Marijan Varešanin
Marijan Varešanin von Varesch (1 February 1847 – 22 April 1917) was Governor of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1909 until 1911.
Baron Marijan Varešanin | |
---|---|
7th Governor of Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
In office 7 March 1909 – 10 May 1911 | |
Appointed by | Franz Joseph I of Austria |
Preceded by | Anton von Winzor |
Succeeded by | Oskar Potiorek |
Personal details | |
Born | Gunja, Kingdom of Slavonia, Austrian Empire | 1 February 1847
Died | 22 April 1917 70) Vienna, Austria-Hungary | (aged
Nationality | Croat[1] |
Alma mater | Theresian Military AcademyKreigsschule |
Profession | Soldier |
Military service | |
Allegiance | |
Branch/service | Austro-Hungarian Army |
Years of service | 1866–1911 |
Rank | General der Infanterie |
Battles/wars | World War I |
Biography
Varešanin was born in Gunja in Slavonia region (present-day Croatia), as son of a military officer. He attended cadet school in Rijeka and later joined Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt. On 19 August 1866, he earned the rank of lieutenant of an infantry regiment. Between 1869 and 1871, he attended Kriegsschule in Vienna and graduated with honors.
On 7 March 1909, he was named the commander of the 15th Corps stationed in Sarajevo, and at the same time Governor of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 29 July of the same year, he was named the Chief Inspector of military troops. Soon after, the command of the 15th Corps was handed over to Moritz von Auffenberg. However, Varešanin remained the governor of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it was for this reason that he was targeted by a lone Bosnia youth after the Austro-Hungarian annexation of Bosnia. The unsuccessful assassination attempt was made on him on 10 June 1910, by Bogdan Žerajić who fired five bullets from a revolver on Varešanin and killed himself with the sixth.[2]
Žerajić's assassination attempt was a big encouragement to Gavrilo Princip. Princip visited Žerajić's grave where he promised to take a revenge, which he did by killing Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914.[3]
Even though the assassination attempt was a failure, Varešanin started to think about his retirement. On 10 May 1911, his request for dismissal as governor was accepted and he was replaced by Oskar Potiorek. On 10 July 1911, he officially entered into a retirement after 45 years of service.
References
- Notes
- Pederin, Ivan. "Theresianum, počeci njemačko–hrvatskih književnih i kulturnih odnosa i ilirizam". Kolo. Matica hrvatska. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
- http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/history/war/wwone/
- Albertini 1953, p. 50.
- Bibliography
- Albertini, Luigi (1953). Origins of the War of 1914. 2. Oxford University Press. OCLC 168712.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)