A photo from open sources
The Vienna Museum of Military History, among other exhibits, is kept luxury car of the beginning of the last century. The plate says that this is the very car in which the Archduke was killed Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia Hotek. This murder has become prologue of the First World War. However, the guide will tell you that the death toll in this car is much more than two. Each, whoever sat behind his wheel was already sentenced to death.
Luxury car
The beginning of the 20th century. Carriages and horse-drawn carriages were a thing of the past. The elite, who wanted to keep up with the century, was changing to cars. Austrian Count Franz von Harrach has long been looking for a car fitting for him high dignity. And finally found it. It was an open car company “Graf & Stift” model 28/32 PS. Leather upholstered seats built-in bar, powerful engine – the count was proud of his by car.
When he found out that the future emperor of Austria-Hungary would visit Sarajevo, he offered his “Graf” for a walk. The car was worthy even of an emperor.
Time
June 28, 1914 at about 10 am Franz Ferdinand in his wife arrived in Sarajevo and got into a luxury car awaiting them. The motorcade moved to the town hall. At this time, on the promenade Appel took position Nedelko Chabrinovich. When the car caught up with him, he threw a bomb.
The grenade bounced off the top and exploded under the wheels of the next cars. 20 people were injured, but not the Archduke. After the ceremony in Town Hall Franz Ferdinand and his wife went to the hospital to visit affected during the assassination attempt. We drove again along the promenade, where the motorcade was waiting for Gavrilo Princip. Two browning shots – two corpses: Archduke and his wife.
A photo from open sources
A photo from open sources
Two
After fatal shots, there was such a mess that Count von Harrach was not up to the car: Austria-Hungary announced Serbia war, and the dead began to be considered thousands. Perhaps the count was superstitious and did not want to drive a car in which already once Passengers died.
And here is the Governor General of Bosnia and Hetzegovina Oscar Potiorek I was not superstitious and took the car myself. Given that Potiorek was in this very car at the time of the assassination attempt, this is his The solution seems very strange.
With a cash deal, Potiorek was appointed commander armed forces in the Balkans. But military happiness turned away from combat general. Time after time he lost the battle to the inferior to him in numbers the enemy and after the next defeat was with dismissed in disgrace. Died his death, but in psychiatric hospital.
Three
The car of the disgraced general was taken by his adjutant. Young an officer drove Viennese beauties in a luxury car and each the trip ended in victory on the love front. Not a single “fortress” could not resist the joint attack of a young handsome man and awesome Graf.
However, the campaign was short-lived, only 8 days. On the 9th adjutant, rolling another lady of the heart, knocked down two peasant women, and then crashed into the tree. The list of victims of the car has increased to seven.
Four
After the first world war, the car went to the governor of one from the provinces of the newly formed kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (future Yugoslavia). Senior official lovingly restored the car and prepared for triumphal trips.
After 4 months, the car … no, he did not kill the owner, but during the next accident, the governor lost his right hand and one important organ, which every man cherishes. So the governor can safely attributed to the victims.
Five
Crushed by an unprecedented loss, the official ordered to destroy but vanity and greed intervened. Doctor, operated on the unfortunate owner of “Graf”, fired up with the idea of becoming the owner of such a rare car. Amount offered by him appointed “executioners” for a broken car was so significant that they faltered and in violation of a direct order not dismantled the car for cogs, and handed over to the Aesculapius.
Six, seven, eight, nine
The doctor drove a car for quite some time – only six months, a corpse was pulled out from under an inverted car. The remaining without a breadwinner, the widow, now fighting for every penny, sold a car one jeweler. He repaired that car and put it in the garage. Boasting about his purchase, he, however, preferred not to to ride.
Nevertheless, the car of its owner was killed. In a year from a small goldsmith who had gone bankrupt hanged himself. Next the owner was a Swiss race car driver. When he crashed into a pole and the list of victims of the car has replenished with one more corpse, nobody surprised.
Its last owner was a resident of Sarajevo. The poor thing crashed when he was driving to his own wedding. Four were killed along with the owner the passenger.
Account closed?
The car was restored again, but wishing to become its owner was no longer there. Rarity bought the Vienna Historical Museum, where he is in the hall dedicated to the murder in Sarajevo. Status museum exhibit ensures that no one else ever sits down behind his wheel, which means the list of victims of the ominous “Graf” can be considered closed. Although life sometimes throws such rings!
Posted by Klim Podkova
War
