When did the Black Hand Gang start?
In August 1901, a group of lower officers headed by captain Dragutin Dimitrijević "Apis" established a conspiracy group (called the Black Hand in literature), against the dynasty.
Who formed the Black Hand?
Dragutin DimitrijevićBlack Hand / FounderDragutin Dimitrijević, better known by his nickname Apis, was a Serbian army officer, chief of the military intelligence section of the general staff in 1913. Wikipedia
Where was the Black Hand Gang formed?
Formation of the Black Hand (Unification or Death)↑ The immediate context for this formation was Austria-Hungary's 1908 annexation of Ottoman Bosnia-Herzegovina, a move that thwarted the ambitions of Serbian nationalists who had themselves hoped to annex the province in whole or in part to an enlarged Serbian state.
Who was the leader of the Black Hand Gang?
Dragutin DimitrijevicDragutin Dimitrijevic, who used the codename, Apis, established himself as the leader of the Black Hand. In 1911 he sent a member to assassinate Emperor Franz Josef.
Was the Black Hand successful?
They were ultimately successful as in 1912 and 1913, both Old Serbia and Macedonia were returned to Serbia after the Bulgarians had been defeated.
What year did ww1 start?
July 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918World War I / PeriodTHE START OF THE WAR The assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand (June 28, 1914) was the main catalyst for the start of the Great War (World War I). After the assassination, the following series of events took place: • July 28 - Austria declared war on Serbia.
What is Black Hand in history?
Black Hand, byname of Ujedinjenje Ili Smrt (Serbo-Croation: Union or Death), secret Serbian society of the early 20th century that used terrorist methods to promote the liberation of Serbs outside Serbia from Habsburg or Ottoman rule and was instrumental in planning the assassination of the Austrian archduke Franz ...
Who was the target of the Black Hand?
Officially known as Unification or Death, the Black Hand was founded by Serbian officers in 1911, with the aim of unifying South Slavs — including Bosnians, Slovenes and Croats in Austria-Hungary — into a Greater Serb or south Slavic (Yugoslav) state.
Who were the Black Hand group?
The Black Hand was the name of a Serbian terrorist group with nationalist aims, who sponsored the attack on Austrian Arch-Duke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 that both killed him and provided the spark for World War I.
Who started World war 1?
The spark that ignited World War I was struck in Sarajevo, Bosnia, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand—heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire—was shot to death along with his wife, Sophie, by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914.
Who won World war 1?
The AlliesWho won World War I? The Allies won World War I after four years of combat and the deaths of some 8.5 million soldiers as a result of battle wounds or disease. Read more about the Treaty of Versailles. In many ways, the peace treaty that ended World War I set the stage for World War II.
Why was Ferdinand assassinated?
When it was learned that the heir-apparent to the Austrian throne, Franz Ferdinand, was scheduled to visit Sarajevo in June of 1914, the Black Hand decided to assassinate him because of his perceived threat to Serbian independence.
When did the Black Hand start?
The organization was mentioned in the Serbian parliament as the "Black Hand" in late 1911. By 1911–12, Narodna Odbrana had established ties with the Black Hand, and the two became "parallel in action and overlapping in membership".
How many members were in the Black Hand?
The Black Hand was organized at the grassroots level in cells of three to five members, supervised by district committees and by a Central Committee in Belgrade whose ten-member Executive Committee was led more or less by Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijević "Apis".
What is the Black Hand?
Black Hand (Serbia) Unification or Death ( Serbian: Уједињење или смрт / Ujedinjenje ili smrt ), popularly known as the Black Hand (Црна рука / Crna ruka), was a secret military society formed in 1901 by officers in the Army of the Kingdom of Serbia. It gained a reputation for its alleged involvement in the assassination ...
What was the purpose of the Slavic society?
The society formed with the aim of uniting all of the territories with a South Slavic majority not then ruled by either Serbia or Montenegro. It took inspiration primarily from the unification of Italy in 1859–1870 but also from the unification of Germany in 1871.
What was the Black Hand's struggle?
The Black Hand engaged in a bitter power struggle over several issues, such as who would control territories that Serbia had annexed during the Balkan Wars. By then, disagreeing with the Black Hand was dangerous, as political murder was one of its tools.
When was the Unification of Death established?
Ritual cross of the Black Hand. Signatures. The Unification or Death was established in the beginning of May 1911 , the original constitution of the organization being signed on 9 May. Ljuba Čupa, Bogdan Radenković and Vojislav Tankosić wrote the constitution of the organization.
Who took over the terrorist actions of Narodna Odbrana?
