1954-06-19 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1954.

An Ex-King's Personal Story - Chapter 7

REBELLION AGAINST THE AXIS PACT

Ο

N the eve of the revolution of March 27, 1941. Prince Paul, my uncle, telephoned me and sald that he was leaving for Brdo by train, as he wanted a few days' test.

By PETER of YUGOSLAVIA

until their nose was lost in the direction of Belgrade.

At 2.20 a.m. the first reports of the success of the plan began to come in. Colonel Durazovitch telephoned to say that he had taken the in Belgrade,

Soon afterworda

My Royal Army and Navy have at unoc placent themselves at my dieposal and are already carrying out my orders,

of

I apocal to all Serbs, Croats, General Peter Kositch

and Slovencs. to rally round Prefecture of Pollee the Throne, colles at 9 p.m. He began, in

Under a very apologetic manner, to

the present Krave assure me that the pact

Commander circumstances this is the surest internal preserving to announce way with the Axis was merely a Peiltch was able formality. Secret clauses that, with

of 40 Air ortier and external pence. Force men, he had taken he would not disclose them "Makis," the radio station in -guaranteed our complete Belgrade. It was here that the neutrality,

only casualty of the revolution occurred when д

Tallung smoothly, he said that since the Western Poscers were

not in a position to help us. The part had been the

を控えが

means

a group

was accidentally killed.

With trust policeman

I have charged Army Corps General Simovitch with the for- mation of a new Government.

God and the future of Yugoslavia, 1 appeal to all eltizens and all authori-

f51A Al last came the report of the ties of the country lo arrest of the Prime Minister, their duties to Klug and coun- by when we evuld ventinue our Dragon Tavelkovitch, and the try. armament pigramane withou! members of his Government

PETER II." any evmatrui unt the moment About 5 a.m.

Kositch heads of the

fav- was completely when we should no longer need different politieal parties 18-

ing. It stormed into my room the puct, which was after all sembled at the Ministry of War, not amounged that the rebel nothing aw

than a piece of where General Simovilch await- troops had taken over all -

eful buildings and were paper!

efreling the Palace.

The pour man dul his best ta convince me of something about which he himself, tamo sque, Was not at all convinced.

"We feel it our duly,” he said, "i preserve the unity and in- tegrily of Yugoslavia until Sep

when your Majesty will become of age and, arsine full legal powers and obligation."

tember

I venture to suggest that it was for fren thoughtful of them to want to hand the baby to me, a boy of 18, under suen editions

und at such a moment.

The revolution. all the more valierst as Yugoslavia was Eli- prepared for the bloody war with Germany which inevitably fol lowed, had far-reaching conse- Hitler was forced to

quences,

put off his plan to altuek Russia until the terrible winter

on.

nd them.

The

<!-

back to my house feeling very lonely, but hnd a good night's Alcep, my conscience clear after the events of that day,

Next morning Radenko inld out my General's uniform which he must have had ready before

knew I should ever wear it I was now General-in-Chief of forces. I hind the Yugoslav breakfast, and went down to

1

the main reception mom where the Patriarch Wast already waling with General Simuvilch and all the members of the new Government.

I stood before them and re- cited my oath.

"I Peter the Second assuming the throne of the Kingdom Yugoslavia and toking up my Royal dotles, swear by Almighty

God that I will defend alive

All the unity of our nation, the Independence of our courty. and the totality of our territory; that I will reign accordin to the constitution and laws get forth, and that my every action. will be for the good my May the Almighty God people.

Amen." moved guide me.

He was

rakd that he had given orders for the gourds to open Bre on any of the rebels who towards the Palace.

convinced that *V

would all be murdered. He

In this very first meeting all the weaknesses of this Govern- meat (which was later to be my

Quietly, forbidding! Government exile) showed action, I said, "Don't themselves.

have any shed."

was

The

Government new chosen from the chief represen- tally all the parties,, with General Sinoviten as President My ajority and status as net- ing ruler was proclaimed.

