aila'le to it those outside the#rontiers who are ene$ies o# the idealD @. will $aintain "onta"twith all states, organi=ations, and indi4iduals who are #riendl(toward er'ia and the er'sD /. o##ers help to all peoples andorgani=ations who are li ewise struggling #or li'eration anduni#i"ation.

This organi=ation, in the ne!t three (ears, was to 'e the "entral a"tor on two#ronts 10 organi=ing and "ondu"ting the Bal an *ars o# 1912-1:D and 20"ondu"ting the assassination o# the ar"hdu e. Along with ?art4ig, its "hie#&ussian "olla'orator in 'oth o# these e##orts was the &ussian $ilitar( atta"hEin Belgrade, i tor Arta$ono4.

Artamonov and #uchkov

&ussian $ilitar( atta"hE in Athens #ro$ 19 9 to 1912, Arta$ono4 "a$e toBelgrade in 1912. ?is own pre#eren"e #or Pan- la4i" %uno##i"ial &ussia% isre"orded in a 'rie# $e$oir he wrote in 19:8 #or the 'erliner (onatshe)te*

+ as the reader to listen in an un'iased wa(, to a %4oi"e #ro$

the la4i" "a$p.% *orld histor( o# the last 2 (ears re"ordswhat a role &ussia has had in the tragi" #ate o# the Bal anstates. +t "an not 'e asserted that the goals o# li'eration #ro$the Tur ish (o e, pursued '( the Bal an states, "orresponded"o$pletel( to the readiness o# &ussia to support the >ust stri4-ings o# these oppressed peoples. *e need go no #urther 'a" inhistor( than to re"all that the &usso-Tur ish *ar o# 1877-78


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was laun"hed '( no $eans '( the will and preparation o# the&ussian go4ern$ent, 'ut rather against its will, '( the pressureo# pu'li" opinion. The sa$e holds #or the Bal an *ar o# 1912,whi"h li ewise 'ro e out without the wish or understanding o#o##i"ial &ussia. o#ia and Belgrade sought &ussian appro4al #ortheir intentions onl( through Ale!ander u"h o4, who 4isited

'oth "apitals in the su$$er o# 1912. +t is well- nown that hewas a $e$'er o# the )u$a, a politi"ian, 'ut in no wa( a pleni-

potentiar( o# the &ussian regi$e. On the "ontrar( he was well-nown #or ha4ing 4iews whi"h o#ten did not "orrespond with

those o# the &ussian go4ern$ent.

This Ale!ander u"h o4 was the s"ion o# a pro$inent os"ow $er"hant#a$il( o# priest-less Old Belie4ers. This was the $ost radi"al wing o# the

Old Belie4er &ussian raskolnik+ se"t, $e$'ers o# whi"h had 'eeninstru$ental in insurgen"ies against the state #or three "enturies, o#ten inallian"e with the landed aristo"ra"(, or 'o(ars. u"h o4 went on to 'e oneo# the two $en who deli4ered the de$and o# a'di"ation to the Tsar in 1917,to o4ersee the wre" ing o# the Tsarist Ar$( as the #irst inister o# *ar inthe Pro4isional o4ern$ent #or$ed a#ter the Fe'ruar( 1917 re4olution, andto 'e"o$e a leading #igure in o4iet sp($aster )=er=hins (5s Trust

+t is "lear, #ro$ Arta$ono45s state$ent o# his own philosophi"al outloo ,that these two, u"h o4 and Arta$ono4, plus ?art4ig, were wor ing on

'ehal# o# %uno##i"ial &ussia% to ignite the Bal an *ars. +n #a"t, Arta$ono4re"ords that the er'ian heir-apparent, Ale!ander, while out riding with hi$in Belgrade in 1912, as ed hi$ what &ussia would do in the e4ent o# a waro# the Bal an states against Tur e(. Though he "lai$s that he %ne4erre"ei4ed instru"tions #ro$ the &ussian eneral ta##% on this e4entualit(,Arta$ono4 re$ar s that, %+ allowed $(sel# to 'e guided in $( answer to?is ?ighness '( $( senti$ents as a la4.%

*hile ?art4ig, u"h o4, and Arta$ono4 were handling the &ussian end o#the Bal an *ars, olpi was "oordinating the +talian end.

The Bal an *ars o# 1912-1:, tou"hed o## '( olpi5s puppet,ontenegro, wea ened the Austro-?ungarian position in the

Bal ans. The prestige o# er'ia had not 'een higher sin"e theer'ian ingdo$ in the #ourteenth "entur(.


