The Break That Ruptured Croatia:
Shortly before WWI started in 1914, following the assassination of the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand, Croatia was in turmoil. Franz Ferdinand had wanted to redraw the map of Austria-Hungary radically. Because of the previous layout of Austria-Hungary, territories were split up by ethnic group. With this in mind, he created a number of semi-autonomous “states” that were more ethnically and linguistically homogenous. These newly created territories would have become part of a larger confederation renamed the United States of Greater Austria. Under this plan, language and cultural identification was encouraged, and the disproportionate balance of power of the ethnically divided would be corrected. These plans never came to fruition. Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo, sparking the start of WWI.
Tensions rose between the two dominant ethnic groups, the Serbs and the Croats. After investigations, it was established that the assassination of the Catholic future Leader was initiated within Belgrade political circles, dominated by Serbians. This sparked outrage in Zagreb and other Croatian dominated territories. Demonstrations and political upheaval entailed for many years following these events of the assassination.
By the end of the World War I and the disintegration of the Habsburg Empire in 1918, many of the empire’s southern Slav minorities sought the protection of the Serbian throne. This prompted the minorities to enter into a union with Serbia as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in December 1918.
Shortly before WWI started in 1914, following the assassination of the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand, Croatia was in turmoil. Franz Ferdinand had wanted to redraw the map of Austria-Hungary radically. Because of the previous layout of Austria-Hungary, territories were split up by ethnic group. With this in mind, he created a number of semi-autonomous “states” that were more ethnically and linguistically homogenous. These newly created territories would have become part of a larger confederation renamed the United States of Greater Austria. Under this plan, language and cultural identification was encouraged, and the disproportionate balance of power of the ethnically divided would be corrected. These plans never came to fruition. Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo, sparking the start of WWI.
Tensions rose between the two dominant ethnic groups, the Serbs and the Croats. After investigations, it was established that the assassination of the Catholic future Leader was initiated within Belgrade political circles, dominated by Serbians. This sparked outrage in Zagreb and other Croatian dominated territories. Demonstrations and political upheaval entailed for many years following these events of the assassination.
By the end of the World War I and the disintegration of the Habsburg Empire in 1918, many of the empire’s southern Slav minorities sought the protection of the Serbian throne. This prompted the minorities to enter into a union with Serbia as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in December 1918.