In February, 1934 (February 9), Bulgaria's neighbors sign the Balkan Pact. The most active participant in the pact is the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The clauses of the agreement and its secret protocols contain agreements for the destruction of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization and a military invasion of the territory of the Kingdom of Bulgaria. In this situation, on May 19, a coup in Bulgaria was organized by the political group "Zveno" and the Military Union with the help of the army, with Kimon Georgiev taking over as head of the government.
According to French intelligence officer Henri Pozzi, author of the book "The Black Hand over Europe", those in power in Sofia were "men paid by Belgrade". Experience truly, immediately after the coup the new government takes a strong pro-Yugoslav course and begin persecuting the members of VMRO (Leader Ivan Mihaylov goes into hiding with his wife and on September 9-10, 1934, he leaves Bulgaria and goes to Turkey). Following a good-faith policy towards our western neighbor, on September 27, King Alexander visits Bulgaria.
Regarding the improvement of relations between Bulgaria and Yugoslavia and the meeting in Sofia, we read in the bulletin "Overview of the foreign press" of BTA:
"The visit of the Yugoslav king to Sofia on September 27, 1934 /Daily Herald/ The diplomatic correspondent, noting the meetings between the Yugoslav and Bulgarian rulers, first in Belgrade and now in Sofia, writes: "A lot has happened between these two visits, which made real rapprochement possible. The Bulgarian government has finally taken firm action against the Macedonian revolutionary organization, whose activities in the border regions have been one of the main reasons for unrest in recent years. The Yugoslav government has shown a new moderation in its relationship with the Bulgarian population in Serbian Macedonia. It is not likely that a formal Yugoslav-Bulgarian non-aggression pact will come out of their talks. But it is very likely that there will be a series of agreements that will address the whole situation on the border and facilitate relations between the two countries. Whatever documents are signed, it is clear that a big step will be taken towards replacing the old enmity with a new friendship, which will guarantee peace along a border that until recently was seen as the scene of an upcoming war. Not only that. It will put an end to the possibility of external forces with Balkan ambitions to incite Bulgaria against Yugoslavia.
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September 28, 1934 / "News-Chronicle" / The meeting in Sofia makes a significant breakthrough in the barriers between the victors and the defeated, which were raised by the peace treaties. It may also lead to the destruction of the high fence of barbed wire that runs along the entire mountain border between the two sides. If the two rulers agree as well as when King Boris visited Belgrade earlier this year, Yugoslavia will be able to look at Italy with much more confidence. The meeting also causes some concern in France, as Bulgaria, as one of the defeated countries, is more inclined to listen to Berlin than to Paris. If Bulgaria and Yugoslavia become close friends, the possibility of a strong pro-German block in Southeast Europe will significantly increase.
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King Alexander in Sofia, September 29, 1934 /“Journal de Debats” / Albert Mousset writes: For a long time, Belgrade has opposed any attempt at rapprochement, while Sofia has stressed the need to solve the “Macedonian issue”, which the Yugoslavs deny even exists. This futile dispute has finally come to an end. The Bulgarian government dissolved the revolutionary Macedonian organization. It must be acknowledged that this was not only a measure dictated by diplomatic wisdom, but also a bold action, as it involved working with people for whom human life was worth no more than the price of a bullet. The spirit of determination of Mr. Georgiev and the fractured patriotism of Mr. Batolov allowed King Boris to develop a policy that had started with great foresight during the previous cabinet. Today, there is nothing more desired by Bulgarians than the success of this policy. There is an unstoppable movement, and the meeting of the two rulers symbolizes in the eyes of the public the final improvement of the two nations. There is no doubt that King Alexander will do everything possible for the triumph of this rapprochement. Through this, he, together with King Boris, has contributed to peace in Europe. Because the strained Bulgarian-Yugoslav relations, along with the question of the corridor, were among the problems that occupied European diplomacy the most. But now these two issues are taken off the table, without the involvement of third parties, through a direct agreement between the interested parties. Now it remains to act in a way that the agreement between the two nations does not arouse fear or suspicion among their neighbors. There is already a rumor that Turkey, afraid that the Balkan Slavs may disrupt the balance of power in the Balkans through their alliance, may offer Belgrade and Sofia a triple pact. These precautionary measures would be somewhat justified. Belgrade, which holds the Bulgarian cabinet with impeccable loyalty during the negotiations for the Balkan Pact, will not proceed in the negotiations with the Bulgarians, except in excellent harmony with the views of its allies. We can count on Mr. Yevtich, who accompanies King Alexander in Sofia and who follows an unchanged policy that the negotiations in Sofia will contribute to the overall strengthening of Balkan solidarity, which Yugoslavia sees as a key element of independence and security for the entire peninsula.