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!he Balkans in $%$$ !urkey still !he Balkans in $%$& 'ontenegro andhas much land under its control Serbia have e()anded at !urkey*s

e()ense+ ,hile the corridor bet,eenthem+ a )otential rail route from-ienna to Salonica+ has disa))eared

!he Balkan .ars

)ue to a "o$'ination o# ar! Brothers $o4ies and the pre4ailing le4el o#%s"holarship% on the Bal ans, the usual response o# so$eone #a"ed withtr(ing to understand %the pat"hwor o# the Bal ans% and to eep the shi#ting

'oundaries and 4arious wars straight, is to throw up his hands;pre"isel( theresponse intended '( the enetians.

The $atter is uite si$ple The enetians "reated and ran the Otto$an$pire #ro$ the inside #or se4eral hundred (ears, and now the( were tr(ing

to 'ring it to a "lose, in a #ashion and with a ti$ing o# their "hoosing.Besides the general Niet=s"hean "haos o# *orld *ar +, whi"h the( desired,the( also had an e(e toward the spe"i#i" %"ountries% to e$erge #ro$


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the wre" age o# the Otto$an territories.

The Bal an *ars o# 1912-1: were set up '( the +talo-Tur war o# 1911,"oordinated '( olpi and the i"ilian- enetian $a#ia in the #oreign $inistr(.This wea ened Tur e( to the point where the "o$'inations o# olpi5s

puppets, su"h as er'ia and ontenegro, "ould #ight su""ess#ul wars againstthe Otto$ans. The i$$ediate purpose o# the 1911 +talo-Tur war was tota e Ci'(a #ro$ the Otto$ans. As olpi5s 'iographer ara=ani put it

+n 1912 olpi enters, as a protagonist, on the +talian politi"als"ene, at the $o$ent in whi"h the Tur s pro"lai$ed the nullit(o# the anne!ation Go# Ci'(aH to +tal(. ?e sa(s to iolitti, % end$e to 3onstantinople. + now well the Tur .% ?e was :@ (earsold. iolitti, e4o ing the Pea"e Treat( signed with Tur e( inOu"h(, writes in his e$oirs, that olpi was the $a er o# the

pea"e, so great was the nowledge he had o# the oriental world.

)uring 1911-12, a series o# allian"es were "on"luded a$ong ontenegro,er'ia, Bulgaria, and ree"e. Barel( had olpi stolen Ci'(a #ro$ the

Otto$ans, when his puppet, ontenegro, whose ar$( was trained '( the&ussian Potapo4, de"lared war on Tur e( on O"to'er 8, 1912.


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poli"( in the region. . . . The +talian go4ern$ent and 3o$it GB3+H assignedto the$ $an( se"ret underta ings. u"h depended on olpi and he "ouldnow set his sights on $u"h.%

olpi pushed the er's to stand #ir$ against an( Austro-?ungarian de$ands#or trade, #inan"ial, or other pri4ileges. ?e was "hallenging an Austro-?ungarian in#luen"e in er'ia, that was enor$ous Nine-tenths o# er'ia5se!ports and three-#i#ths o# her i$ports were to or #ro$ Austria-?ungar(.*hen er'ia had 'egun tari## negotiations with Bulgaria in 19 /, Austria-?ungar( strenuousl( o'>e"ted, out o# a desire to eep the Bal ans di4ided.Another de$and #ro$ the e$pire, was that er'ia pla"e all $unitions ordersin Austria-?ungar(. This er'ia re#used, to whi"h Austria-?ungar( retali-ated '( i$posing a high tari## on all er'ian li4esto" , a potential disaster#or er'ia, whose $ain e!port was hogs. At this point, er'ia arranged to

ship out its e!ports '( an alternati4e route, 4ia aloni"a. This was a $a>or politi"al as well as e"ono$i" turn.

!he Attentat at Sara/evo

On the $orning o# Iune 28, 191@, the si!-"ar entourage o# Ar"hdu e Fran=Ferdinand, heir to the throne o# the Austro-?ungarian $pire, 'egan atriu$phal parade down the $ain street o# the Bosnian town o# ara>e4o. A1911 trip '( the Ar"hdu e, to this sa$e "it(, had 'een "an"eled on there"o$$endation o# his se"urit( ad4iser, 3ount Father Augustin alen o# the

Prague Benedi"tine A''e(, who $ade a se"urit( re"onnaissan"e 4isit to thetown. This ti$e, e4en though Iune 28 was the anni4ersar( o# the er's5de#eat '( the Tur s at oso4o in 1:89, whi"h ended er'ian independen"e#or / (ears, no one restrained the Ar"hdu e #ro$ 4isiting Bosnia, on thisworst possi'le date.

