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Mitar Kerović

1916

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"Blessed is he who lives forever, had to grow and be born."

He was one of the figures associated with the plotting of the assassination of Austrian-Hungarian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. The Chapel of Vidovdan Heroes in St. Marks Cemetery is the last resting place of the remains of those called the “Young Bosnians,” a zealous political paramilitary group that may have been linked with the Black Hand. He was a member of that group. On Sunday, June 28, 1914, the Archduke and his wife were touring the city of Sarajevo in an opened-top car of a six-car motorcade, making them easy targets. The first attempt was a grenade being thrown by Nedeljko Cabrinovic at the royal couple's car but it hit the car behind them. Cabrinovic was soon captured by the police. Later that day, a second assassination attempt was successful when Gavrilo Princip pulled a hand gun, shooting and killing the Archduke and his wife. A total of 25 men were arrested for being involved in the assassination conspiracy and brought to trial, 16 were found guilty of treason, with 3 hung. Following the law, those under the age of twenty were sentenced to prison. Nine were acquitted. Years later three more were arrested as the master minds of the Black Hand. Some historians consider this group as terrorists while others as patriots. They had but one goal: Bosnia and Herzegovina achieving independence from Austria-Hungary, who had recently annexed their country without the citizens' permission. As each died, the remains of those involved in the assassination were buried in a common unmarked grave in Sarajevo, and 19 years later the bones of 12 men were transferred to the Chapel of Vidovdan Heroes in St. Marks Cemetery. The assassination of the Archduke may have hastened the start of World War I. He was sentenced to life in prison. Of the 13 sentenced to prison, only five lived to be released. He and his son Nedjo died in the prison in Mollersdorf, Austria.