Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany
Encyclopedia
The Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany (Große Landesloge der Freimaurer von Deutschland, GLL FvD or GLL), also: Order of Freemasons (Freimaurerorden, FO) is a Masonic Grand Lodge
in Germany
. It is one of the founding members of the United Grand Lodges of Germany
and as such it is one of the five German Grand Lodges recognized as "regular" Grand Lodges by the United Grand Lodge of England
(UGLE). The Grand Lodge was established in 1770 by Johann Wilhelm Kellner von Zinnendorf, a Prussian army physician. It is one of three so called Old Prussian Lodges.
The Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany works according to a slightly modified version of the Swedish Rite
. It therefore differs from other German Grand Lodges both in its content and organizational structure. However, as a masonic Grand Lodge it is not a religious community
and affiliation a particular Christian denomination
is not required. Neither is it necessary for a member of the Order to be expressly Christian, however the Rules of the Order demand that every member "recognize the teachings of Jesus Christ as they are written down in the Holy Scripture".
The Order of Freemasons demands that its members keep working continuously at the development of their own personality. Rationality and conscience, inner freedom and self-knowledge as well as being conscious of one's responsibilities are regarded as the necessary means by which one can approach the finding of the origin, character and destiny of mankind and the whole of existence.
- apart from this, there is also a High Chapter for the holders of the XIth degree of Knight Commander with some 70 members. The conjunction of these branches forms a cohesive masonic body that closely follows that of the Swedish Rite
, which is predominantly found in Scandinavian countries.
Institutions of the Order of Freemasons include:
The new headquarters of the Order are situated in Berlin-Dahlem, the former headquarters having been destroyed in World War II
. The Order is headed by a dual leadership consisting of the Master of the Order(Ordensmeister) and the Grand Master of the Land(Landesgroßmeister). The Grand Master of the Land is the administrative head of the Great Landlodge. He is elected by the main assembly and is comparable to the Grand Masters of other Grand Lodges. He heads the St. John's and St. Andrew's Lodges. The Master of the Order is the elected head of the Order in its entirety. He heads the Chapter and safeguards the teachings and traditions of the Grand Landlodge. The Grand Master of the Land is aided by a council of Grand Officers, the Master of the Order is aided by the Council of the Order. The most prominent Master of the Order was the future (1888) German Emperor Frederick III
. At present, there are ten Provincial Lodges that administrate the activities of the St. John's and St. Andrew's Lodges of a certain district.
The GLLFvD's St. John's lodges are comparable to the blue lodges of other Grand Lodges and work the same degrees. The St. Andrew's Lodges and Chapter's are comparable to Appendant Bodies
.
At present, the Grand Landlodge claims to have 3,500 members. In the year 1934 the number was said to have been near to 20,000 members in 178 lodges, predominantly in Prussia
. In the area of the former German Democratic Republic 18 St. John's and 2 St. Andrew's lodges have been reactivated. In 2007 the Grand Landlodge included 109 St. John's lodges, 26 St. Andrew's lodges, 10 Provincial lodges and 11 Chapters.
The Grand Landlodge is strongest in the German States
of Hamburg
, Lower Saxony
and Berlin
. In the course of the last years indivdual lodges have been established in Lome
/Togo
, Riga
/Latvia
and Monaco
, of which only the first one in Lome is still a member of the Grand Landlodge.
The Provincial Lodges are intermediaries between the St. John's and St. Andrew's lodges and the Grand Master of the Land. They administer the Lodges of their particual area, to simplify the work of the Grand Master. With the exception of the Provincial Lodge of Lower Saxony, all Provincial Lodges in existence today, have been founded in the course of the 20th century. The border's of today's Provincial Lodges are approximately equal to today's state borders
.
The 10 modern day Grand Lodges:
Apart from the still existing first Provincial Lodge of Lower Saxony, the historic Provincial Lodges included the Provincial Lodge of Silesia (1779–1935), Pommerania (1777–1812) and Austria (1776–1783). Following these was the establishment of a Provincial Lodge of Russia in St. Petersburg (1777–1785) and a Provincial Lodge of Westphalia in 1808. These Provincial Lodges are no longer in existence.
. In the 1760s resentment was growing against the rituals of that Order, which were regarded as lacking in content and overly pompous, as well as the Strict Observance's "economical plan". As one of those, who were unsatisfied with this Rite, Johann Wilhelm Kellner von Zinnendorf wrote to the Grand Lodge in London
, asking for a patent to establish a new Lodge. However the London Grand Lodge declined, as there were already a great number of Masonic Lodges and Grand Lodges in existence in Berlin at that time.
