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urban and black households were
found to be the most vulnerable,
said a recent U.S. Justice Depart–
ment report. One fifth of U.S.
households were viclimized by
lhefl in 1982. One third of urban
households were touched by sorne
type of crime last year.
What a horrible indictment
against our modern societies! God
sees, and for this and other serious
lawbrea king , he is going to
respond (Ezek. 7:23-24).
Don' t Be
Careless
Wc must not assume we will nev–
er be a vict im of crime or vio–
lcnce. That attitude, say police, is
exactly what makes a crime vic–
tim.
Neither s hould we become
unbalanced by fearing crime at
every corner. The way to cope
with the possibilily of crime is to
takc positive s teps to avoid bcing
an easy target. And if we are also
diligent to please and obey God
we can have his extra help to pre-
vent or deliver us from cr ime sit–
uations (Ps. 34:7).
Prevention means taking time
to think and plan how to avoid
potentially dangerous crime areas
or situations.
It
may also mean
spending a little money for appro–
priate strong locks or security
devices for doors a nd windows.
Such expenses need not be exor–
bitant. Police departments often
have free detailed suggestions on
how to simply but effectively
make your home or possessions
more secure. Police say tbey alone
cannot deter crime. Only together
with an alert concerned citizenry
can this be done.
On the previous pages are funda–
mental steps you can take to help
prevent yourself, loved ones and
property from being an easy target
for criminals. Further research on
how to do so is, of course, recom–
mended. Our free booklet
Crime
Can Be Stopped- Here's How
offers added crime prevention
measures. o
HISTORY
(Continued from page 12)
power will be damaged a lmost
beyond repair.
The " Te rrible T ime "
Frederick
ll
dies in 1250. He is thc
last of the great Hohenstaufens. With
his death, the Empire crumbles.
The last of the German Hohen–
staufen dynasty (not crowned , how–
ever, as Emperor) is Conradin ,
grandson of Frederick
11.
In 1265
the Pope forms an alliance with
Charles of Anjou, the brother of the
king of France, in which he offers
Charles the kingdom of Sicily as a
reward for ridding Italy of lhe
Hohcnstaufens. By 1268 the Hohen–
staufen forces are defeated. Young
Conradin is beheaded in the public
marketplace al N aples for treason.
The Papacy has won its victory
over the Hohenstaufens. The dynas–
ty is extinct. But the Papal victory
has brought political instability to
Germany. Germany bccomes more a
geographicallerm than a nation.
It
is
a loosc confederation of separate
princcs. The German king has
become onc of the weakest territorial
rulers on thc Continent.
The Great Interregnum (1254-
1273), as this period will be known
to history, is a stormy and confused
pcriod.
lt
is the
kaiser/ose, schreck–
liche Zeit- " the
terrible time with–
oul an empcror."
Wes tcrn Europe is now about to
enter a ncw phase.
Thc Grcat l nterrcgnum comes to
an cnd in 1273. In that year , thc
imperial crown is revived and given
to the Auslrian Count Rudol f of
Habsburg. The Empire now has an
Aus trian head .
Rudolrs ancestors had built a
famil y cast lc in Switzerland in the
11th century. They had called il
Habichtsburg- Castle
of the Hawk.
Hence, the word
Habsburg.
Rudolf is the first Habsburg to
ascend thc imperial throne. He will
succeed in cstablish ing sorne degree
of order within the Empire.
T he House of Habsburg will play
a Jeading role in European affairs for
centuries lo come. The ideal of uni–
versal rule- unity under a single
authori ly- is by no means dead.
(Next Month : "The Rise of Habs–
burg") o
35