source of great pride, to contemplate
the progress that has been made, the consolidation that has been achieved,
the great sacrifices that have been willingly undertaken, the enthusiasm,
the fidelity, and the perseverance that have been so abundantly
demonstrated, the publicity that has been accorded the Faith, the plans
that have been devised, the marked stimulus that has been given to the
activities of the Youth, the harmony that has characterized the
collaboration of the oriental and occidental believers, the progress made
in connexion with the National Haziratu'l-Quds, the steady expansion of
Publishing activities, and above all, the notable improvement in the
spiritual life of the community, as witnessed by the greater unity,
cooperation and understanding prevailing among its members.

As the last year of the Plan, formulated by the German Baha'i community
inexorably draws to its close, a concerted, a redoubled effort should be
made to ensure that all its provisions, without any exception, will be
fully carried out, that the members of this community may thus acquire the
spiritual potentiality regarded as indispensable for the launching of a
still greater enterprise, on the morrow of the celebrations of the
approaching Baha'i Holy year--an enterprise that will bring the
much-admired, greatly loved, highly promising community of the followers
of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, in both Germany and Austria, into direct
association with its sister communities throughout the Baha'i world for
the conduct of the world Crusade destined to immortalize the decade
separating the two greatest Jubilees of the second Baha'i century.

Whilst every ounce of energy will be exerted for the consummation of their
present task, special attention should be directed towards the
consolidation of the ties, both spiritual and administrative, that must
continue to bind the believers in the Western Zone of Germany to their
brethren in the Eastern Zone, as well as to those living in the Republic
of Austria. A special effort must, moreover, be exerted to improve and
consolidate the relationship existing between the German Baha'i community
and the civil authorities, both local and central, in order to give
greater publicity to the Faith, and facilitate the expansion of its
administrative institutions in the crucial years ahead. No less energetic
efforts must be made to stimulate the process of the incorporation of the
local assemblies, and to obtain a