After that, Kellner von Zinnendorf tried, through the help of a friend of his, to gain a patent and rituals from Karl Friedrich Eckleff in Sweden
. This attempt also failed, but other friends of his continued with these attempts. At this point, he was still acting in accordance with the Army Master (Heermeister) of the Strict Observance, who was informed of his actions.
Only a friend of Kellner von Zinnendorf's called Baumann finally managed to gain Eckleffs trust. On 14 September 1766 he returned to Berlin carrying a personal letter from Eckleff to Kellner von Zinnendorf, containing the ritual files, a charter permitting the establishment of Lodges abiding by the Swedish Rite
, instructions for the Master of the Order and directions for the establishment of a Chapter. Shortly thereafter, a quarrel began between Kellner von Zinnendorf and the Army Master of the Strict Observance, von Hund. On the 16th of December 1766, Kellner von Zinnendorf left the Strict Observance and spent his time concentrating on the establishment of a new Grand Lodge.
During this time, Baumann's files were translated into German and several Lodges, working according to the new ritual, were founded in the Berlin
area. Kellner von Zinnendorf's goal was to create at least 12 Lodges, in order to found his new Grand Lodge. However on the 27th December 1770 it was decided to go ahead with the establishment of the Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany, even though only 7 St. John's Lodges and one St. Andrew's Lodge had so far been founded.
Following the establishment, Kellner von Zinnendorf was anxious to get on good terms with the Grand Lodge in London. On 30 November 1773 an official letter of recognition arrived from London, to the effect that the Grand Landlodge was recognized as the sole Grand Lodge of the German Empire
and was thus regarded as an equal by the Grand Lodge in London.
On 14 October 1773 a meeting was arranged between representatives of the Grand Landlodge and of the Strict Observance. There an unsteady agreement was achieved, ending long lasting conflict between the two rites that had been raging since Kellner von Zinnendorf left the Strict Observance in 1766.
Another milestone in the history of the Grand Landlodge was Frederick the Great's Letter of Protection of 16 July 1774, which guaranteed the Grand Landlodge his royal protection.
In Sweden Duke Charles of Södermanland
had taken over the office of Master of the Order from Eckleff in 1773. As he was additionally offered the office of Army Master of the Strict Observance and he accepted, relations between the Grand Lodge of Sweden and the Grand Landlodge deteriorated.
Around the year 1778 the Grand Landlodge consisted of 34 Lodges. After the death of its founder Kellner von Zinnendorf, in the year 1782 it consisted of a total of 62 Lodges. Provincial Lodges were created in Austria, Silesia, Pomerania, Lower Saxony and Russia.
In 1872 Adolf Widmann founded the Zirkelkorrespondenz, a masonic magazine, which is still published today and distributed among the members of the Grand Landlodge. Widmann traveled to Sweden in 1869 and worked on a further compilation of the rituals.
The two most prominent members of the Grand Landlodge during the 19th century were the German Emperors William I
and Frederick III
; the latter was also Master of the Order of the Grand Landlodge.
and Grand Master of the Land von Heeringen on 7 April 1933 the GLL officially rejected its masonic foundation and especially eliminated all parts of the ritual drawing on the Old Testament and got rid of all masonic nomenclature. It now bore the name of "German-Christian Order of the Knights Templar".
On 10 April 1933 von Heeringen informed the other two Old Prussian Lodges of this conversion. In the days that followed, the other Old Prussian Lodges followed its example.
Internally everything that was considered typical of Freemasonry was either changed or eliminated. The aprons were abolished, Solomon's Temple
was changed to the "German Cathedral" or Strasbourg Cathedral
, all parts of the ritual referring to or drawing from the Old Testament were done away with and the legend of Hiram Abiff
replaced by the ancient Germanic legend of Baldr. However none of these conversions were ever accepted by the Nazi Party.
Thus the leaders of the national Grand Lodges demonstrated a grave misjudgement of Freemasonry's role in the National Socialist view of the world. Years of Nazi propaganda had stylized Freemasonry to a form of abstract hate symbol similar to the Jews. Therefore they were generally regarded as enemies.
The Grand Landlodge tried in vain to take legal action against the increasing riots against the Lodges that had increased dramatically since the Nazi seizure of power in 1933. Of course the legal proceedings against local leaders of the Sturmabteilung
and the Nazi Party were unsuccessful.
When all legal actions failed, no further noteworthy resistance was offered by the GLL. Its officials are said to have asked for the intervention of the Swedish King Gustav V, which was obviously unsuccessful as well. However, they managed to smuggle essential parts of their archive to Sweden, through dubious connections. These documents were returned in 1978.
