On June 13, 1984, Herbert Armstrong, aboard the Gulfstream ii, jetted from France to Austria, touching down in Vienna mid-afternoon and checking into the picturesque Hilton hotel. That evening he drove to Hofburg Palace for a 6 p.m. meeting with President Kirchschlaeger (Worldwide News, July 2, 1984).

As a winter home to the Habsburg dynasty, which for centuries ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Hofburg is steeped in rich history. Being the seat of government since 1279, it is the official residence of the country’s president and attracts over half a million visitors annually to its Imperial Apartments, Silver Collection and Museum.

During the 1990s, while in Austria recording episodes for The Key of David program, editor in chief Gerald Flurry followed in Mr. Armstrong’s footsteps, also visiting Hofburg.

Upon arrival at the palace, Mr. Armstrong was escorted to the second floor and greeted by the president’s aide, former ambassador to Jordan and Syria Franc Parak. “… President Kirchschlaeger came out and invited Mr. Armstrong into his office. As the group admired a tapestry and portrait, the president explained that his office was formerly the office of Joseph ii, the Holy Roman emperor from 1765 to 1790” (ibid).

This was the third meeting between these men. The first came at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington d.c., the second in Los Angeles during a presidential state visit to the U.S. “The conversation ranged from music and the arts to communism and the Soviet-bloc nations. When riding in the elevator after the office visit, the president told the group that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) and Soviet Communist Party Secretary Leonid i Brezhnev (1964-1982) rode together in the same elevator during the signing of the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (salt ii) June 18, 1979” (ibid).

That evening at a club next door to the Spanish Riding School, home to the Royal Lipizzaner Stallions, Alfred Altenburger, President of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of its first violin section, and Mr. Parak’s wife joined Mr. Armstrong for dinner. Attendees enjoyed authentic Austrian cuisine while discussing the upcoming tour of the Philharmonic, which included a performance on the stage of Ambassador Auditorium scheduled for Feb. 18-19, 1985.

As the group adjourned for coffee, Mr. Altenburger offered Mr. Armstrong tickets to hear the Vienna Philharmonic. Just hours earlier during the visit with the president, he was also offered tickets for a performance at “Staatsoper,” the Vienna State Opera House.

Thursday and Friday he devoted to writing an article for mass circulation in the Plain Truth magazine and the June 15, 1985, co-worker letter to the tens of thousands of his supporters. During such trips he would bring his typewriter and various power adapters so he could write on location from wherever he was visiting.

Next, Mr. Armstrong flew to the home town of 18th century composer Wolfgang Mozart. Here in Salzburg, 450 Church members from West Germany and Austria, along with Ambassador College students en route to archeological excavations in the City of David in Jerusalem, assembled to hear Mr. Armstrong deliver the sermon. The Sabbath was made extra special by services being conducted at Residenz Palace, a former summer home of the Habsburg dynasty emperors of the Holy Roman Empire.

Residenz zu Salzburg, as it’s officially known, boasts “200 years of architectural and decorative work ….” The collection, “covering the renaissance, baroque and classical periods is on display in the form of precious frescoes, paintings, ceramic fireplaces, stoves and clocks. Even back in the feudal baroque era this urban ‘palais’ was one of the most splendid representative buildings in the German speaking lands.”

In his sermon, titled “Called to Be Teachers,” Mr. Armstrong focused on the firstfruit calling of Church members in training to serve as teachers in the coming Kingdom of God. “Mr. Armstrong expounded how the United States and British peoples received their prosperity through the fulfillment of promises made to the patriarch Abraham. He went on to explain how that brethren are not called only to receive salvation, but also to prepare to assume governmental posts in the Kingdom. Brethren in the Kingdom will be kings—a ruling and authoritative position—and priests—a teaching responsibility” (ibid).