Along his route, on the Appel Jua(, were stationed no #ewer than se4enassassins, ar$ed with 'o$'s and pistols. There $a( ha4e 'een se4eralti$es that nu$'er;%a regular a4enue o# assassins,% as the &o$an 3atholi"Ar"h'ishop o# ara>e4o "alled it later.

For an hour and #i#teen $inutes, the assassins strolled #reel( up and downthe a4enue, waiting #or the ar"hdu e5s entourage to arri4e. As it "a$e into4iew, the #irst assassin, 3a'rino4i", as ed a poli"e agent #ro$ the ar"hdu e5sse"urit( detail, in whi"h o# the si! "ars in the entourage the Ar"hdu e wasriding. +n#or$ed that it was the third, 3a'rino4i" no" ed the detonator "apo## his 'o$' on a near'( light-post, and hurled it at the ar"hdu e. The 'o$'


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stru" the ar"hdu e5s "ar, 'ut it was on a ti$e #use and did not 'low up untilit had rolled o##;it destro(ed the "ar 'ehind. A#ter the "ara4an sped to thetown hall, the ar"hdu e de"ided to 4isit so$e o# the wounded at the hospital.?e as ed eneral Os ar Potiore , the $ilitar( go4ernor o# ara>e4o, i# hissa#et( "ould 'e guaranteed.

Assured '( Potiore that it "ould, the ar"hdu e and the a""o$pan(ing "arsstarted 'a" down the 4er( sa$e %a4enue o# assassins.% *hile the entouragestopped, apparentl( "onte$plating a di##erent route, another o# the KoungBosnians, iha>lo Pusara regarded '( the others as a poli"e sp(, 'e"ause hewas "lose to his "ousin, a poli"e dete"ti4e0, atta" ed a poli"e o##i"er and$ade it possi'le #or a4rilo Prin"ip to #ire #reel(.

The ar"hdu e and his wi#e #ell in a pool o# 'lood, and were dead within$inutes. *ithin the $onth, orders were gi4en on all sides to $o'ili=e. Thegreatest "arnage in hu$an histor(, *orld *ar +, was under wa(, and the gatewas opened to the Bolshe4i &e4olution.

!he Organi0ers of the Assassination

+n 19/:, the upre$e 3ourt o# er'ia '( then, one o# the repu'li"s "o$pris-ing the o"ialist Federati4e &epu'li" o# Kugosla4ia0 retried a 1917 "aseagainst 3ol. Apis and his asso"iates; the #a$ous aloni"a trial. er'ianintelligen"e o##i"er Apis real na$e )ragutin )i$itri>e4i"0 and "o$pan(had 'een "onde$ned to death in aloni"a, not #or the assassination o# thear"hdu e, 'ut #or an alleged "onspira"( against Ale!ander, the er'ian heir-apparent. +n the "ourse o# this retrial, the #ollowing "on#ession '( Apis"a$e to light, whi"h had long 'een "losel( hidden, although ru$ors o# itse!isten"e "ir"ulated

To the ilitar( Tri'unal #or O##i"ers.

Fro$ the writ o# a""usation in the $atter o# the atte$pt uponthe li#e o# ?is &o(al ?ighness the "rown prin"e, + ha4e seenthat the guilt #or that atte$pt is laid upon &ade alo'a'i" and

uha$ed eh$ed'asi" and that + $(sel# a$ a""used o# "o$- pli"it( in that deed. ( parti"ipation in this deed is 'ased pri$aril( on $( great personal interest in 'oth a""used and $("onstant inter"essions in their 'ehal#.

Being thus #or"ed thus to >usti#( 'e#ore the tri'unal '( the realreasons this interest on $( part, + shall ha4e to 'ring to light a


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"ir"u$stan"e whi"h 'inds $e to the two a""used and ona""ount o# whi"h + ha4e shown the$ so $u"h "onsideration. +n#a"t, + $ust e!plain wh( + a$ in "ons"ien"e-'ound to stand '(these two persons.