It was

Pruner Paul was dispossessed of his nights as Hegent. deedid that he should be ask- ed to leave the country.

Meanwhile Prince Paul

such let us Unnecessary food-

AUAIS

He look my car, and drove to the artillery Regiment of the Guards,

Its which had ready trained on 12 tanks facing the regiment through the gates.

car

Keslich got out of the and toll the captains of The Guures Battery that he intend- Laik with the rebels.

had to

Then the Prime Minister, Simovitch, and the Government, Treited their paths. All left except Sinovitch. My Arsi question was to ask if he had yet drdered the mobilisation.

confidently He micrely said "It will be Lime enough for that in a few days. I intend to have a tacit mobilisation then," be added, "We do not wish to

nor do we wish to provoke the Axis Powers,”

arrived in Zagreb and had been "Open the gates," he said, "and show any fear of war already

if anything happens to me, you

came informed by the Army Com-

mander there, General Nedeljko. ae to fire." vitch, acting on General Simu- vitch's orders, of the revolution in Belgrade.

When news of the approach- ing past reached the perple dis- trust and discontent grew. The the over-tense atmosphere In city released itself in riots and demonstrations Patrotic songs of the first world war could be heard in all publie

the buss, Guns,

the churchyards

He apprached the tanks. A strong young recruit pleked

him up and lifted hơ into the tonk turret before he could say a word. The tank then turned

Prince Paul first went to the Palace of the Governor of Cron about charging off down the

where he tia (Dr Matchek)

street Into the elty. The Arill- discussed the situation.

Mallery made no moves! chuk held the

the Hegent should in no way give In to the revolutionaries.

view that

places, in My uncle, however, exhaust-

title dives) 11 ed by the strain

past muaths, felt that all was jost und begged Dr Matches to join Regency had asked the the new Revolutionary Govern- War, General ment, so that he could do his

The (Minister Pesch, to invite all the generals beat to avoid wur. to a rapid conference.

All the generals of the High hewildered.

At the Ume I was completely On the morning of Command were present, Petro the revolution ut six o'clock. vitch, Milorad (guventor of Bel- Rudenko, my valet, shook m. He grade), Pandourovitch, Simovitch violently and woke me up. (commander of the Yugoslav Air told me that the Governor er- Force) and Stajkich (commander gently wanted to see me. of the Royal Guard). They agreed that all must be done to avold war. Simavitch, however, sold that a pact with Hiller would be dishonouraisle.

*

told

that

Uncle

We were Paul's train had been stopped at Zagreb and that he was bei- returning Immediately to grade. I was convinced that the revolt had spread over the whole country.

my

I reviewed a mixed battalion of Army and Air Force who had distinguished selves during

comploted when the uttack came.

German

During the first three days of my reign I spent Jar too much time listening to the rightful intrigues and accusations put up by the members of the new Administration against the old.

My good friend American Minister, Mr Arthur Bliss Lane, visited me. I asked him to send an urgent telegram to Roosevelt requesting fighter planes, for we had 600 crews ready to fly them. and money to pay for them, too.

war

I received in return ย Very encouraging radiogram from the President in which he said that he wished to give all possible assistance, and promised B13 immediate delivery 信息 materials

Hour by hour the news of the concentration of German troops along our frontiers grew more and more alarming. It was not until April 4 that I convinced Simuvitch of the necessity of mobilising our troops. He anally gave orders for a secret mobilisa- tion, which naturally dook a long time in Ha execution.

felt sure that the first Ger- mun move would be a massive attack On the airfield at Belgrade, where most of our Air Force was concentrated, and convinced him of the need of getting our planes out to air- fields in the country.

He declared Belgrade an open city and moved all anti-aircraft guns out of the town. this useless after the outrage of I thought Rotterdam.

Many of the families arranged to leave the elty, and did ዩሱ quietly and without pante. Simovitch made 15 declaration via Press and radio that anyone leaving his home And work would be severely punished.

