Document 7b
This is an excerpt of the testimony given by Gavrilo Princip reprinted in The Sarajevo Trial. He was accused
of assassinating Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife in July 1914.
The Hearing of Gavrilo Princip
12 October 1914
In the Afternoon
…Pr. [Prosecutor]: — Call Gavrilo Princip. (He is brought in.) Do you consider yourself
guilty?
Acc. [Accused, Gavrilo Princip]: — I am not a criminal, because I destroyed that which was
evil. I think that I am good.…
Pr.: — What kind of ideas did you have?
Acc.: — I am a Yugoslav nationalist and I believe in the unification of all South Slavs in
whatever form of state and that it be free of Austria.
Pr.: — That was your aspiration. How did you think to realize [accomplish] it?
Acc.: — By means of terror.
Pr.: — What does that signify?
Acc.: — That means in general to destroy from above, to do away with those who obstruct and
do evil, who stand in the way of the idea of unification.
Pr.: — How did you think that you might realize your objectives?
Acc.: — Still another principal motive was revenge for all torments which Austria imposed
upon the people.…
Pr.: — What was the feeling about Austria in your circles?
Acc.: — It was the opinion that Austria behaved badly to our people, which is true, and
certainly that she (Austria) is not necessary.…
Source: W. A. Dolph Owings et al., eds., The Sarajevo Trial, Volume I, Documentary Publications
Based on this excerpt from The Sarajevo Trial, what was one goal of Gavrilo Princip?
This is an excerpt of the testimony given by Gavrilo Princip reprinted in The Sarajevo Trial. He was accused
of assassinating Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife in July 1914.
The Hearing of Gavrilo Princip
12 October 1914
In the Afternoon
…Pr. [Prosecutor]: — Call Gavrilo Princip. (He is brought in.) Do you consider yourself
guilty?
Acc. [Accused, Gavrilo Princip]: — I am not a criminal, because I destroyed that which was
evil. I think that I am good.…
Pr.: — What kind of ideas did you have?
Acc.: — I am a Yugoslav nationalist and I believe in the unification of all South Slavs in
whatever form of state and that it be free of Austria.
Pr.: — That was your aspiration. How did you think to realize [accomplish] it?
Acc.: — By means of terror.
Pr.: — What does that signify?
Acc.: — That means in general to destroy from above, to do away with those who obstruct and
do evil, who stand in the way of the idea of unification.
Pr.: — How did you think that you might realize your objectives?
Acc.: — Still another principal motive was revenge for all torments which Austria imposed
upon the people.…
Pr.: — What was the feeling about Austria in your circles?
Acc.: — It was the opinion that Austria behaved badly to our people, which is true, and
certainly that she (Austria) is not necessary.…
Source: W. A. Dolph Owings et al., eds., The Sarajevo Trial, Volume I, Documentary Publications
Based on this excerpt from The Sarajevo Trial, what was one goal of Gavrilo Princip?