The situation is as #ollows

&ade alo'a'i" is the $an who$ + engaged in $( "apa"it( as"hie# o# the intelligen"e di4ision o# the general sta## to organi=e$( intelligen"e networ in Austria-?ungar( and who undertooto do this #or $e. This + did in agree$ent with the &ussian$ilitar( atta"hE, r. Arta$ono4, who also had personal inter-4iews with &ade in $( presen"e. On"e &ade had started withthe e!e"ution o# this assign$ent, and #eeling that Austria was$a ing preparations #or war against us, + thought that with thedisappearan"e o# the Austrian ?eir Apparent Ferdinand, the

part( and the "li$ate o# opinion he headed would lose itsi$petus and that in that wa( the danger o# war would 'ere$o4ed #ro$ er'ia or at an( rate would 'e postponed.A""ordingl(, + engaged alo'a'i" to organi=e an atte$pt onFerdinand5s li#e on the o""asion o# his announ"ed 4isit to

ara>e4o.

+ de"ided this de#initel( onl( a#ter Arta$ono4 ga4e $e assur-

an"es that &ussia would not lea4e us without prote"tion i#Austria atta" ed us. To r. Arta$ono4 on this o""asion + didnot i$part an( in#or$ation on $( plans regarding the assassi-nation. To $a e $( de$and #or his opinion as to the attitude o#&ussia well #ounded, + pretended that our intelligen"e a"ti4ities$ight 'e dete"ted, so that this also $ight 'e $ade to ser4e as ane!"use #or Austria to atta" us. alo'a'i" "o$pleted the $is-sion + assigned to hi$. ?e organi=ed and "arried out the assas-sination. ?is prin"ipal aides were in $( ser4i"e. The( had as$all honorariu$ whi"h + was sending the$ through alo-

'a'i". o$e o# their signed re"eipts are in &ussian hands, sin"e+ was re"ei4ing the $one( + needed #or this wor #ro$ Arta-$ono4. Fro$ %)o"u$ents New 4iden"e on the ara>e4oAssassination,% '( to(an a4rilo4i", ,ournal o) (odern

-istor / )e". 19//.0


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At the end o# Fe'ruar( 191@, together with eneral ta##3olonel &o$ano4s (, we were "alled 'a" to gi4e a report onthe Bal an *ar. + was in t. Peters'urg a long ti$e. On April: , + returned to Belgrade. At the sa$e ti$e, 3aptain Ale -sandr +. er ho4s ( went to Belgrade. ?e was an e!pert at the

eneral ta## A"ade$( and had done all the anal(sis at theta## A"ade$( on the Bal an *ars o# 1912-1:. er ho4s (

was 4er( talented, 'ut had 'een in"lined, in his (oung (ears, toso"ialist 4iews and this had "aused great o##i"ial di##i"ulties #orhi$ 'e#ore the &usso-Iapanese *ar.

Arta$ono4 went on to re"ord how, %a#ter three (ears o# uninterrupted wor ,%he was #inall( granted a two-$onth 4a"ation in wit=erland, at the end o#

a( 191@. ?e introdu"ed er ho4s ( to all the rele4ant people, and %+

in#or$ed the &ussian eneral ta## and ?art4ig o# $( $easures puttinger ho4s ( in "harge.%

An Ill1!imed -acation

Thus, the top &ussian $ilitar( o##i"ial in er'ia #or the pre4ious three (ears,Arta$ono4, too a 4a"ation in Iune, at a $o$ent o# high tension in theBal ans and right on the e4e o# the $a>or Austro-?ungarian ar$( $aneu-4ers in Bosnia-?er"ego4ina, right on er'ia5s 'order. Further$ore, he wasrepla"ed '( an o##i"er who, despite nown ties into re4olutionar( "ir"les in

&ussia, nonetheless en>o(ed the "o$plete "on#iden"e o# the &ussian eneralta## to hold this sensiti4e position.