The Black Hand took over the terrorist actions of Narodna Odbrana and worked deliberately at obscuring any distinctions between the two groups, trading on the prestige and network of the older organization. Black Hand members held important army and government positions.
Who was the black hander in the 1920s?
Among the most notorious of Black Handers was Ignazio Saietta, known to residents of Manhattan’s “Little Italy” as Lupo (the “Wolf”); in 1920 he was finally apprehended by federal authorities for counterfeiting and was sent to prison for 30 years.
What is organized crime?
Organized crime, complex of highly centralized enterprises set up for the purpose of engaging in illegal activities. Such organizations engage in offenses such as cargo theft, fraud, robbery, kidnapping for ransom, and the demanding of “protection” payments. The principal source of income for these…
How many members of the Black Hand were there?
We don’t know how many members the Black Hand had, as their secrecy was very effective, although it seems to have been in the low thousands. But this terrorist group was able to use its connections to the (only semi-secretive) National Defense society to gather a huge amount of political support in Serbia. Apis was a senior military figure.
Who was the leader of the Black Hand?
The key members of the Black Hand were mainly Serbian military and were led by Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijevic, or Apis . The violence was to be achieved through guerrilla acts by cells of just handfuls of people.
Why was the Black Hand so powerful?
Within Serbia itself, the Black Hand had become hugely powerful thanks to the military connection, but also more than an embarrassment to political leaders who wanted their own names kept well apart, and in 1916 the Prime Minister ordered it neutralized .
Who was the Black Hand trying to kill?
Apis was a senior military figure. However, by 1914 this was tailing off after one assassination too many. They’d already tried to kill the Austrian Emperor in 1911, and now the Black Hand began to work with a group to assassinate the heir to that imperial throne, Franz Ferdinand.
How did the Black Hand affect Serbia?
Within Serbia itself, the Black Hand had become hugely powerful thanks to the military connection, but also more than an embarrassment to political leaders who wanted their own names kept well apart, and in 1916 the Prime Minister ordered it neutralized. The people in charge were arrested, tried, four were executed (include the colonel) and hundreds went to prison.
Where did the black hand originate?
Origin. The roots of the Black Hand can be traced to the Kingdom of Naples as early as the 1750s. The English language term specifically refers to the organization established by Italian immigrants in the United States during the 1880s.
What is the black hand?
For other uses, see Black Hand (disambiguation). Black Hand ( Italian: Mano Nera) was a type of Italian extortion racket. Originally developed in the eighteenth century, the Black Hand extortion came to the United States in the later nineteenth century with immigrants. The Black Hand was a method of extortion, and gangsters ...
What were the tactics of the Black Hand?
Typical Black Hand tactics involved sending a letter to a victim threatening bodily harm, kidnapping, arson, or murder.
What is the Black Hand Society?
The term "Black Hand" was readily adopted by the American press and generalized to the idea of an organized criminal conspiracy, which came to be known as "The Black Hand Society.". Tenor Enrico Caruso received a Black Hand letter on which were drawn a black hand and dagger, demanding $2,000.
Who wrote the Black Hand article?
The Black Hand, article by Jon Black at GangRule.com
What did Enrico Caruso get for his black hand?
Tenor Enrico Caruso received a Black Hand letter on which were drawn a black hand and dagger, demanding $2,000 . He decided to pay, "and, when this fact became public knowledge, was rewarded for his capitulation with 'a stack of threatening letters a foot high,' including another from the same gang for $15,000." He reported the incident to the police who arranged for him to drop off the money at a prearranged spot, then arrested two Italian businessmen who retrieved the money.
What is the black hand symbol?
Furthermore, the black hand symbol was a reference to the Black Hand of the early 20th century. Members of the Mexican Mafia are recognized by a "black hand" tattoo commonly found across their back, chest, leg, or neck.
What gangs are involved in the Mexican Mafia?
The Mexican Mafia and the Aryan Brotherhood are mutual enemies of the Norteños and the African-American gangs Black Guerrilla Family and D.C. Blacks. Even though homosexuals are barred from entry into La eMe, they are engaged heavily in homosexual prostitution in the prison system. Many of the street level homicides in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles committed by the Avenues gang were done on orders issued by the Mexican Mafia.
What was the oath of the Mexican Mafia?
