The Legend of Archduke Ferdinand’s Death Car
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, thus kicking off events that would culminate in the First World War. But what most people don’t know is that the car used on that fateful day, a 1910 Gräf & Stift Double Phaeton, would go on to develop a rather infamous reputation of its own.
The Infamy of the Death Car
As the years passed, many of its owners were met with either unfortunate accidents or even death while driving the car. So much so that eventually, it was donated to the Austrian Military Museum shortly after the end of the First World War. But you want to know the truth? None of those stories are true.
The Real Story
The reality is that the car was never used again after the assassination and was actually placed into storage before being sent to Austria. Where it not only survived World War II but is still on display today. All the stories about the unfortunate accidents the car supposedly had after Ferdinand’s death were all made up.
~NC