Fro$ o4iet historian N. P. Poleti a, writing in 19:/, we ha4e a #urtherela'oration o# e4ents on the e4e o# the assassination. A#ter re#erring to theBla" ?and $e$'ers5 "on#essions a'out ?art4ig5s and Arta$ono45s support#or Apis, Poleti a wrote

*e $a( GalsoH suppose, that the "ir"les o# high o##i"ers o# theeneral ta## and the *ar inistr(, grouped around rand

)u e Ni olai Ni ola(e4i"h, new alread( 'e#ore Prin"ip5satte$pt #ro$ the telegra$s o# the &ussian $ilitar( agent in

er'ia, 3ol. Arta$ono40, that a battue was 'eing preparedagainst the Ar"hdu e. G 'attue/ &ussian oblava/ is a huntingter$, #or the pro"ess o# 'eating the pre( out to 'e shot.H +t isalso not e!"luded, that inister o# Foreign A##airs a=ono4 also

new a'out the pro'a'ilit( o# an atte$ptD on Iune 1@ a #ort-


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night 'e#ore the assassination 0, he spo e to &o$anian Pri$einister Bratianu, at their 3ostan=a $eeting, a'out the possi'il-

it( o# war 'etween Tsarist &ussia and Austria o4er er'ia, and posed, during this dis"ussion, the %propheti" uestion% %*hatwill happen, i# the Austrian Ar"hdu e is illedL%

+n 19:8, Arta$ono4 "lai$ed that %the report o# the attentat in ara>e4o "a$eli e thunder out o# a "lear 'lue s (.% ?is own 'eha4ior at the ti$e gi4es thelie to that 4ersion. ?a4ing re"ei4ed the news, Arta$ono4 did not interrupthis 4a"ation. ?is diar(, whi"h $eti"ulousl( re"ords e4er( lira he spent #or"o##ee, hotel roo$s, et"., $a es not the slightest $ention o# the news o# the

ara>e4o assassination;onl( the standard e!penditures #or the da(, 'egin-ning with two lire #or "o##ee

?ard on the heels o# the assassination o# the ar"hdu e, "a$e the suddenheart atta" o# ?art4ig, ru$ored to ha4e 'een poisoned. +t is noteworth(that ?art4ig, #anati"al pan- la4 though he was, did ha4e "lose ties to er-$an(. +n the e4aluation o# his "onte$poraries, ?art4ig would not ha4eallowed the er'ians to pro"eed to *orld *ar +, had he li4ed. Arta$ono4sa(s that ?art4ig5s death was uite natural, sin"e he s$o ed a lot %and dranstrong tea.%

Arta$ono4 sta(ed on 4a"ation and waited #or a telegra$ #ro$ er ho4s (,%'ut none "a$e.% ?e then "ontinued his sightseeing, uitting wit=erland

#or northern +tal(. *ith his #a$il( in tow, Arta$ono4 too the train #ro$ilan to eni"e, where he sta(ed #or two da(s, and went to Fiu$e #or awhile, 'e#ore returning to Belgrade, where he re"ei4ed %soothing reports#ro$ er ho4s (.%

Al'ertini inter4iewed Arta$ono4 in the 19: s, a'out this in"redi'le 'eha4-ior. &egarding the $ost "ru"ial point, his ties to Apis, Arta$ono4 told hi$%O# "ourse + was pra"ti"all( in dail( "onta"t with )i$itri>e4i". + was

ilitar( Atta"hE, )i$itri>e4i" was head o# ilitar( +ntelligen"e o# theer'ian eneral ta##. er'ia and &ussia were on e!tre$el( #riendl( ter$s

and had dis"ussions on $utual "o-operation in "ase o# war. oreo4er + hadto #ollow Austrian $ilitar( preparations in Bosnia, 'e"ause, as an ene$(#rontier, it was o# "on"ern to the &ussian eneral ta## in "ase o# war. (relations with )i$itri>e4i" were entirel( "on#ined to intelligen"e on $ilitar($atters.%


14/23

Al'ertini "on"luded %Ne4ertheless, in 4iew o# the post he held, Arta$ono4did not su""eed in gi4ing the present writer a "on4in"ing e!planation o# hisdeparture #ro$ Belgrade pre"isel( on the e4e o# the Austrian grand $aneu-4res in Bosnia.%

Another sour"e "ited '( Al'ertini, the &ussian-Polish ar"heologist and$e$'er o# the #or$er Ar"heologi"al +nstitute o# t. Peters'urg, Couis deTr(dar-Bur=(ns i, stated in his 1926 $e$oirs %The assassination was

perpetrated with the support o# the &ussian ilitar( Atta"hE at Belgrade.3aptain *er"ho4s i G er ho4s (H, who was assistant to the ilitar( Atta"hEGArta$ono4H and was later *ar inister in the erens ( o4ern$ent, a(oung $an who$ + had nown 4er( well #or (ears and all his #a$il(, told$e uite #ran l( the truth a'out the origins, preparations and e!e"ution o#the plot.%