After services Mr. Armstrong met with ministers and wives for dinner at the Golden Deer Hotel. Officially Hotel Goldener Hirsch, this 600-year-old jewel of Salzburg, with its Austrian decor selected by Countess Harriet Walderdorff, is located across from Festival Hall, down the street from Mozart’s house and walking distance from the Salzach River. After robust fellowship and a fine meal of smoked trout, consommé, lamb chops and fruit salad, Mr. Armstrong departed to the airport for the return flight to Vienna.

The next morning, Sunday, June 17, found Mr. Armstrong driving to the Renaissance-style Musikverein Hall for an 11 a.m. performance of the Vienna Philharmonic at the prior invitation of the orchestra’s president Alfred Altenburger. Also, after accepting the president’s offer earlier in the week to visit “Staatsoper,” Mr. Armstrong attended an evening performance of the Vienna State Opera. At the president’s request, he was seated in the presidential box above the left side of the stage. This provided ideal viewing for the presentation of the noted opera Wozzeck by Austrian composer Alban Berg.

Monday, June 18, was Mr. Armstrong’s final day in Vienna. He began by finishing his co-worker letter then bidding farewell to the Plain Truth magazine news editor who had been traveling with him. In the afternoon he toured the homes of Ludwig van Beethoven and the Von Trapp family, upon which the famed movie The Sound of Music was modeled. Then, on the banks of the Danube River, he toured the United Nations buildings, unveiled during 1979, before concluding the day viewing Schoenbrunn Palace, home to Maria Theresa, crowned in 1741 as empress consort of the Holy Roman Empire and queen consort of Germany.

Perhaps this trip to Austria reminded Mr. Armstrong of his question, “Is a world dictator about to appear?” This was the headline of the very first edition of the Plain Truth in February 1934. Within 50 years, its initial few dozen readers would grow to over 8 million as the “international magazine of understanding” became the premier publication forecasting prophetic current events in advance of their happening. So many of those events that Mr. Armstrong prophesied over his long ministry have, since his death, come to pass.

Even as Germany and Europe lay smoldering in ashes in 1945, Mr. Armstrong declared the coming fulfillment of a great event when European heads will again bow to Rome, the masses laboring for Berlin, and the hearts of formerly sovereign nations devotedly submitting to one Teutonic political power. Read and review these spellbinding prophecies as documented in our free booklet He Was Right.

Since its founding by Gerald Flurry 22 years ago, the Trumpet, as successor to the Plain Truth, has continued to report on the ongoing fulfillment of Bible prophecy for our times through current world events. Both Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Flurry have declared the prophecies of Daniel chapters 2, 8 and 11 and of Revelation 13 and 17 in particular. These great prophecies portray events that are destined to have so much impact on every human being on the planet. For insight into these prophecies, request your free copy of Daniel Unsealed at Last. For additional information request your free copy of Who or What Is the Prophetic Beast? These publications will help you gain deeper insight into how and why the Vatican-German combine is increasingly dominating the Europeans today.

The Matthew 24:14 gospel message, prophesied by Jesus Christ to be preached to all nations as a witness in advance of His imminent Second Coming, has been delivered to the highest levels of government in Austria as evidenced by the three personal visits between its president and that ambassador for world peace without portfolio, Herbert W. Armstrong. To deny this is to actually deny the reality of Bible prophecy and the documented facts of Herbert Armstrong’s history.

To make the effort to prove and accept the reality of Jesus Christ’s inspirational fulfillment of His own prophecy of Matthew 24:14 may just start you out on the road to a truly fulfilling life, with true peace of mind when it comes to considering the future ahead. Those who support this very message and its sponsor in prophesying again (Revelation 10:11), are actively involved in preparing to usher in a new dawn of a wonderful World Tomorrow where all knees will bend, all heads bow before their Maker, all hands willingly labor for, and all hearts rejoice under the royal government of God’s Family empire.

World War ii was the last resurrection of a war-making empire with a long and bloody history. Did you know that the Bible prophesied of one last resurrection in our day? Request Germany and the Holy Roman Empire to understand both the history and prophecy of the current and final beastly resurrection of this German-led, Vatican-guided European power.