Bela Ruka
Encyclopedia
White Hand or Bela Ruka , was a secret, unofficial military organization in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (and later in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
).
White Hand was opposed to another, similar organization called Black Hand
, and it was formed for this purpose in 1912 by Colonel Petar Živković
(who was, along with the Black Hand
, involved in the 1903 coup
against Aleksandar Obrenović
), with blessings from Prince Alexandar Karađorđević (later King Alexander I of Yugoslavia
).
With the demise of the Black Hand in the Salonika Trial (Solunski proces), White Hand steadily gained control of the young and ambitious Prince Alexander. Živkovic was made the head of the Palace Guard in 1921, and started amassing power. In 1929 King Alexander I
, along with officers of the White Hand orchestrated a coup in attempt to control the growing nationalist tensions in the country (especially in Croatia) and the instability of the Parliament. Živković, now a general, was appointed Prime Minister. The autocracy was eased in 1931, when the King re-instated some constitutional rights after his reforms completely failed in their purpose, and Živković lost his position in 1932 after organizing numerous show trials against minority leaders, ultra-nationalist groups, and communists.
The members of White Hand are also suspected of being involved in the abdication of heir-apparent Prince George in favour of Alexander
(1909), the installment of Alexander as a regent
during the reign of Peter I
, as well as the coup of March 27, 1941 which placed the underage Prince Peter II Karađorđević
on the throne, effectively putting Yugoslavia in a state of war with Germany
.
With the victory of the communist forces of Josip Broz Tito
during Second World War, members of the White Hand were either executed by the new regime, or fled to the Allies.
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
).
White Hand was opposed to another, similar organization called Black Hand
Black Hand
Unification or Death , unofficially known as the Black Hand , was a secret military society formed by members of the Serbian army in the Kingdom of Serbia, which was founded on September 6, 1901. It was intent on uniting all of the territories containing significant Serb populations annexed by...
, and it was formed for this purpose in 1912 by Colonel Petar Živković
Petar Živkovic
Petar Živković was a Serbian soldier and political figure in Yugoslavia. He was Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from January 7, 1929 until April 4, 1932.-Life:...
(who was, along with the Black Hand
Black Hand
Unification or Death , unofficially known as the Black Hand , was a secret military society formed by members of the Serbian army in the Kingdom of Serbia, which was founded on September 6, 1901. It was intent on uniting all of the territories containing significant Serb populations annexed by...
, involved in the 1903 coup
May Overthrow
The May Overthrow was a 1903 coup d'état in which the Serbian King Alexander Obrenović and his wife, Queen Draga, were assassinated inside the Royal Palace in Belgrade on the night between 28 and 29 May 1903 by the Julian calendar...
against Aleksandar Obrenović
Aleksandar Obrenovic
Not to be confused with Alexander I of Yugoslavia.Alexander I or Aleksandar Obrenović was king of Serbia from 1889 to 1903 when he and his wife, Queen Draga, were assassinated by a group of Army officers, led by Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijević-Accession:In 1889 Alexander's father, King Milan,...
), with blessings from Prince Alexandar Karađorđević (later King Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Alexander I , also known as Alexander the Unifier was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as well as the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes .-Childhood:...
).
With the demise of the Black Hand in the Salonika Trial (Solunski proces), White Hand steadily gained control of the young and ambitious Prince Alexander. Živkovic was made the head of the Palace Guard in 1921, and started amassing power. In 1929 King Alexander I
Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Alexander I , also known as Alexander the Unifier was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as well as the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes .-Childhood:...
, along with officers of the White Hand orchestrated a coup in attempt to control the growing nationalist tensions in the country (especially in Croatia) and the instability of the Parliament. Živković, now a general, was appointed Prime Minister. The autocracy was eased in 1931, when the King re-instated some constitutional rights after his reforms completely failed in their purpose, and Živković lost his position in 1932 after organizing numerous show trials against minority leaders, ultra-nationalist groups, and communists.
The members of White Hand are also suspected of being involved in the abdication of heir-apparent Prince George in favour of Alexander
Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Alexander I , also known as Alexander the Unifier was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as well as the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes .-Childhood:...
(1909), the installment of Alexander as a regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
during the reign of Peter I
Peter I of Yugoslavia
Peter I , was the King of Serbia from 1903 to 1918, and subsequently the ruler of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes . He was a member of the Royal House of Karađorđević...
, as well as the coup of March 27, 1941 which placed the underage Prince Peter II Karađorđević
Peter II of Yugoslavia
Peter II, also known as Peter II Karađorđević , was the third and last King of Yugoslavia...
on the throne, effectively putting Yugoslavia in a state of war with Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.
With the victory of the communist forces of Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
during Second World War, members of the White Hand were either executed by the new regime, or fled to the Allies.