On April 1:, 19:2, when this passage was reprinted in the Deutsche "llge3!eine 4eitung/ it was #ootnoted with the "o$$ent, %Ale!ander +4ano4i"h*er"ho4s i er ho4s (0 is still ali4e and holds a high "o$$and in the &edAr$(. ?is e4iden"e, there#ore, "an still 'e o'tained.%

Archduke 2ran012erdinand of Austria1"ungary arrives in Sara/evo on 3une45+ $%$&


15/23

!he archduke*s /acket after he ,as assassinated

6a)t A I -erkhovsky+ the Russian military agent and to) Russian official inBelgrade at the time of the Sara/evo assassination "e later became an officerin the Soviet Red Army


16/23

6ol Dragutin Dmitrievich 7A)is8+ head of Serbian military intelligence andcontroller of the Black "and secret society+ testified that he received Russian)ermission for the Sara/evo assassination

!he Assassins

The assassins "a$e "hie#l( #ro$ the %Koung Bosnians,% whi"h was e4identl(not a single organi=ation, 'ut a 'un"h o# terrorist grouplets, "oordinated '(the er'ian ilitar( +ntelligen"e under 3ol. Apis and the Bla" ?and. The$e$'ers "a$e #ro$ 'a" ward, peasant-do$inated Bosnia-?er"ego4ina.The %spiritual leader% o# the Koung Bosnians, who was not on the s"ene at

ara>e4o, was ladi$ir a"ino4i".

+n 19 7, a"ino4i" had 'een a student at the er'ian astern Orthodo!e$inar( in &el>e4o, near ara>e4o, where he #ounded a %se"ret% re4olu-

tionar( so"iet( na$ed #or t. a4a, patron saint o# er'ia. ?e and a'out :other Bosnian and ?er"ego4inan (outh re"ei4ed stipends #ro$ the er'iango4ern$ent, to attend ienna


17/23

#irst Bal an *ar, then returned to Causanne to ta e up his so"iologi"alstudies. One o# his "losest asso"iates was ar Andre(e4i"h Natanson-Bo'ro4, a well- nown &ussian terrorist sin"e the 187 s, a "ohort o# theO hrana &ussian se"ret poli"e0 assassin A=e4, and al$ost "ertainl( anO hrana agent hi$sel#.

Natanson introdu"ed a"ino4i" to the "rea$ o# the &ussian re4olutionaries,in"luding Cuna"hars ( and arto4. A "onte$porar( des"ri'ed a"ino4i",leader o# the Koung Bosnians, as a %le#t-wing o"ialist &e4olutionar(, i# nota"tuall( a $e$'er, sin"e he was not a &ussian, then a "o-opted $e$'er.*ith su"h a position he had "onta"t with $an( &ussians, e!"hanging letters,#re uenting their $eetings and le"tures, e4en "ontri'uting to the &ussian

o"ialist press.% Fro$ ladi$ir )edi>er, The Road to arajevo.+

One o# the people who had the $ost pro#ound i$pa"t on a"ino4i" wasCeon Trots (, a #riend who$ he had nown #ro$ er'ia in 191:. A#ter the

ara>e4o e4ents, in the #all o# 191@, a"ino4i" regularl( 4isited Trots ( athis ?otel Odessa on the &ue d5Odessa in Paris, a""o$panied '( his #riend

ergei hi'al"hi"h, the son o# a Narodna(a ol(a $e$'er Ni olai hi'al-"hi"h, who was e!e"uted #or his part in the assassination o# Tsar Ale!ander++. Cater, when Natanson returned to &ussia on Cenin5s sealed train, hein4ited his #riend a"ino4i" to "o$e along. a"ino4i" de"lined, #earing thatthe er$ans would arrest hi$ #or his part in the ara>e4o "onspira"(.

On the ground in er'ia and Bosnia, the Koung Bosnians were terrorist puppets, on strings pulled '( the 'arel( "on"ealed hands o# 3ol. Apis, heado# the +ntelligen"e )epart$ent o# the eneral ta## o# the er'ian Ar$(.Apis5s $en ar$ed the Koung Bosnians and guided e4er( step o# their wa(into ara>e4o, prote"ting the$ #ro$ 'oth the wat"h#ul e(es o# the Austro-?ungarian go4ern$ent and the "i4il authorities o# er'ia. Fro$ 'order"rossing, to sa#e house, to sa#e house, Apis5s agents o# the Bla" ?and

passed the assassins along until the( arri4ed in ara>e4o. The #irst twoarri4ed on Iune @, three and a hal# wee s 'e#ore the assassination. Prin"ipand an a""o$pli"e "a$e into ara>e4o, registered under their own na$es

with the poli"e, and lounged around in 'ars and "a#es in the town #or thene!t 2@ da(s; 'ut the er'ian poli"e and $ilitar( ne4er $anaged todis"o4er the$.


