The Day That Shook the World (Sarajevski atentat)

1914 Europe was dominated by five countries,

Great Britain, France, the German Empire,

Russia and Austria Hungary.

Bosnia was a province of Austria Hungary,

recently annexed from Turkey.

Adjoining Bosnia was the independent kingdom of Serbia

whose capital was Belgrade.

Franz Joseph had been emperor of Austria Hungary for 66 years.

His successor-to-be was his nephew,

the Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Where as the kingdom of Serbia has persistently sponsored

subversive activities on the territory

of Austria Hungarian Empire

and in particular in the province of Bosnia.

And whereas the kingdom of Serbia has persistently

given aid and comfort to the enemies

of the Austria Hungarian empire,

offering them asylum, encouraging their revolutionary

propaganda, arming them

for terrorist attacks...

And...

Are you all right, Your Majesty?

Would you rather I wait?

No, no, go on.

Go on.

And whereas these activities

constitute direct and indirect aggression,

my general staff is hereby authorized to counter

this aggression by military means.

And is hereby empowered to launch forthwith

an invasion of the kingdom of Serbia.

Signed, His Imperial and Royal Majesty Franz Joseph,

Emperor of Austria, Apostolic King of Hungary, etc.

You said, did you not, Baron Conrad,

that you had a new proposal?

What is new in all that?

It is always the same old song.

If I presume to repeat myself,

it is in defense of the Empire.

Might be, but you do continually repeat yourself.

War, war, always war.

Very well, so we invade Serbia,

so Russia immediately comes to her aid.

She wouldn't dare!

Not with Germany behind us.

The plots inside Bosnia are never-ending.

We must cool this hotbed of revolution once and for all,

while they are still weak.

Ach!

So the Kaiser comes to our aid.

France comes to Russia's aid.

And England to France's.

Ahh, where is it all going to end.

What you are asking of me, Baron Conrad,

is that in order to swat an unwelcome mosquito,

I should jeopardize all of Europe.

Of all the maneuvers, Baron Conrad,

is it really so necessary that my nephew attends?

In the opinion of the General Staff, Your Majesty, yes.

Ahh.

The exercise won't be taken seriously,

by yourfriends or enemies

if the throne is absent.

Ahh.

He committed himself.

It's he, moreover, who has the confidence of the Kaiser.

It's central to us.

Baron Conrad, let me tell you something.

Come closer.

What I have to say is not for any other ears but yours.

Many are the times when I desire to leave this life.

Death to me is no longer an unwelcome prospect.

What I think however, of my dear nephew...

When I... when I imagine him

as head of our Imperial House of Hapsburg,

Emperor of Austria,

as a crowned head of Hungary, Bohemia, Moravia,

Galicia, Croatia, Bosnia and so forth...

then it is sufficient to urge me to live forever.

My dearest nephew.

Imperial Majesty.

Baron Conrad.

Your Imperial Highness.

I am informed...

that there appears to be a question

about the status of your health.

Ha ha ha, nothing serious.

Serious enough that you are reluctant to attend

the maneuvers, I understand.

Well, it does get rather hot in Sarajevo, I understand.

And as you know, I am quite sensitive to heat.

Mmm. The Duchess is well, I hope.

Very well indeed.

Kind of you to ask.

I've been given to understand however,

that you have disagreed in the manner in which

the Duchess' proposed program has been planned.

Yes, I have.

Were the program to be improved,

I wonder, would your health do likewise?

How much improved?

And what changes would you like to see?

One. If I am to go by battleship

she is to travel with me and not by train, separately.

Two. When I inspect the troops,

I wish her to be present also at the banquet afterwards.

Three. At the final motor procession at Sarajevo,

she is to be at my side.

When you married your lady,

you did so knowing full well

how bitterly I had opposed it.

And I remind you that you had signed your name

to a solemn oath, thereby renouncing entirely

her dynastic rights,

including entitlement to share your rank.

Did you agree to that or did you not?

I did not agree that she be treated as a servant.

A servant?

I made her a duchess, danced with her, honored her.

Oh yes, but the fact remains, Your Majesty...

What I have not permitted, nor will I ever,

is that you attempt to elevate

your morganatic wife to such degree

that she is accorded the honors due to our Imperial household.

You may go to Bosnia, or not.

The decision is yours.

If you do go, however, then you go as Inspector General.

Of the Armed Forces as a representative of the Crown

As the Imperial presence.

If she goes, then she goes as yourwife.

She will have no part or share in the honors

accorded to this Imperial house.

And that's the end of it!

Have you told Jelena you're coming?

Of course not.

But you'll see your parents at least?

Nope. Nobody.

We should've at least given our books away.

It would show we were leaving.

Ah, Hello Sarac!

Gavrilo!

Alright. Strip to the waste.

To pull a trigger, to throw a bomb

that I can teach you.

That is easy.

To get across the border, all over town

that's not so easy.

You have to keep your wits about you.

And more than you wits, your muscles.

They get heavy, these babies.

Heavier and heavier.

And don't worry about they going off by accident.

You not only have to snap the cap off

You have to hit it against something hard

like I showed you.

Look at him. All skin and bones.

Off to change the world.

Don't you worry about that

This is what we need.

No.

Remember, you've just as much to worry about

this side of the border as in Bosnia.

So watch it!

Now,

No. Keep it more to the side

so nobody can see it

and cover this.

Now this is yours

from Belgrade by boat to here

You get off here

Once more.

Keep in mind

you must be just as careful

on this side of the border

as you must be in Bosnia.

There's danger on both sides.

Even is Serbia is free

there's a lot of danger here.

Now, your wonderful trip

from belgrade by boat to here.

Then, by train to Zvornik

there you will find the Capt. I told you about

He will get you across.

Now, very important

once you're in Bosnia what you avoid most

are these points here

Police barax.

Then you come to Sarajevo

Don't talk too much!

No wine. No women.

No! She goes with you only as your consort

he tells me!

And that the end of it!

The end of it?!

What kind of a man would say that?

Ferdi, please...

Ah!

I danced with her, I honored her

I made her a duchess he tells me that

stubborn, stupid, old bastard