This photograph was taken in the United States at the turn of 1942-43. Otto von Habsburg was on a skiing tour with his two brothers, Rudolf on his right and Carl Ludwig on his left. It had been an eventful year for them. The young heir to the throne was not only following the events of the war but was already preoccupied with the possibilities of the post-war order. In the memoirs of Prime Minister Miklós Kállay, we read: “It is primarily to the merit of Archduke Otto that he succeeded in arousing the interest of President Roosevelt, with whom he had several meetings and experienced a strong interest from his part in the Hungarian cause. (…) Otto sent his younger brother, Carl Ludwig, to Lisbon to inform us…” At this time, it was becoming increasingly apparent that he had no chance of returning to power, whereas he saw a major political opportunity in promoting cooperation between the European states. His profound faith made all worldly power relative in any case, reminiscent of the way the biblical Magi, the Three Wise Men could kneel before the infant in the manger, experiencing the joy and significance of the birth of Jesus.

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