18/23

Yugoslavia: *South1Slav19and*

iuseppe olpi, the enetian #inan"ier who e!er"ised enor$ous in#luen"e inontenegro and er'ia a#ter the turn o# the "entur(, was "onstantl( in and

out o# er'ia in 191:-1@. . . iro4a, the "hie# o4iet "hroni"ler o# hisa"ti4ities, re"ords that '( 191:, % olpi and his 'an Gthe Ban"a 3o$$er"i-ale +talianaH were in the "enter o# all intrigues in the eastern editerranean.%olpi had $an( #riends a$ong the Apis-led 19 : regi"ides, who had 'rought

the arageorge4i" d(nast( to power in er'ia '( $urdering ing Ale!anderand Jueen )raga o# the O'reno4i" d(nast(D this sa$e group was to run the

ara>e4o assassination.

Further$ore, olpi was deepl( in4ol4ed in the issue o# 5ugoslavia/ whi"hwas o# greatest i$portan"e #or the assassination. )uring the in4estigationsa#ter the assassination, Prin"ip outlined his $oti4es

The politi"al union o# the Kugosla4s G outh la4sH was alwa(s 'e#ore $( e(es, and that was $( 'asi" idea. There#ore it wasne"essar( in the #irst pla"e to #ree the Kugosla4s #ro$ the 4a'eand #ro$ AustriaD #or e4er( $is#ortune whi"h hits the Kugosla4sste$s #ro$ Austria. This spirit was espe"iall( de4eloped a$ongthe (outh in the Kugosla4 lands and was a "onse uen"e o# thee$'itter$ent o# the people.

This and all the rest $o4ed $e to "arr( out the assassination o#the ?eir Apparent, #or + "onsidered hi$, in regard to his a"ti4-it(, as 4er( dangerous #or Kugosla4ia. . . . + a$ a Kugosla4nationalist, ai$ing #or the uni#i"ation o# all Kugosla4s, and + donot "are what #or$ o# state, 'ut it $ust 'e #ree #ro$ Austria.%

Juoted in )edi>er.0

Alread( during the earl( phase o# *orld *ar +, olpi and his "ir"le hadagreed, that ontenegro "ould not possi'l( "o$e out o# the war as anindependent state. As olpi5s 'iographer &o$ano put it, %To orient hi$sel#in Bal an intrigues, olpi ept his e(e on two re#eren"e points &o$e andBelgrade. ?e was "on4in"ed his enterprises now depended on the +taliango4ern$ent and the onl( Bal an go4ern$ent G er'iaH strengthened '( thewar. ?e had no illusions a'out ontenegro. ?e new that the old #eudal

prin"ipalit(, 'apti=ed '( the enetians, 5'elonged to the world o# (esterda(.5%

+t is generall( a" nowledged that the %'irth "erti#i"ate o# the #uture Kugo-sla4ia% was the Iul( 2 , 1917 %)e"laration o# 3or#u,% whi"h pro"lai$ed the


19/23


20/23

#or$all( a""epted the union o# the outh la4s, in return #or "ertain per uisites. olpi5s old er'ian #riend esni" would soon e$erge as the#oreign $inister o# Kugosla4ia. olpi "arried $essages #ro$ #or=a toesni", regarding the settle$ent o# the +talo-Kugosla4 'order. ?is oldontenegrin #riends denoun"ed hi$, putting his pi"ture on the "o4er o#

pa$phlets that de"ried the sellout o# ontenegro.

