Well dear friends, we supposed you were slightly paniked when you saw that Belgrade 2.0 was down for a while, since our database had an error. We’re now online, full with ideas and read to kick, so now we continue with an unconventional subject, the murder of king Alexander of Yugoslavia.
From many considered to be a dictator, for others a hero, tyrant, realist, an important international factor… it is however undisputable that in his foreign politics he was a leading figure against Hitlerism up until his death in 1934, thus a very important figure in anti-fascism. During his reign king Alexander formed the Little Entente as defence shield against German and Hungarian expansionism, as well as stabilizing the relations of Balkan countries by initiating a Balkan alliance. He brought prestige to the royal house of Serbia and Yugoslavia by marrying princess Marie of Romania, thus connecting the house of Karadjordjevic with all royal houses of Europe, as well as connecting the Karadjordjevic dynasty with the Nemanjic dynasty. On his official visit to France, where he attempted to strenthen the relations between Yugoslavia, France and Italy, which would distance Mussolini from Hitler and possibly preventing the war. However, by reaching Marseille, he was assasinated together with the French foreign minister Louis Barthou by the Bulgarian/Macedonian nationalist Vlado Chernozemski , thus making him the first victim of Hitlerism.
The assasination itsself was recorded by the cameras and caused a media sensation all around Europe. Its importance in the european cinematography is also high, since among the funeral of Franz-Josef of Austria-Hungary and Victoria of Great Britain, corronation of Nicholas II of Russia it represents an important historical documentation, so we will show it also here.
NOTE: On Youtube there is another video of the assasination with the funeral, however the background music is a Bulgarian nationalist song gloryfying the deed and I consider it immoral to use it.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I wanted to note that Macedonians from FYROM do not glorify Vlado …as they might do this in Bulgaria.
Just a minor, but rather interesting correction:
Wikipedia: “He was also thought to have shot and killed French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou until 1974, when it was revealed that the bullet came from a French policeman.“
Clearly there’s nothing new about ghoulish tabloid news-gathering.