In the spring of 1935, the Grand Lodge of Prussia, called "Zur Freundschaft", tried to find a solution for the situation. Their most prominent member, the Reich Minister Hjalmar Schacht
was sent to talk to Hitler and found out that a dissolution of German Freemasonry was inevitable. The Interior Ministry ordered that all Grand Lodges along with their constituent lodges had to be disbanded by 21 July 1935. On 14 July 1935 a final ceremony was held by the Grand Landlodge.
Immediately following World War II
preparations were made for the reestablishment of the Grand Landlodge. Dr. Hans Oehmen was elected the first Master of the Order of the post-war period. Paul Rosenthal became the Grand Lodge's first Grand Master of the Land, however he died as early as 1946. The negotiations that finally led to the establishment of the United Grand Lodges of Germany
- Brotherhood of Freemasons, were led by the 19th Master of the Order Dr. Fritz Pauk.
. On these grounds the first "House of the Order" was built and turned over to the Grand Landlodge in 1791. Initially this house remained private property between 1806 and 1816 it housed the French General Staff.
See also: →History of Berlin
In 1821 the building passed into the ownership of the Grand Landlodge. In 1839 the "House of the Order" was extended and was ornamented with a Classicistic
facade. As the number of members in the city of Berlin had increased to more than 1200, the building had to be extended once more in 1845. In 1898 it was sold to the Post Office as another extension would not have been possible. Until the completion of the new "House of the Order", the lodges of the Grand Landlodge made use of the facilities of the other two Old Prussian Lodges.
The Foundation Stone Ceremony for the second "House of the Order" took place on the 11th November 1898, the dedication of the building took place on the 18th November 1900. It was the largest "House of the Order" of the Grand Landlodge to date. 15,000 m² housed 8 temples, 2 great banquet halls, 2 assembly halls, 3 conference rooms, 6 residential flats, an archive, a museum's hall and several administrative offices.
The "House of the Order" was lost through the compulsory expropriation by the National Socialist Government in 1935. During World War II
it was heavily damaged by bombings and looting. In December 1945 the building's basement was once again used for meetings, but the house could not be rebuilt. Therefore the property was sold in 1965.
The money gained from selling the old property together with donations from the Landlodge's members served to buy the new, albeit smaller, "House of the Order".
Grand Lodge
A Grand Lodge, or "Grand Orient", is the usual governing body of "Craft", or "Blue Lodge", Freemasonry in a particular jurisdiction. The first Masonic Grand Lodge was established in England in 1717 as the Premier Grand Lodge of England....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is one of the founding members of the United Grand Lodges of Germany
United Grand Lodges of Germany
The United Grand Lodges of Germany or, in German, Vereinigte Großlogen von Deutschland is an amalgamation of the five Grand Lodges of Freemasons in Germany, and is recognized as regular by the United Grand Lodge of England....
and as such it is one of the five German Grand Lodges recognized as "regular" Grand Lodges by the United Grand Lodge of England
United Grand Lodge of England
The United Grand Lodge of England is the main governing body of freemasonry within England and Wales and in other, predominantly ex-British Empire and Commonwealth countries outside the United Kingdom. It is the oldest Grand Lodge in the world, deriving its origin from 1717...
(UGLE). The Grand Lodge was established in 1770 by Johann Wilhelm Kellner von Zinnendorf, a Prussian army physician. It is one of three so called Old Prussian Lodges.
The Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany works according to a slightly modified version of the Swedish Rite
Swedish Rite
The Swedish Rite is a variation of Freemasonry that is worked in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. A slight variation is common in parts of Germany under the Große Landesloge der Freimaurer von Deutschland. Also other craft masonic bodies are working in the nordic countries...
. It therefore differs from other German Grand Lodges both in its content and organizational structure. However, as a masonic Grand Lodge it is not a religious community
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
and affiliation a particular Christian denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
is not required. Neither is it necessary for a member of the Order to be expressly Christian, however the Rules of the Order demand that every member "recognize the teachings of Jesus Christ as they are written down in the Holy Scripture".
The Order of Freemasons demands that its members keep working continuously at the development of their own personality. Rationality and conscience, inner freedom and self-knowledge as well as being conscious of one's responsibilities are regarded as the necessary means by which one can approach the finding of the origin, character and destiny of mankind and the whole of existence.