The #or=a- olpi "on"o"tion, Kugosla4ia, was to 'e"o$e a $ain stagingground o# the Trust sp( organi=ation, sin"e a good portion o# the %*hite%&ussian opposition, in4ol4ed in that pro>e"t, was 'ased in Belgrade. +ndeed,the &ussian %*hites% too on deli"ate internal and, parti"ularl(, #oreignintelligen"e $issions #or er'ia. %These are the spe"ial "on#idential agentso# the "entral go4ern$ent,% Antonio Balda""i des"ri'ed the$ in a 19@:arti"le. None other than Arta$ono4, a#ter his e$igration #ro$ &ussia,

ser4ed in the 192 s and 19: s as an e!pert on the


21/23

The retrial, $entioned a'o4e as the sour"e o# %Apis5s "on#ession,% too pla"ein a( 19/:, under the auspi"es o# the "o$$unist go4ern$ent o# er'ia

part o# Tito5s Kugosla4ia0. The er'ian A"ade$( o# "ien"es had >ust pu'lished a two-4olu$e wor on the aloni"a trial, '( a Kugosla4 historianna$ed Mi4ano4i", who identi#ied Apis and Ujedinjenje ili !rt as a%progressi4e% #or"e in er'ia. Apis5s group had 'een in "onta"t with the3o$$unists in 1917, asserted Mi4ano4i", and was under the in#luen"e o# the&ussian &e4olution. A""ording to Al'ertini, at least two $e$'ers o# theBla" ?and 'e"a$e "o$$unists. +n the $id-19/ s, *a(ne u"ini"hre$ar ed in his erbia 'etween East and 1est/ %There is indi"ation that theghost o# the 19 : "onspira"( and its su""essor, the Bla" ?and, still ho4ersin the 'a" ground o# Kugosla4 politi"s.% +# er'ia strong$an lo'odan

ilose4i" e$erges, with &ussian 'a" ing, as the o4erlord o# the e"ono$i-"all( "ollapsing and stri#e-torn Bal ans, that $a( pro4e to 'e still true in

1989.

#uchkov*s 'ission

Ale(ander I #uchkov+ Old Believer merchant+ Pan1Slav agitator+ ,recker ofthe Russian Army+ and future activist in the Soviets* !rust intelligence

organi0ation+n his Di6lo!atic Re!iniscences Condon, 192 0, #or$er &ussianA$'assador to Bulgaria A. Ne ludo4 re"orded so$e essential $o$ents o#the u$$er 1912 tour o# the Bal ans '( Ale!ander u"h o4, whi"h re4ealthe latter5s great in#luen"e as an e$issar( o# %uno##i"ial &ussia.%


22/23

+n the #irst da(s o# Iul(, + was $ore or less agreea'l( surprised '( the ad4ent o# $( #riend A. out"h o## in o#ia. As $anag-ing dire"tor o# one o# our prin"ipal insuran"e "o$panies, he"a$e to Bulgaria and er'ia to assist at the inauguration o#

'ran"hes o# this "o$pan(. At least that was the a4owed o'>e"to# his >ourne(, 'ut in realit( the >ourne( was a ind o# politi"alin uir(.

+n &ussian a"ti4ist "ir"les in whi"h out"h o## possessedundou'ted authorit(, the( had got wind o# the e4ents whi"hwere shaping in the Bal ans, and out"h o## was "o$$is-sioned . . . to 4eri#( de visu the ru$ours whi"h were "ir"ulating.Politi"al "ir"les in o#ia greeted the e$inent &ussian guest withthe $ost "ordial re"eption. The prin"ipal inisters "on4ersed

at great length with hi$. . . .


23/23

red "arpet was laid down up to the door o# the wagon-litD anda#ter a so$ewhat long wait, + per"ei4ed the e!"ellent .

out"h o##, dressed #or tra4elling, a""o$panied '( all theer'ian inisters headed '( . Pa"hit"h, . ?art4ig, thea(or o# Belgrade, and other politi"al personagesD $ost o#

these gentle$en were in e4ening "lothes, #or the( had >ust "o$e#ro$ a grand 'an uet gi4en to the e$inent &ussian guest.

At last all the good-'(es were said, there was $u"h sha ing o#hands, so$e #riendl( tapping on the 'a" , "ries o# %>i4io,% andthe train slowl( stea$ed out o# the station, while out"h o##,tou"hed '( so $u"h "ordialit(, stood at the open window o# his"oupe wa4ing to his er'ian #riends. ?e was slightl( a'ashedwhen + suddenl( e$erged out o# the dar ness o# the "orridor

and as ed hi$ %*ell, $( dear out"h o##, and what ha4e (ou 'een doing here in BelgradeL% The #ollowing $orning, 'e#orewe rea"hed ienna, he told $e that the pu'li" $ind was $u"he!"ited in er'ia, and that a"edonian e4ents were loo ed onas $ost seriousD he o$itted to tell $e what he hi$sel# had saidand prea"hed to the er'ians.

yugoslavia - battleground of the south slavs 3

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