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The meeting of rulers in Sofia on September 30, 1934
/ "People's Defense" / In the last days, the eyes of the whole Europe are focused on the Balkans, especially on Sofia and Belgrade. Something significant is happening: sister and brother are shaking hands - Sofia and Belgrade. The Yugoslav King Alexander and Queen Maria are staying in Bulgaria as guests of the Bulgarian royal couple. European newspapers attach special importance to this royal meeting, highlighting King Alexander's efforts to maintain peace in Europe. [...] In Europe there has always been someone, and even today there are those who are afraid of the good relations between Bulgaria and Yugoslavia and do everything possible to undermine any cooperation. [... ]
The meeting in Sofia is a support for those who are trying to strengthen peace in Europe and free the world from the heavy crisis that disturbs both governments and peoples. The misconception that an agreement cannot be reached was dispelled during the Balkan liberation war, and the peoples know this well. And today, this misconception must disappear, especially when it comes to major national interests and not some political whims and delusions, as the good future of both sides requires it. The step towards understanding, made by Tsar Boris and King Alexander, is the best proof of the need for cooperation and the most secure guarantee for a better future. [...] There is no doubt that all honest sons of Bulgaria and Yugoslavia are sincerely happy about what is happening and stand behind their rulers, because the peoples on both sides of the border are tired of fighting and quarreling. If so far, in Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, there were blind people who do not see the benefits of friendship between the two brotherly nations, the meeting of the rulers will open their eyes and they will soon be convinced of this.
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Ten days later, Yugoslav King Alexander is visiting France. The two countries have close diplomatic relations, and the purpose of the visit is to form a bloc between Italy, France, and Yugoslavia to complement the Balkan Pact and the Little Entente. The initiator of these agreements is French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou and the goal is to form an anti-German bloc.
In such a situation, at the end of the summer of 1934, a decision is made to carry out an operation aimed at killing Louis Barthou and King Alexander. The Ustashe (Croatian Revolutionary Movement) is responsible for organizing the operation, and the more experienced members of the IMRO (Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization) are to be used to carry out the assassination. Vlado Chernozemski (Velichko Dimitrov Kerin), also known as Vlado Georgiev, is appointed as the direct executor of the attack. The attacker who committed the assassination chose the pseudonym Peter Keleman, named after the revolutionary from IMRO, Spiro Kilimanov.
The events surrounding the Marseille attack were reported in the bulletins of BTA:
Marseille, October 9, 1934 / 7:55 pm - Reuters / The Yugoslav king was killed by shots fired by an attacker, who was immediately killed afterwards. King Alexander, who was severely wounded, survived for some time. Bartu, who was accompanying the King, was injured in the hand.
At the moment when the procession reached the square of the stock exchange, several shots were fired from the crowd. A general who was in the third car was also wounded. It is believed that the killer was a Yugoslav.
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Marseille, October 9, 1934 / Havas / Wounded by two bullets in the chest and stomach, King Alexander was carried on a couch to the prefecture. All efforts were in vain and the King died. The officers of his court were crying. The Minister of the Navy, Mr. Pietri, and other officials were deeply shocked. Apart from General Jorj, five others were injured, including two women.
