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cable exclusively for Africa and Asia
and not also for Europe."
In an interview sorne years earlier,
von Habsburg asserted: "Right now
politically the only thing one can do
in the West is to see to it that the
West be united as fast as possible–
that we have the United States of
Europe here, in order to give all those
nations [in Eastern Europe] who are
now separated from Europe an alter–
native when the time comes-God
knows when it's going to come, but it
will come one day."
Von Habsburg is also president of
the Pan-European Union, a n organi–
zation dedicated to a united Europe
imbued with traditional values. The
movement seeks to motívate public
opinion toward the goal of full Euro–
pean unification.
One-Man Rule
On other topics, von Habsburg's
views are equa lly outspoken. On the
subject of European security, he
strongly advocates less reliance by
Western Europe on American mili–
tary muscle, citing the negative im–
pact of the Vietnam defeat on U.S.
resolve and reliability.
On the United Nations, he has de–
cla red that the organization is domi–
nated by "anti-European illiterates,
despots and cannibals." He has said
that he is "a full supporter of Rhode–
sia" (and a "great admirer" of outgo–
ing Rhodesia n Prime Minister Jan
Smith) a nd "a supporter of not a t–
tacking South Africa."
Possibly von Habsburg's most con–
troversia! suggcstion has been his
rec ipe for dea ling with nationa l
emergencies. 1n the April 1978 issue
of his conservative publication
Zeir–
bühne,
h~
suggested that in certain
emergency situations (such as nu–
clear blackmail or other major acts
of terrorism) governments should Jet
a strongman take over for a period of
nine months, allowing him to suspend
laws and "take all measures neces–
sary for the maintenance of the life of
the population."
As could be expected, vocal criti–
cism of this one-man-rule scheme
was swift in coming. Von Habsburg
has answered his critics by saying
that he was "just throwing out
ideas." He al so notes that his critics
The
PLAIN TRUTH September 1979
fail to mention that he insists on an
independent jndiciary to go along
with his strongma n. And the strong–
man, a<;cording to his plan, would be
selected by the na tiona l parliament;
in the case of West Germany, both
the Bundestag (Lower House) and
Bundesrat (Upper House) would to–
gether select him.
l nterestingl y, von Habsburg
counts Bavaria n leader Franz-Josef
Strauss among "the few full-blooded
politicians" who "in the case of ser i–
ous national crises are able to accept
responsibility because of their clear–
sightedness and indomitableness."
Von Habsburg says he is "personally
pretty
el
ose to his [Strauss's] ideas in
many ways on the European unity
su bject." Strauss, inc identally, rc–
cently became a candidate for Chan–
cellor of West Germany in the elec–
tions scheduled for next year.
Habsburg Dynasty
The House of Habsburg (also seen as
" Hapsburg" or " Ha bspurg") was
one of the greatest of the formerl y
sovereign dynasties of Europe. The
name Habsburg is derived from the
castle of
Habichrsburg
(' ' Hawk's
cast le"), built in 1020 by early a nces–
tors of the royal house in the Swiss
Aargau (overlooking the Aar river).
The zenith of Ha bsburg power
carne in the 16th century under Em–
peror Charles V. Chosen by electors
in 1519 at the age of 20, Charles was
crowned Holy Rema n Emperor by
Pope Leo X in October 1520. He
ruled until 1556 a nd is considered to
have been the greatest monarch to
bear the imperial crown since Char–
lemagne. He was the last emperor to
vigorously attempt to realize the me–
dieval idea of a unified empire em–
bracing the entire Chr istian world.
The Habsburg dynasty was, ac–
cording to Bible prophecy, the fourth
of the prophesied scven resurrections
of the Reman Empire. As longtime
readers of this magazine will know,
there remains yet one reviva! of the
Rema n Empire to come, which will
consist of a union of ten nations un–
der the overallleadcrship of a strong–
man called in prophetic languagc
"the Beast."
Sorne have suggested the possibili–
ty that the evolving united Europe
might one day have a royal head.
Regarding the possibility of a Ha bs–
burg restoration, Otto has observed:
"It would be unrealistic, plus the fact
that
1
have signed this declaration
[renouncing Habsburg claims], and
that ends that. Once l sigo something
1 keep it. Or at least 1 try to."
" But if monarchist sentiments
were permitted to Aourish, and did,"
one writer rema rked a few years ago,
"there is no question that
Archduk~
Otto would offer a uniquely attrac–
tive prospect for leadership." Otto
himself has observed that he "can
still conceive that a united Europe
would be made up of monarchies as
well as of republics."
Christopher Hollis, in the fore–
word to von Ha bsburg's book
The
Social Order of Tomorrow,
points
out that Otto "would like to see Eu–
rope resume her essential unity, and
in the symbolism of that unity he
thinks that the imperial crown of
Charlemagne a nd of the Holy Re–
man Empire might well have its pa rt
to play."
lnter-Europea n unity has long
been a quest of the Habsburg dynas–
ty. Otto himself often speaks of the
similarities between the Holy Reman
Empire of the Middle Ages and hi s
view of a coming United States of
Europe. In this regard, Otto has
stressed the importance of religion in
the formation of a united Europe. He
regards Christianity as Europe's bul–
wark: "The cross doesn't need Eu–
rope, but Europe needs the cross."
Last April he was received by Pope
J ohn Paul 11 , a nd di scussed at length
the subject of European integra tion.
Observers of the efforts toward Eu–
ropean unity have often noted that a
lacking vital ingredient on the Euro–
pean scene is a charismatic leader and
organizing genius-a new Charle–
magne, a modern-day Frederick Bar–
barossa, a second Charles V. Would it
not be interesting ifa scion ofthis same
stock were eventually to assume such a
role-or at least exert a powerful in–
fluence in one way or a nother , whether
or not he himself were to be the new
Europeao "Charlemagne"?
As one observer once put it:
"Otto von Habsburg is a man for a ll
seasons. Perhaps a season ap–
proaches."
o