The Assassination of the Yugoslav King

Alexander I

In 1934 the Yugoslav King Alexander I (1888-1934) went on an official visit to France and as he reached Marsielle and paraded through the city, he was attacked and assassinated, by the Macedonian separatist Vlado Chernozemski (1897-1934). Chernozemski, who was an experienced marksman and shot Alexander I and the driver and was afterwords killed by the angry crowd of spectators. This marked the effective end of the Yugoslav monarchy established after World War I in 1918.

Vlado Chernozemski

In 1929 Alexander I made a coup d’etat and established himself as authoritarian ruler. He furthermore changed the name of the state from the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The assassination itself was spectacular as it was the first that actually was filmed.

Furthermore, monarchy ought to be abolished.