Civil defence was ot the lowest. For instance, our black- out system was simply to cut off men electricity throughout the town. them This drastle method resulled not the revolution and made a car tour

only in panic, but in real danger through in hospitals and factories, where the streets of cheering crowds, there was often no emergency

The people

WIT

lighting.

by

were chanting

told On April 4 I was such singans ng "Long live our King."

Peler 11" private informers that the date Peter 11,

than Pastor the German attack was fixed for the early moming of April 0.

I passed this news to General shouted Simovitch and the Minister of They refused to take it seriously.

"Bell: "Better dead than slaves," while groups of Communists their own slogan.

War.

I decided to sleep in the White House, which had a shelter furn- ished with All modern equlp- inent, Including electric plant.

The Minister of Court hod I should spend was arranged that ลอง the next week-end at Topolu, to

the pay

at homage my father's

tomb.

The houses were draped with flags, and everyone held one. There were Yugoslav flags, a predominance of Union Jacks, also the Stars and Stripes, and quite a number of red flags. the train arrived Al 7 p.m.

The German Minister at the station of Semun-thero

present at this tour. It no were

communications much for the discipline of through to Belgrade-and

people that no incident Occur uncle was escorted by General red directly involving him, I was convinced that I should Simovitch. to the General although there was trouble at not be able to go, becausc Staff building where he signed the German Travel Agency Sunday was April 0, the day the decree of resignation 35 notorious as a headquarters of fixed for the German attack, as Regent,

the German Arth column 1 had been told. where there was some stone- During lunch time on the 5th, He was told that a special

throwing, injuring one German, the first air-raid alarm I quickly put on my dresa train for him and his family

given. Within the Government three

Two unidentified ing gown, and went into

was ready for

A few days later Dr Matchek connaissanco planes flying very Serbian Ministers, Mr Bou- disavijlich, Dr Konstantinovitch, dishevelled

sitting-room where a wild and evening. He was then escorted entered the Government on con- high were heading for Belgrade, looking General to the White House. He Indition that talks with Germany A Messerschmit patrol (of the und Dr Subrilovitch, resigned Kosilch told me to get dressed formed me that I now had full should recommence and that Yugoslav Air Force) had been in protest against the poet,

Immediately as a certain group Royal powers and responsibili- no action should be undertaken sent up to investigate.

officers On March

of young, hot-headed 24, Tavelkovitch, of

which could provoke

German A few minutes later the "AU aggression.

clear" sounded and the Prime Minister, and Foreign and their troops had taken over

the Air of the General the buildings Minister,

Command reported that the two Markovitch left for Vienna to sign the pact. There Staff, the Ministry of War, and

planes had flown back over the the General Post Office, where

Rumanian frontier. were demonstrations every- all the telephone cables had

beca cut,

where.

the

Although I dressed as quick-

was pacing restlessly

Large bodies of students erled out the slogans "Better war than ly as I could, General Kositch, pact," "Better dead than slaves," who "Down with the Government of about, was continually beckon traitors," "Down with Hitler."

ing me on and shouting "Are you ready, hurry up!"

At Kragoujevac, 120 miles from the capital, demonstrations by a crowd of 150,000 patriots had to be quelled by a force of 400 police and soldiers,

The priests

lies.

Greece

that

A few minutes later General Simovitch arrived, and I signed both the Act appointing him Prime Minister and the Pro clamation that I had heard read that morning on the wireless,

Simovitch told me that this was the first revolution without blocdshed in world history.