During the early 1960s at San Quentin Prison, Luis Flores and Rudy "Cheyenne" Cadena established a blood oath for members of the Mexican Mafia. Prior to the establishment of the oath, members of the Mexican Mafia were allowed to return to their street gangs after incarceration. The new oath stipulated that the only way for a member to leave the Mexican Mafia was to be killed. Flores and Cadena also established a set of gang commandments. These included policies such as: a new member must be sponsored by an existing member, unanimous approval from all existing members to join (no longer policy), prioritizing the gang over one's family, denial of the existence of the Mexican Mafia to law enforcement or non-members, respect of other members, and forgiving street conflicts which existed before incarceration. Execution of a member of the gang for policy violation must be committed by the gang member who sponsored him. La Eme has a blood-in, blood-out credo: Murder or drawing of blood is a prerequisite for membership and anyone trying to get out will be killed.
Why was the Mexican Mafia named Mexican Mafia?
It is said that the name "Mexican Mafia" was to show organization similar to the American Mafia but it was later changed to not be confused with it.
Why did the Mexican Mafia start?
The Mexican Mafia was formed in 1957 by 15–20 Hispanic street gang members from different Los Angeles neighborhoods who were all incarcerated at the Deuel Vocational Institution, a California Youth Authority facility, which is now an adult state prison in Tracy, California. They formed in order to protect themselves from other prison gangs at the time . One of the founders of La eMe is Luis "Huero Buff" Flores, who was an active member of the Barrio Hawaiian Gardens gang in Hawaiian Gardens, California. Gang warfare between Hispanic neighborhoods was the norm during the 1950s and 60s, so the fact that Luis Flores was able to get established enemies to set aside their rivalries upon entry into the prison system was something that was not thought possible. This requirement exists to the present day. Hispanic street gangs like White Fence, The Avenues, Clanton 14, San Fer, Barrio Nuevo Estrada, 38th Street gang, and the oldest of them, Primera Flats, were already into their second decade and firmly established as self-sustaining entities. Luis Flores initially recruited violent members to the gang in an attempt to create a highly feared organization which could control the black market activities of the Deuel prison facilities. La eMe member Ramon "Mundo" Mendoza claims that in the beginning the overall goal was to terrorize the prison system and enjoy prison comforts while doing time. It is said that the name "Mexican Mafia" was to show organization similar to the American Mafia but it was later changed to not be confused with it. Furthermore, the black hand symbol was a reference to the Black Hand of the early 20th century. Members of the Mexican Mafia are recognized by a "black hand" tattoo commonly found across their back, chest, leg, or neck. (Photo)
Who was the guy that smuggled drugs into Vista Detention Center?
Rudy "Crazy" Espudo (Esco Varrio Diablos – Escondido, California) was in control of the Hispanic gangs in the area and forced drug dealers to pay taxes in tribute to La eMe or face the consequences. The local gangs were smuggling narcotics into the Vista Detention Center in order to sell them for the Mexican Mafia.
When was the Mexican Mafia indicted?
1990s. In 1998 , United States federal authorities indicted 22 members and associates of the Mexican Mafia, charged under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act with crimes which included extortion, murder, and kidnapping.
What is the black hand of death?
The so-called Black Hand of Death is symbolic of the Mexican Mafia. Members of this gang tattoo themselves on the chest with this symbol, which is (appropriately) a black hand. This image is an homage to Sicilian Mafia members, who used it to describe a method of extortion.
How many people were arrested by the Mexican Mafia in the 1990s?
The Mexican Mafia enjoyed unprecedented power within the Southern California prison system, until the 1990's, when 22 people were arrested and charged with racketeering, murder, kidnapping, and extortion in an effort to end the Reign of Terror and cripple the Mexican Mafia.
Why did the Mexican Mafia get their name?
The Mexican Mafia is nothing if not respectful; their gang's name was chosen to honor and show respect to powerful criminal organizations such as the American Mafi a.
How many names does the Mexican Mafia have?
12 Aliases and Allegiances. Like many other gangs, the Mexican Mafia goes by many other names. These include 13, Black Hand of Death, The M, and La Eme, which is Spanish for "the M".
When did the New Mexican Mafia split?
The New Mexican Mafia came about after the original gang split into two groups in 1978. One of the groups retained their name, the Mexican Mafia, and the other would go on to become the New Mexican Mafia. Basically, at least from an outsider's perspective, they do not seem that different other than location (the New Mexican Mafia is in Arizona, ...
Is the Mexican Mafia an allies?
In this sense, they are allies with the Mexican Mafia, although sometimes unwilling ones by the sound of it. The Mexican Mafia also has a loose alliance with the Aryan Brotherhood due to their common enemies within the prison system, such as the Black Guerilla Family and other black gangs.
Who was the first member of the Mexican Mafia?