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Marseille, October 9, 1934 / 10:21 pm - Reuters / The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Bartu, died as a result of wounds sustained in the chest. The bullet that caused the death of King Alexander penetrated his chest, near the heart. Great efforts were made by the police to hold back the enraged crowd that wanted to lynch the murderer. Chaos ensued. The murderer attempted to shoot himself in the mouth, but was stopped by the police. Subsequently, shots were fired by the crowd, one of which killed the murderer. It appears now that only one person, jumping onto the car's step where the King was, fired several shots at him, from very close range.
The killer's identity was established from his passport. A Croatian, he is called Petrus Kalemans, born in Zagreb, 34 years old, a merchant.
The King was hit by two bullets. He fell unconscious? Blood was gushing from his mouth and the gunshot wound on his chest. The driver of the royal car gave the following description of the murder: “When the attacker jumped onto the car's step, he fired four or five shots. I caught him by the neck and the colonel sitting next to the King hit him with his sword. French General Georges, a member of the Supreme Military Council, was also injured. Several other people were injured and a woman was killed”.
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Marseille, October 9, 1934. Reuters/ The name of the killer of King Alexander is Clement Petrus. He arrived in France on September 28th.
Lieutenant Colonel Piolle, who was riding a horse in front of the royal car, recounts: "When the car arrived at the square of the stock exchange, I saw a man coming out of the crowd, passing quickly in front of a policeman and heading towards the car. I turned my horse towards him to cut him off, but my movements weren't fast enough. The man reached his hand through the car door and emptied his automatic pistol at those in the car. I struck the man with my sword, causing him to fall to the ground, while the driver of the car shot at him.
The killer continued to shoot from the ground, hitting two policemen and a woman. Police officers and mounted soldiers surrounded the royal car to detain the mob that wanted to lynch the killer. The officers transferred the killer to a shop on the square in front of the stock exchange.
Mrs. Juano, the wife of the prefect of the Bush de Ron district, closed the eyes of King Alexander in front of a few deeply moved individuals. Minister of the Navy, Mr. Pietri, was unable to hold back his tears. The body of the King now rests on a large sofa in one of the salons of the prefecture. He looks as if he is sleeping. His face is peaceful. Two people on either side guard the King's body. Flowers cover the carpet, and in one corner of the room, an elderly man with whitening hair weeps. He is the King's attendant, who has been in his service since childhood.
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The Marseille attack
October 10th, 1934. "Dnevnik"/ What goal did the assassin of King Alexander and those whose will he fulfilled have in mind? Why was France chosen as the location of the assassination? It is certain that the terrorists acted according to a carefully planned plan in order to create a decisive political situation. The Yugoslav king recently made a number of trips outside his country. Those who wanted his death could have killed him in Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, or Greece. In addition, he made numerous trips within his country in recent months and was often in direct contact with the public. Apart from the conspiracy in Zagreb, uncovered in December, no other assassination attempt was planned during the king's travels. This means that the terrorist organization aimed primarily to disrupt the relationship between France, Yugoslavia, and Italy. The undeniable progress in the internal consolidation of Yugoslavia, strengthening its international positions, as well as the prospects for Franco-Italian-Yugoslav rapprochement, ruined the plans of separatist leaders and their patrons. All enemies of the improvement of relations across the Adriatic and Black Seas needed to provoke an act that undermined the foundations of the reconciliation process. The victims, the moment, and the place were surely deliberately chosen.
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Marseille, October 11, 1934 /Havas/ The inquiry conducted by the Czechoslovak consul establishes that Kelement's passport is undoubtedly fake. The format and content of the passport is not like the genuine Czechoslovak passports. The stamp is forged and contains a spelling error. The signature of the consul from Zagreb is not handwritten, but a lithographic print. It is confirmed that there is no trace of our birth certificate Kelement in Prague, whose name is not Czech or Slovak. [...]
A woman who was injured in the attack on Tuesday has died today in the hospital. [...] According to one report, Kelement arrived in Marseille as early as September 29. The police are looking for traces of his stay. [...]
