The Black Hand: An Early 20th Century Secret Society

The year was 1914, and it would see Europe's alliances degenerate over a few days. By this point, a group of 2,500 strong were already infiltrated into Serbian society. They were so ingrained into material society that one of their high-ranking army officers, Col. Dragutin Dimitrijevic, was a member of the Black Hand.

But who was the Black Hand?

The Black Hand

Crna Ruka (Black Hand) was a secretive nationalist group influential in early 20th century Serbia. The Black Hand had a pivotal role in the political landscape of the Balkans, while intensive regional and global tensions contributed to the First World War.

The Black Hand was started in 1911. However, its roots are traceable to early nationalist movements in the Balkans. The Ottoman Empire declined in the 19th and early 20th centuries while nationalist aspirations rose in the various ethnic groups under Ottoman rule. Then, Serbia was newly independent and seeking to grow its influence in the region and became a hub of pan-Slavic and nationalist ideologies.

Before the Black Hand was the Narodna Odbrana, also called National Defense, which began in 1908. National Defense was a nationalist group that aimed to resist Austro-Hungarian influence in the Balkans, especially following the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary. However, some members of the Narodna OdBrana thought its methods were too moderate.

This led to a more radical faction, led by army officers and a Colonel forming the Black Hand.

Structure of the Black Hand

The Black Hand operated as a clandestine group and had a hierarchical and secretive structure that was modeled after Masonic Organizations. Membership was limited to trusted people, primarily Serbian military officers and academics. To keep the secrecy, new members had to be rigorously vetted and swear their loyalty. Their lives were pledged to the organization’s cause.

The Black Hand had a central body known as the Executive Committee, which called the shots and coordinated activities. Below the committee were regional cells. The regional cells worked semi-independently on specific tasks.

This style of cell minimized the risk of the group being compromised by any one member or cell being exposed.

Ideology and Goals

The Black Hand was rooted in Serbian Nationalism and Pan-Slavism. Their ultimate goal was a Greater Serbia, which would bring together all Serbs and South Slavs into a single state. That vision extended to territories controlled by Austro-Hungarian control and the Ottomans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia.

The Black Hand believed the Austro-Hungarian Empire was the main obstacle to them achieving their goal of a unified Serbia. They believed the empire controlling the South Slavic territories was a form of oppression that needed to be overthrown. To achieve their goals the Black Hand used a strategy of political assassination, subversion, and fostering nationalist uprisings.

Actions of the Black Hand

The Black Hand was involved in various activities aimed and undermining Austro-Hungarian influence in the Balkans. They spread propaganda, organized armed uprisings, and trained guerrilla soldiers. Their most infamous action was being behind the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand.

In 1914, the Black Hand orchestrated a plot to assassinate the Archduke while visiting Sarajevo. The assassin was a man named Gavrilo Princip and member of a youth nationalist group with links to the Black Hand. On June 28th, 1914, Princip shot and killed Ferdinand and his wife. It set off a chain reaction leading to the beginning of World War I.

Effect of the Assassination

There were profound and far-reaching consequences of the assassination of the Archduke. Austria-Hungary, with German backing, issued an ultimatum to Serbia. They accused Serbia of being complicit in the assassination. When Serbia failed to satisfy the ultimatum, war was declared.

The Black Hand’s part in the assassination gave it international notoriety and scrutiny. While Serbia denied their involvement, the event strained relations between Serbia and its allies.

Black Hand’s Legacy

The hand’s legacy is complicated. They are remembered as a group of fervent nationalists willing to make extreme sacrifices for their idea of a United Slavic state. Then again, their methods were used in political assassination and condemned as reckless and destabilizing.

The group's role in starting World War I is major. The assassination of the Archduke was a catalyst for conflict that reshaped the world, leading to the fall of governments, redrawing national borders, and new ideologies. While the Black Hand did not intend to start WWI, its actions were an example of the dangers of radical nationalism and the consequences of political violence.

Takeaways

The hand was a shadowy force in the early 20th century of Balkan politics. While their methods and legacy remain controversial, their impact on history is undeniable. The story of the Black Hand reminds us how radical ideologies and covert action shape the course of global environments

References:

Appetite for Apocalypse/Page 74/Newsweek Secret Societies/May 2015

Black Hand/Britannica/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Hand-secret-Serbian-society