One particularly interesting person at the center of the Mexican Mafia's history is one of its first members, Ramon "Mundo" Mendoza. He was one of the main guys who founded the Mexican Mafia, and he has since defected (it feels funny using that term when talking about anything other than North Korea!) and has proven, in some people's eyes, that redemption actually is possible. He once led a murderous criminal life, but after a bunch of rigmarole, being released on a technicality, turning a new leaf in life, and experiencing true regret and empathy for his victims, he wound up in the U.S. Witness Protection Program after deciding to work undercover against his former gang brothers. He went from the dangerous job of a mafia hitman to the even-more-dangerous job of informant of a gang that is strictly blood in, blood out.
Overview
Unification or Death (Serbian: Ujedinjenje ili smrt, Serbian Cyrillic: Уједињење или смрт), popularly known as the Black Hand (Serbian: Crna ruka, Serbian Cyrillic: Црна рука), was a secret military society formed in 1901 by officers in the Army of the Kingdom of Serbia. It gained a reputation for its alleged involvement in the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 191…
Background
In August 1901, a group of lower officers headed by captain Dragutin Dimitrijević "Apis" established a conspiracy group (called the Black Hand in literature), against the dynasty. The first meeting was held on 6 September 1901. In attendance were captains Radomir Aranđelović, Milan F. Petrović, and Dragutin Dimitrijević, as well as lieutenants Antonije Antić, Dragutin Dulić, Milan Marinko…
Establishment
Unification or Death was established at the beginning of May 1911, and the original constitution of the organization was signed on 9 May. Ljuba Čupa, Bogdan Radenković and Vojislav Tankosić wrote the constitution of the organization, modeled after similar German secret nationalist associations and the Italian Carbonari. The organization was mentioned in the Serbian parliament as the "Black Hand" in late 1911.
1911–13
The organization used the magazine Pijemont (the Serbian name for Piedmont, the kingdom that led the unification of Italy under the House of Savoy) for the dissemination of their ideas. The magazine was founded by Ljuba Čupa in August 1911.
1914
By 1914, the group had hundreds of members, many of them Serbian Army officers. The goal of uniting Serb-inhabited territories was implemented by training guerilla fighters and saboteurs. The Black Hand was organized at the grassroots level in cells of three to five members, supervised by district committees and by a Central Committee in Belgrade, whose ten-member executive committee was primarily led by Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijević "Apis". To ensure secrecy, members …
Ideology
The group encompassed a range of ideological outlooks, from conspiratorially-minded army officers to idealistic youths, sometimes tending towards republicanism, despite their patrons in nationalistic royal circles. The movement's leader, Apis, had been instrumental in the June 1903 coup which had brought King Petar Karađorđević to the Serbian throne following 45 years of rule by the rival Obrenović dynasty. The group was denounced as nihilist by the Austro-Hungarian press an…
Legacy
In 1938 a conspiracy group to overthrow the Yugoslav regency was founded by, among others, members of the Serbian Cultural Club (SKK). The organization was modeled after the Black Hand, including the recruitment process. Two members of the Black Hand, Antonije Antić and Velimir Vemić, were the organization's military advisors.
See also
• Serbian Chetnik Organization
• Young Bosnia
• Serb revolutionary organizations
Serbian Terrorists
Semi-Accepted Status
- We don’t know how many members the Black Hand had, as their secrecy was very effective, although it seems to have been in the low thousands. But this terrorist group was able to use its connections to the (only semi-secretive) National Defense society to gather a huge amount of political support in Serbia. Apis was a senior military figure. However, by 1914 this was tailing of…
The Great War
- It took luck, fate, or whatever divine assistance they might want to call on, but Franz Ferdinand was assassinatedand World War I followed swiftly. Austria, aided by German forces, occupied Serbia and tens of thousands of Serbs were killed. Within Serbia itself, the Black Hand had become hugely powerful thanks to the military connection, but also more than an embarrassme…
Aftermath
- Serbian politics did not end with the Great War. The creation of Yugoslavia led to the White Hand emerging as an offshoot, and the 1953 ‘retrial’ of the Colonel and others which argued they weren’t to blame for 1914.
Sources
- Clark, Christopher. "The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914." Harper Collins, 2013.
- Hall, Richard C. The Balkan Wars 1912–1913: Prelude to the First World War." London: Routledge.
- MacKenzie, David. "The "Black Hand" on Trial: Salonika, 1917." East European Monographs, 1995.
- Clark, Christopher. "The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914." Harper Collins, 2013.
- Hall, Richard C. The Balkan Wars 1912–1913: Prelude to the First World War." London: Routledge.
- MacKenzie, David. "The "Black Hand" on Trial: Salonika, 1917." East European Monographs, 1995.
- Remak, Joachim. "The Origins of World War I, 1871–1914." Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 2005.