Organizational Structure
The Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany is divided into three branches:- St. John's Lodge (i.e. Blue Lodge, or Craft Lodge) working the regular three masonic degrees,
- St. Andrew's Lodge working the IVth to VIth degree
- The Chapter working the VIIth to Xth degree
- apart from this, there is also a High Chapter for the holders of the XIth degree of Knight Commander with some 70 members. The conjunction of these branches forms a cohesive masonic body that closely follows that of the Swedish Rite
Swedish Rite
The Swedish Rite is a variation of Freemasonry that is worked in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. A slight variation is common in parts of Germany under the Große Landesloge der Freimaurer von Deutschland. Also other craft masonic bodies are working in the nordic countries...
, which is predominantly found in Scandinavian countries.
Institutions of the Order of Freemasons include:
- the Research LodgeResearch LodgeA Research Lodge is a Masonic lodge that is devoted to Masonic research. It is a lodge, and as such has a charter from some Grand Lodge. However, it does not confer degrees, and restricts membership to Master Masons of some jurisdiction in amity with the jurisdiction that the research lodge is in...
Frederik based in Flensburg/Husum and founded in 1982, - the Freemasonry Museum in St. Michaelisdonn,
- the Zinnendorf Foundation in Hamburg-Eppendorf, founded in 1991,
- the Zirkelkorrespondenz, the Order's member's journal, founded in 1872,
- the organization St. John's Fraternal Help for Self Help (St. Johannis Bruderhilfe zur Selbsthilfe), founded in 1998 and organizes social relief projects in Eastern Europe.
The new headquarters of the Order are situated in Berlin-Dahlem, the former headquarters having been destroyed in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Order is headed by a dual leadership consisting of the Master of the Order(Ordensmeister) and the Grand Master of the Land(Landesgroßmeister). The Grand Master of the Land is the administrative head of the Great Landlodge. He is elected by the main assembly and is comparable to the Grand Masters of other Grand Lodges. He heads the St. John's and St. Andrew's Lodges. The Master of the Order is the elected head of the Order in its entirety. He heads the Chapter and safeguards the teachings and traditions of the Grand Landlodge. The Grand Master of the Land is aided by a council of Grand Officers, the Master of the Order is aided by the Council of the Order. The most prominent Master of the Order was the future (1888) German Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, German Emperor
Frederick III was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors. Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl known informally as Fritz, was the only son of Emperor William I and was raised in his family's tradition of military service...
. At present, there are ten Provincial Lodges that administrate the activities of the St. John's and St. Andrew's Lodges of a certain district.
The GLLFvD's St. John's lodges are comparable to the blue lodges of other Grand Lodges and work the same degrees. The St. Andrew's Lodges and Chapter's are comparable to Appendant Bodies
Masonic appendant bodies
The fraternity of Freemasonry, also known as "Free and Accepted Masons," is organized by private groups of members variously known in English as lodges, chapters, councils, commanderies, consistories, etc., which can be collectively referred to as Masonic bodies.The basic unit to which an...
.
At present, the Grand Landlodge claims to have 3,500 members. In the year 1934 the number was said to have been near to 20,000 members in 178 lodges, predominantly in Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
. In the area of the former German Democratic Republic 18 St. John's and 2 St. Andrew's lodges have been reactivated. In 2007 the Grand Landlodge included 109 St. John's lodges, 26 St. Andrew's lodges, 10 Provincial lodges and 11 Chapters.
The Grand Landlodge is strongest in the German States
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
of Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. In the course of the last years indivdual lodges have been established in Lome
Lomé
Lomé, with an estimated population of 737,751, is the capital and largest city of Togo. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, Lomé is the country's administrative and industrial center and its chief port. The city exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels...
/Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
, Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
/Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, of which only the first one in Lome is still a member of the Grand Landlodge.
The Provincial Lodges are intermediaries between the St. John's and St. Andrew's lodges and the Grand Master of the Land. They administer the Lodges of their particual area, to simplify the work of the Grand Master. With the exception of the Provincial Lodge of Lower Saxony, all Provincial Lodges in existence today, have been founded in the course of the 20th century. The border's of today's Provincial Lodges are approximately equal to today's state borders
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
.
The 10 modern day Grand Lodges:
- Provincial Lodge of Lower SaxonyLower SaxonyLower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
in HamburgHamburg-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, gegründet 1777 - Provincial Lodge MecklenburgMecklenburgMecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
in RostockRostockRostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
, gegründet 1995 - Provincial Lodge BavariaBavariaBavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, gegründet 1925 - Provincial Lodge HesseHesseHesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
in Frankfurt, gegründet 1948 - Provincial Lodge Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
in KielKielKiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, gegründet 1951 - Provincial Lodge Northrhine-Westphalia in HagenHagenHagen is the 39th-largest city in Germany, located in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the eastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne, Volme and Ennepe meet the river Ruhr...
