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Otto von
Habsburg
MAN
WITH A MISSION
by
Gene H. Hogberg
A leading European Parliamentarian speaks out on the dangers
and challenges confronting Europe today.
From time to time, the editorial staff
of
The Plain T ruth
endeavors to bring
to the attention of our audience the
views and opinions of /eading person–
alities who have, or wi/1 have, a great
impact upon the world in the months
and years ahead.
One such individual is Otto von
Habsburg, a member of the European
Parliament, but much more than
that-one who may we/1 be a Ieading
architect of the Europe of the future.
O
TTO VON H ABSBURG ,
many be lieve, has a
clearer grasp of inter–
national affairs than almost
any political figure a live.
Of course, Dr. Habsburg is
no average politician. He is t he
head of the 700-year-old House
of Habsburg, one of the most
prestigious royal fam ili es in
European history.
Although no longer a claimant to
the Austrian throne, Dr. Habsburg
is nevertheless active daily in the
political field. Since 1979, he has
been a delegate to the European
Parliament, representing an area of
Bavaria in West Germany. H e trav–
els widely, speaks often and writes
(he has 24 books to his credit) as
much as t ime permits.
In an interview with staff mem–
bers of the
Plain Truth
magazine,
and in speeches at Ambassador Col–
lege, P asadena, California and
before the Los Angeles World
March 1984
Affai rs Council, the energet ic 71-
year-old Dr. Habsburg hammered
home one theme time and again: the
need , he claims, for the nations of
Europe to unite in order for the Con–
t inent to be prepared for unprece–
dented dangers in the near future.
The goal of a uni ted Europe
colors nearly everything be wr ites
Oanger from the East
The most serious danger confront–
ing free Europe, in Dr. Habsburg's
view, is that of a Soviet U nion that
is powerful militari ly, but faces
grave and potentially destabi lizing
crises in its economy and interna!
ethnic makeup.
Dr. Otto von Habsburg, right, member of the European Parliament, is interviewed
by
Plain Truth
staff members Keith W. Stump, left, and Gene H. Hogberg.
and says- almost preaches-in his
dynamic, fast-tempo speeches (at
which he uses no notes). As one
biographer wrote: " He lives only
for the cause that sustains him."
The Sovi·et Union can no longer
feed itself, despite the fact that 50
percent of its citizens still work on
farms. In precommunist days, czar ist
Russia was the world's number one
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