Basic HTML Version
Ottovon Habsburg__
(Continued from page JI )
partners for the United States," he
told the audience in the Ambassa–
dor Auditorium.
Decolonize Europe!
One factor distinguishes Dr. Habs–
burg from most of the others push–
ing for a united Europe: his outspo–
ken desire to " roll back" the Soviet
empire so that the captive nations
of Eastern Europe can also play a
role in the Continent's future.
Ever since the February 1945
Yalta Conference agreement estab–
Jishing the postwar spheres of
influence in Europe, one third of
the Continent has resided under
Soviet dominaban.
"Let's not forget, " he told an
audience in London just before com-
ing to California, "that one of the
tasks of Europe is to have the cour–
age of saying very clearly that for us
decolonization should not stop in
Africa and Asía; that Europe too has
a right to be decolonized."
In the European Parliament, Dr.
Habsburg acts as a sort of unofficial
representative of those countries
trapped behind the Iron Curtain. He
is lookíng beyond the most recent sig–
nificant decision taken toward Euro–
pean unification- the introduction of
a common European passport Janu–
ary 1, 1985- to prospects for the
establishment of a common European
citizenship. In this manner, tbose
countries not yet a part of the Euro–
pean Community, even in the East,
would be more attracted to it.
Religion a Major Key
Dr. Habsburg is known for advo-
What do Easter eggs, sunrise services and Len! have lo do
with Jesus' resurrection? Millions of professing Chrislians are
unaware that they keep Easter traditions that
38
were actually par! of mystery religions
flourishing 2,000 years befare Christ! Our free
booklet
The P!ain Truth About Easter
offers
facts you need to know. For a copy, write to
the
Plain Truth
otfice nearest you.
cating a strong religious role in any
future united Europe. One of his
books is a biography of Charles V,
the Habsburg ruler who was
crowned Holy Reman Emperor by
the Pope in 1530. Charles V fought
hard to maintain the spiritual unity
of Europe, then threatened by the
revolt of Martín Luther.
Under the old Holy Reman
Empire, wrote Dr. Habsburg in
this book, tbe Continent was held
together by the " twin disciplines"
of "Christian morality and supra–
national commonwealth"-in other
words, Church and State, as repre–
sented by the persons of the Pope
and the Emperor. This structure
broke down and culminated in what
he calls "the triumphant period of
godlessness" in the 19th century.
N ow, however, "we are in a
turning development towards a
ver y great rel igious age ," he
believes. This religious upsurge,
beginning in the sciences, will , in
turn, have a great ímpact upon
society and politícs.
"The last answer to the future of
your country, as also to the future
of my continent of Europe," said
Dr. Habsburg in the Ambassador
Auditorium, "will be whether we
are able to return truly and fully
again to the roots of our greatness.
Because Jet us not forget, if we take
Chrístianity out of the European,
or [out] of the American develop–
ment, there is nothing left. T he
soul is gone."
By referring to the "roots of our
greatness," Dr. Habsburg seems to
be echoing pleas by Pope John Paul
II , most notably his appeal in Spain
in 1982, for Europeans in both
eastern and western halves of the
continent to "revive your roots."
The Pope's outlook, naturally, is
essentially relígious. Dr. Habs–
burg's is that of the pol ítical scien–
tist that he is (he obtained a docto–
rate in the subject from the Univer–
sity of Louvaín in Belgium). To
him, religion is obviously the essen–
tial glue to hold a politically united
Europe together.
As far as Dr. Habsburg is con–
cerned, the process of European
unification is already irreversible.
"We are well beyond the point of
no return," he says, predicting con–
fidently that "we are 'condemned'
to success."
The
PLAIN TRUTH