, gegründet 1952 - Provincial Lodge Baden-WürttembergBaden-WürttembergBaden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
in StuttgartStuttgartStuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, gegründet 1955 - Provincial Lodge BremenBremenThe City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
-Oldenburg in BremenBremenThe City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, gegründet 1989 - Provincial Lodge SaxonySaxonyThe Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
-ThuringiaThuringiaThe Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
in LeipzigLeipzigLeipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, gegründet 2004 - Provincial Lodge BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
-BrandenburgBrandenburgBrandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, gegründet 2005
Apart from the still existing first Provincial Lodge of Lower Saxony, the historic Provincial Lodges included the Provincial Lodge of Silesia (1779–1935), Pommerania (1777–1812) and Austria (1776–1783). Following these was the establishment of a Provincial Lodge of Russia in St. Petersburg (1777–1785) and a Provincial Lodge of Westphalia in 1808. These Provincial Lodges are no longer in existence.
Early history
During the 18th century, some 70% of German Masonic Lodges worked according to the rituals of the Strict ObservanceRite of Strict Observance
The Rite of Strict Observance was a Rite of Freemasonry, a series of progressive degrees that were conferred by the Order of Strict Observance, a Masonic body of the 18th century....
. In the 1760s resentment was growing against the rituals of that Order, which were regarded as lacking in content and overly pompous, as well as the Strict Observance's "economical plan". As one of those, who were unsatisfied with this Rite, Johann Wilhelm Kellner von Zinnendorf wrote to the Grand Lodge in London
United Grand Lodge of England
The United Grand Lodge of England is the main governing body of freemasonry within England and Wales and in other, predominantly ex-British Empire and Commonwealth countries outside the United Kingdom. It is the oldest Grand Lodge in the world, deriving its origin from 1717...
, asking for a patent to establish a new Lodge. However the London Grand Lodge declined, as there were already a great number of Masonic Lodges and Grand Lodges in existence in Berlin at that time.
After that, Kellner von Zinnendorf tried, through the help of a friend of his, to gain a patent and rituals from Karl Friedrich Eckleff in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. This attempt also failed, but other friends of his continued with these attempts. At this point, he was still acting in accordance with the Army Master (Heermeister) of the Strict Observance, who was informed of his actions.
Only a friend of Kellner von Zinnendorf's called Baumann finally managed to gain Eckleffs trust. On 14 September 1766 he returned to Berlin carrying a personal letter from Eckleff to Kellner von Zinnendorf, containing the ritual files, a charter permitting the establishment of Lodges abiding by the Swedish Rite
Swedish Rite
The Swedish Rite is a variation of Freemasonry that is worked in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. A slight variation is common in parts of Germany under the Große Landesloge der Freimaurer von Deutschland. Also other craft masonic bodies are working in the nordic countries...
, instructions for the Master of the Order and directions for the establishment of a Chapter. Shortly thereafter, a quarrel began between Kellner von Zinnendorf and the Army Master of the Strict Observance, von Hund. On the 16th of December 1766, Kellner von Zinnendorf left the Strict Observance and spent his time concentrating on the establishment of a new Grand Lodge.
During this time, Baumann's files were translated into German and several Lodges, working according to the new ritual, were founded in the Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
area. Kellner von Zinnendorf's goal was to create at least 12 Lodges, in order to found his new Grand Lodge. However on the 27th December 1770 it was decided to go ahead with the establishment of the Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany, even though only 7 St. John's Lodges and one St. Andrew's Lodge had so far been founded.
Following the establishment, Kellner von Zinnendorf was anxious to get on good terms with the Grand Lodge in London. On 30 November 1773 an official letter of recognition arrived from London, to the effect that the Grand Landlodge was recognized as the sole Grand Lodge of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and was thus regarded as an equal by the Grand Lodge in London.
On 14 October 1773 a meeting was arranged between representatives of the Grand Landlodge and of the Strict Observance. There an unsteady agreement was achieved, ending long lasting conflict between the two rites that had been raging since Kellner von Zinnendorf left the Strict Observance in 1766.
Another milestone in the history of the Grand Landlodge was Frederick the Great's Letter of Protection of 16 July 1774, which guaranteed the Grand Landlodge his royal protection.
In Sweden Duke Charles of Södermanland
Charles XIII of Sweden
Charles XIII & II also Carl, , was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 until his death...
had taken over the office of Master of the Order from Eckleff in 1773. As he was additionally offered the office of Army Master of the Strict Observance and he accepted, relations between the Grand Lodge of Sweden and the Grand Landlodge deteriorated.
