The caucus of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Sarajevo City Council proposed an initiative at today’s session to reinstall the monument to Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie near the Latin Bridge in Sarajevo, where the monument originally stood. The initiative was adopted, the party said in a statement.
The party recalled the historical events that took place in Sarajevo in 1914.
“On June 28, 1914, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated in Sarajevo. Beyond being an event with far-reaching historical consequences, it was a tragic murder of a married couple, a man and a woman who were in Sarajevo on an official visit that day. It is particularly important to note that Sophie was pregnant at the time of the assassination, which adds another dimension to the human tragedy,” the statement said.
The party also noted that the monument erected in their honor was removed and destroyed in 1918.
“According to available information, one part of the former monument is currently exhibited at the Museum of Sarajevo, while the remaining two parts are located in Trebinje and at Kobilja Glava. The individuals in possession of those parts have previously expressed willingness to hand them over in exchange for financial compensation, which would create a realistic possibility for restoration and reinstallation of the monument at its original location.
If it proves impossible to recover the remaining two original parts, we request that the City of Sarajevo initiate a procedure to produce replicas based on available archival materials, photographs, and expert guidelines, so that the monument as a whole can be returned to the site to which it historically belongs,” the party emphasized.
The party also addressed a call to the Mayor of Sarajevo.
“We consider it unacceptable that Sarajevo features monuments and symbols dedicated to the assassin Gavrilo Princip, while at the same time there is no authentic monument to those who were killed.
Therefore, we call on the mayor and the competent city services to actively proceed with the implementation of this initiative, initiate talks on acquiring the monument parts, and secure funds for restoration or the production of replicas.
It is shameful that Sarajevo today has markers and symbolism dedicated to the assassin, including the restoration of his footprints, while lacking a dignified memorial to his victims.
We cannot change the past, but we can demonstrate who we are today, whether we choose to celebrate murder or to pay tribute to the victims,” the statement concluded.
