Death and state funeral of Josip Broz Tito facts for kids

The funeral of Josip Broz Tito, President of Yugoslavia, was held on 8 May 1980, four days after his death on 4 May. His funeral was visited by many world statesmen, both enemies and allies. Based on the number of attending politicians and state delegations, it is still thought as the largest state funeral in history.

They included four kings, 31 presidents, six princes, 22 prime ministers and 47 ministers of foreign affairs. They came from both sides of the Cold War, from 128 different countries out of 154 UNO members at the time.

Tito became ill over the course of 1979. On 7 January and again on 11 January 1980, Tito was admitted to the University Medical Centre in Ljubljana. His left leg was amputated soon afterward due to arterial blockages and he died of gangrene at the Medical Centre Ljubljana on 4 May 1980 at 3:05 pm, three days short of his 88th birthday.

The "Plavi voz" (Blue train, official presidential train) brought his body to the capital Belgrade and he laid in state in the Federal Parliament building until the funeral.

Images for kids

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  House of Flowers, Tito's mausoleum.

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  Tito's tomb.

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  Tito's grave.

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  Tito's Blue Train (Plavi voz), the train which carried Tito's coffin from Ljubljana to Belgrade.

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  The message from the CIA's FBIS Austria Bureau, regarding the Radio Bucharest announcement of Tito's death, filed on 4 May 1980.

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  State funeral of Josip Broz Tito