Around the year 1778 the Grand Landlodge consisted of 34 Lodges. After the death of its founder Kellner von Zinnendorf, in the year 1782 it consisted of a total of 62 Lodges. Provincial Lodges were created in Austria, Silesia, Pomerania, Lower Saxony and Russia.
19th century
The history of the Grand Landlodge in the course of the 19th century includes several high points. Following the death of King Carl XIII of Sweden on 5 February 1818 there was a reconciliation with the Grand Lodge of Sweden, which amounted to a Treaty of Friendship that was signed on the 13th April 1819. Using the new rituals that were sent from Sweden, Christian Karl Friedrich Wilhelm von Nettelbladt implemented a significant reform of the rituals.In 1872 Adolf Widmann founded the Zirkelkorrespondenz, a masonic magazine, which is still published today and distributed among the members of the Grand Landlodge. Widmann traveled to Sweden in 1869 and worked on a further compilation of the rituals.
The two most prominent members of the Grand Landlodge during the 19th century were the German Emperors William I
William I, German Emperor
William I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the...
and Frederick III
Frederick III, German Emperor
Frederick III was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors. Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl known informally as Fritz, was the only son of Emperor William I and was raised in his family's tradition of military service...
; the latter was also Master of the Order of the Grand Landlodge.
20th century
Following a meeting between Hermann GöringHermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
and Grand Master of the Land von Heeringen on 7 April 1933 the GLL officially rejected its masonic foundation and especially eliminated all parts of the ritual drawing on the Old Testament and got rid of all masonic nomenclature. It now bore the name of "German-Christian Order of the Knights Templar".
On 10 April 1933 von Heeringen informed the other two Old Prussian Lodges of this conversion. In the days that followed, the other Old Prussian Lodges followed its example.
Internally everything that was considered typical of Freemasonry was either changed or eliminated. The aprons were abolished, Solomon's Temple
Solomon's Temple
Solomon's Temple, also known as the First Temple, was the main temple in ancient Jerusalem, on the Temple Mount , before its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar II after the Siege of Jerusalem of 587 BCE....
was changed to the "German Cathedral" or Strasbourg Cathedral
Strasbourg Cathedral
Strasbourg Cathedral or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, France. Although considerable parts of it are still in Romanesque architecture, it is widely consideredSusan Bernstein: , The Johns Hopkins University Press to be among the finest...
, all parts of the ritual referring to or drawing from the Old Testament were done away with and the legend of Hiram Abiff
Hiram Abiff
Hiram Abiff is a character who figures prominently in an allegorical play that is presented during the third degree of Craft Freemasonry...
replaced by the ancient Germanic legend of Baldr. However none of these conversions were ever accepted by the Nazi Party.
Thus the leaders of the national Grand Lodges demonstrated a grave misjudgement of Freemasonry's role in the National Socialist view of the world. Years of Nazi propaganda had stylized Freemasonry to a form of abstract hate symbol similar to the Jews. Therefore they were generally regarded as enemies.
The Grand Landlodge tried in vain to take legal action against the increasing riots against the Lodges that had increased dramatically since the Nazi seizure of power in 1933. Of course the legal proceedings against local leaders of the Sturmabteilung
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
and the Nazi Party were unsuccessful.
When all legal actions failed, no further noteworthy resistance was offered by the GLL. Its officials are said to have asked for the intervention of the Swedish King Gustav V, which was obviously unsuccessful as well. However, they managed to smuggle essential parts of their archive to Sweden, through dubious connections. These documents were returned in 1978.
In the spring of 1935, the Grand Lodge of Prussia, called "Zur Freundschaft", tried to find a solution for the situation. Their most prominent member, the Reich Minister Hjalmar Schacht
Hjalmar Schacht
Dr. Hjalmar Horace Greeley Schacht was a German economist, banker, liberal politician, and co-founder of the German Democratic Party. He served as the Currency Commissioner and President of the Reichsbank under the Weimar Republic...
was sent to talk to Hitler and found out that a dissolution of German Freemasonry was inevitable. The Interior Ministry ordered that all Grand Lodges along with their constituent lodges had to be disbanded by 21 July 1935. On 14 July 1935 a final ceremony was held by the Grand Landlodge.
Immediately following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
preparations were made for the reestablishment of the Grand Landlodge. Dr. Hans Oehmen was elected the first Master of the Order of the post-war period. Paul Rosenthal became the Grand Lodge's first Grand Master of the Land, however he died as early as 1946. The negotiations that finally led to the establishment of the United Grand Lodges of Germany
United Grand Lodges of Germany
The United Grand Lodges of Germany or, in German, Vereinigte Großlogen von Deutschland is an amalgamation of the five Grand Lodges of Freemasons in Germany, and is recognized as regular by the United Grand Lodge of England....