Wan

This decision of the Govern- ment

delayed mobilisation and the concentration of our troops, lest these should provoke Hitler. One of my first duties was to discuss our military

situation The with General Simovitch. The weakness of our · def

defences on In the afternoon I gave audi- the day that German

ences until about 5 pm., took a planes

drove into first ralded Belgrade, and Ger- little rest and then man troops flooded over our

the forest, intending a spot of frontiers, was due to astonish crow shooting. ing lack of foresight on with him that his part, coupled with an insidious Government would continue the Internal sabotage by fifth col- He informed me that we were same policy vis-a-vis Germany, umnists and Communists. driving to the Guards quarters admitting that the former Gov-

Once dressed 1 followed him downstairs, still in a dazed con- dition, to an open car.

will

on

He sald he had discussed foreign policy with von Heeren, the German Minister, and had confirmed

our

of the Orthodox where the Guards awaited me crnment's great fault had been Church and the chler officials in formation the parade in leaving the people in throughout the country were also ground. "You must go out ignorance of their polley. against the pack. Even the pollee there and show yourself," he had their sympathies with

He had further, assured Herr The sald. These are the men who

When Germany came into the people,

defend you when the tme van Heeren that the new Gov- war the Ustachi terrorist move-

ernment would maintain neu- ment headed comes."

by Anton We drove up in front of the trolity, and that the changeover Pavellich, and could be only one outcome. The ranks. I got out, greeted them had been in no way directed

Serbs were briefly and returned to the against Germany but was a gen willing, as the Poles had been, palace, No doubt the troops matter of internal politics sim- Croatia, to count only on themselves for were just as much in the dark ply. the terrible days to come. as 1 was about the meaning of

For

Serb there every true

revolution The

Italian aid and protection, be

working with but he got away,

a

The air-raid alarm sounded again and on my way back to the car I saw a Fielesor Storch reconnaissancO

plane circling over the Palace. As it was forbidden

all for

Yugoslav planes to fly over the Palace, I concluded titat it must be German one.

Within few seconds three of our Hurricanes appeared on the scene and were firing warning shots in an attempt to land him,

Air Command reported that

unknown its pernicious work in two

reconnaissance provoking discontent planes had flown over the city and inciting soldiers to revolt, and that our frontier posts had I helped Uncle Paul, my aunt,

been unable to warn us, as all and my cousins, Alexander and allocated to rearming and re-

Very little money had been communications were cut

I congratulated" them and Niki, to pack their things

equipping the forces, Too much inquired what they would have quickly as possible. My uncle explained to 'mo

1912 was spent on permanent briefly his Yence works,

de- done if the planer had been bombers. "Olt, we would have policy of the last days and told

We had only 18 divisions of fired I was informed. At about 9 am 1 switched ine that the documents I would infantry and one cavalry divi- That same evening I had on the radio. To my great need could be found in

bission, During tho was we were dinner with some of my friends. astonishment I heard a voler study at the White House. At able to mobilise a further 11 We made it a true national The compensation offered was not unlike my own making the midnight I accompanied them - an extensión territory in the full legal powers and obliga- to their car,

direction of Salonika, territory of the Grecks, our friends.

The pact with Germany was this early morning parade.

aven more shameful than the people then realised. There was a secret Yugoslav promise to fight anti-German propaganda and to give free passage through Yugo- slavia for German troops and war materials.

?

flors"

divisions silhough there was evening among ourselves, play- never suuficient material property- ing the guller and singing - tho It was a tragfe goodbye with Graveed of being concentrated though we knew that it was the to writip more than 35 divlidong, old songs of Serbia, almost as Berblane, Croats, Slovencal the man who had been my clown in the mountainous centre of the last of such evenings together. At 2 am, on March 27 all was In this moment, so grave for friend and protector. Happy as country, the bulk of the troops the party broke up: qulic.

our people, I have decideck: to -1_wmar that we could now go "were diluted ready and the troops set out on the Royal power into my shed with our new polley of groups along the length of our to bed.

in""'vulnerable viate and at one o'clock I went their march. A One rain began anda, pagdate 10 talle benediction of the members of the Regency dependence I was very sorry trouficha y Heaven," said General Marko Coundi have

to see him go,

I maya mas views to General vitch and in the silence of the cove appreciated to night came the sound of engines kny v wallon, and distały starting, up god driving away cosigned of their own, BGCOTCH

י

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