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October 11, 1934 / "Tan" / The Marseille tragedy plunges the whole of Europe into mourning, as it is cruelly affected by the actions of the criminal who killed the king of Yugoslavia and M. Louis Barthou. Let's not deceive ourselves. The attack that took place yesterday in Marseille may have significant political consequences, and great vigilance and good will are necessary from governments to neutralize any potential aftermath from the tragic end of King Alexander and M. Louis Barthou. Only the unity of the entire Yugoslav people will be able to withstand a situation where no one can predict the repercussions to come for Yugoslavia and Central and Eastern Europe. The disappearance of M. Barthou from the political scene, along with King Alexander, creates a challenging situation. In any case, the policy of M. Barthou, which is fully a policy of the republican government, a policy of France, will continue with the same determination and clarity as it was championed by the late minister of foreign affairs.
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Did the Comitadji kill King Alexander on October 14, 1934? Under the headline "Prog-Re" (Progressive Revolutionary Organization), a foreign press report claims that the assassination of King Alexander may have been carried out by individuals from Macedonian circles. The article states: "Those who claimed to be Bulgarian patriots, and who exist to perpetuate hatred, are most afraid of seeing their country take the honorable path of reaching agreements with its neighbors. If it is revealed that this violent act was done to further their bloody cause, it means that King Alexander was killed because Bulgaria, its government and its king made a genuine effort to break away from the behaviors of the past."
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Vienna, October 16, 1934. "Bulgaria and Italy"/ Now, as the conspiracy of the Croats extends to the Macedonians, society's attention turns to Ivan Mihailov. A telegram from Constantinople reports that he has disappeared from Turkey. If confirmed from Paris that Kellerman and Macedonian revolutionary Vlado Georgiev are one and the same person, then there can be no doubt about one thing: that the assassination of King Alexander was, neither more nor less, a result of the internal struggles in Yugoslavia. [...]
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Marseille, October 16, 1934 /Havas/ According to a well-informed source, a Yugoslavian, Yugoslavian officials who examined Kellerman's tattoo on his left hand conclude that the tattoo dates back 7 or 8 years and that it is the mark of members of the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization. [...]
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Paris, October 16, 1934. "Havas: Terrorist Mio Kral, known as Malni, admitted that he was in Marseille among the crowd before the passing of the royal procession. He added that he was afraid of harming other people, not the King, and decided to abandon the terrorist plot. He warned Kelemen, but fearing that Kelemen would kill him, got lost in the crowd. The police seized a large number of brochures in Paris, representing interesting documentation for the propaganda of the Yugoslav separatist-terrorists, and in Avignon - a revolver and two bombs in Kelemen's room, similar to Kelemen's bombs.
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Budapest, October 19, 1934 /Korbuuro/ The Hungarian Telegraph Agency learns from a reliable source that an investigation was opened to determine if Marseille killer Vlado Georgiev had stayed in Hungary." This survey, conducted with the utmost caution, did not uncover any data that could lead to the conclusion that Vlado Georgiev had ever been in Hungary.
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In 1957, a version was launched in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) claiming that the Marseille Attack was organized by the secret services of the Third Reich on personal orders of Hitler, and the Ustashe and VMRO were suitable executioners. General Hans Speidel, who, after his service under Hitler's regime, became the Supreme Allied Commander for the Central European Land Forces, was pointed to as the organizer of the operation codenamed "Teutonic Sword". Without being proven, the version is based on the fact that in the mid-1930s, Germany feared the unification of France, Italy, and Yugoslavia (King Alexander initially sympathized with the National Socialist government), which would hinder German ambitions for territorial expansion to the East and "Anschluss with Austria".
The assassination does not provoke the expected international complications by Bulgarian diplomacy. The investigation links the attack to the Ustasha and the main pressure is against Hungary, which does not take decisive measures against the Croatian organization.
Photo BTA.
23214 | 9 Oct. 2024 | 13:43
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