- Brotherhood of Freemasons, were led by the 19th Master of the Order Dr. Fritz Pauk.
Notable members
- Johann Erich Biester, * 1749, † 1816
- Gebhard Leberecht von BlücherGebhard Leberecht von BlücherGebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
, * 1742, † 1819 - Holger BörnerHolger BörnerHolger Börner was a German politician of the SPD.He was Minister-President of Hesse from 1976 until 1987. In this position, he served as President of the Bundesrat in 1986/87, but only served until the Landtag elections of 24 April 1987.In 1984, he and his SPD lost the majority in the Hesse Landtag...
honorary member, * 1931, † 2006 - Albert Emil Brachvogel, * 1824, † 1878
- Julius Campe, * 1792, † 1867
- Matthias ClaudiusMatthias ClaudiusMatthias Claudius was a German poet, otherwise known by the penname of “Asmus”.-Life:Claudius was born at Reinfeld, near Lübeck, and studied at Jena...
, * 1740, † 1815 - Johann Heinrich Bernhard Dräseke, * 1774, † 1849
- Hans Conrad Dietrich Ekhof, * 1720, † 1778
- Ernest II of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, * 1745, † 1804
- Emperor Frederick IIIFrederick III, German EmperorFrederick III was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors. Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl known informally as Fritz, was the only son of Emperor William I and was raised in his family's tradition of military service...
, * 1831, † 1888 - Gottlieb Wilhelm Freudentheil, * 1792, † 1869
- Caspar David FriedrichCaspar David FriedrichCaspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning...
, * 1774, † 1840 - Wilhelm Ludwig Viktor Henckel von Donnersmarck, * 1775, † 1849
- Friedrich Gottlieb KlopstockFriedrich Gottlieb KlopstockFriedrich Gottlieb Klopstock was a German poet.-Biography:Klopstock was born at Quedlinburg, the eldest son of a lawyer.Both in his birthplace and on the estate of Friedeburg on the Saale, which his father later rented, young Klopstock passed a happy childhood; and more attention having been given...
, * 1724, † 1803 - Freiherr Adolph Knigge, * 1752, † 1796
- Gotthold Ephraim LessingGotthold Ephraim LessingGotthold Ephraim Lessing was a German writer, philosopher, dramatist, publicist, and art critic, and one of the most outstanding representatives of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the development of German literature...
, * 1729, † 1781 - Karl Bernhard Ritter, * 1890, † 1968
- Gerhard von ScharnhorstGerhard von ScharnhorstGerhard Johann David Waitz von Scharnhorst was a general in Prussian service, Chief of the Prussian General Staff, noted for both his writings, his reforms of the Prussian army, and his leadership during the Napoleonic Wars....
, * 1755, † 1813 - Emperor William IWilliam I, German EmperorWilliam I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the...
, * 1797, † 1888
Masters of the Order of the GLLFvD
- Johann Wilhelm Kellner von Zinnendorf (1770–1782),
- Levin von Geusau (1782–1808),
- Prof. Friedrich Gustav von Castillon (1808–1814),
- Burchard Ludwig Werner Cramer (1814–1815),
- Gottfried Ernst Andreas Müller (1815),
- Joachim Friedrich Neander von Petersheiden (1815–1817),
- Christian Friedrich Becherer (1817–1821),
- Johann Michael Palmié (1821–1841),
- Wilhelm Ludwig Viktor Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck (1841–1849),
- Karl Friedrich von Selasinski (1849–1860),
- Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl von Preußen (1860–1874),
- Caesar Carl Ludwig von Dachroeden (1874–1877),
- Gustav-Adolf von Ziegler (1877–1882),
- Alexis Bravmann Schmidt (1882–1895),
- Prince Friedrich Leopold of PrussiaPrince Friedrich Leopold of PrussiaJoachim Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Leopold Prinz von Preußen was a son of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia and Princess Maria Anna of Anhalt-Dessau, married in 1854.- Family :On 24 June 1889 he married in Berlin Princess Louise Sophie of...
(1895–1918), - Wilhelm Augustin Balthasar-Wolfradt (1919–1934),
- Friedrich Bolle (1934–1946),
- Hans Oehmen (1946–1949),
- Fritz Pauk (1949–1968),
- Reinhold Mueller (1968–1972),
- Robinson Schellack (1972–1979),
- Hartwig Lohmann (1979–1997),
- Manfred Obermann (1998–2005),
- Joachim Klauss (seit 2005).
Grand Masters of the Land of the GLLFvD
- Martin Kröncke (1770–1773),
- Prinz Georg Karl Ludwig von Hessen-Darmstadt (1773–1774),
- Johann Wilhelm Kellner von Zinnendorf (1774),
- Herzog Ernst II. zu Sachsen-Gotha und Altenburg,
- Karl Alexander Graf von Goltz (1776),
- Jacob Mumssen (1777–1780),
- Johann Wilhelm Kellner von Zinnendorf (1780–1782),
- Friedrich Gustav von Castillon (1782–1789),
- C. August von Beulwitz (1789–1799),
- Friedrich Gustav von Castillon (1799–1814),
- Joachim Friedrich Neander von Petersheiden (1814–1818),
- Johann Heinrich Otto von Schmidt (1818–1837),
- Johann Michael Palmié (1837–1838),
- Wilhelm Ludwig Viktor Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck (1838–1841),
- Karl Friedrich von Selasinski (1841–1842),
- Wilhelm Ludwig Viktor Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck (1842–1843),
- Dietrich Wilhelm Heinrich BuschDietrich Wilhelm Heinrich BuschDietrich Wilhelm Heinrich Busch was a German obstetrician born in Marburg.In 1806 he earned his medical doctorate at the University of Marburg, becoming an associate professor of surgery in 1814. In 1817 he was appointed professor of obstetrics at Marburg, where from 1820 to 1829 was director of...
(1843–1858), - Christoph Klemm (1858–1864),
- Caesar Carl Ludwig von Dachroeden (1864–1872),
- Gustav-Adolf von Ziegler (1872–1883),
- Fedor Rudolph Alexander Neuland (1883–1891),
- Hermann Zoellner (1891–1900),
- Eugen von Kuycke (1900–1903),
- Karl Gartz (1903–1908),
- Stanislaus Graf Dohna (1908–1916),
- Eugen Müllendorff (1916–1931),
- Kurt von Heeringen (1931–1945),
- Paul Rosenthal (1945),
- Hans Oehmen (1946–1948),
- Paul Hoffmann (1948–1957),
- Willy Coßmann (1957–1963),
- Eugen Fritz (1963–1973),
- Georg C. Frommholz (1973–1981),
- Manfred Obermann (1981–1990),
- Hanns-Jürgen Funk (1990–1995),
- Wolfgang Demmer (1995–1998),
- Wolfgang Dahme (1998–2004),
- Bodo Raschke (2004–2007),
- Joachim Strassner (since 2007)
Headquarters of the Order
For some years following its foundation, the Grand Landlodge's administration was housed in the private homes of some of its members. In 1786 a property in Berlin was acquired for its use by Christoph Friedrich NicolaiChristoph Friedrich Nicolai
Christoph Friedrich Nicolai was a German writer and bookseller.Nicolai was born in Berlin, where his father, Christoph Gottlieb Nicolai , was the founder of the famous Nicolaische Buchhandlung...
. On these grounds the first "House of the Order" was built and turned over to the Grand Landlodge in 1791. Initially this house remained private property between 1806 and 1816 it housed the French General Staff.
See also: →History of Berlin
History of Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany. Berlin is a young city by European standards, founded in the 12th century.-Early history:*98 AD: Tacitus described the territory of Germania. What is now Berlin, in ancient times was well outside the frontiers of the Roman Empire...
In 1821 the building passed into the ownership of the Grand Landlodge. In 1839 the "House of the Order" was extended and was ornamented with a Classicistic
Classicism
Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. The art of classicism typically seeks to be formal and restrained: of the Discobolus Sir Kenneth Clark observed, "if we object to his restraint...
facade. As the number of members in the city of Berlin had increased to more than 1200, the building had to be extended once more in 1845. In 1898 it was sold to the Post Office as another extension would not have been possible. Until the completion of the new "House of the Order", the lodges of the Grand Landlodge made use of the facilities of the other two Old Prussian Lodges.
The Foundation Stone Ceremony for the second "House of the Order" took place on the 11th November 1898, the dedication of the building took place on the 18th November 1900. It was the largest "House of the Order" of the Grand Landlodge to date. 15,000 m² housed 8 temples, 2 great banquet halls, 2 assembly halls, 3 conference rooms, 6 residential flats, an archive, a museum's hall and several administrative offices.
The "House of the Order" was lost through the compulsory expropriation by the National Socialist Government in 1935. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it was heavily damaged by bombings and looting. In December 1945 the building's basement was once again used for meetings, but the house could not be rebuilt. Therefore the property was sold in 1965.
The money gained from selling the old property together with donations from the Landlodge's members served to buy the new, albeit smaller, "House of the Order".