Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany
Encyclopedia
The Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany (GL BFG) is a Masonic Grand Lodge
in Germany
working in the English language and following English masonic traditions. It was founded as a District Lodge in 1957 and was recognized as Grand Lodge in 1959. This Grand Lodge is one of the five United Grand Lodges of Germany
(VGLvD). It currently has members from more than 15 nations and in addition to the "resident members" in Germany, there are some "country members" represented all over the world. Currently 16 lodges work under the GL BFG, mainly in North Rhine-Westphalia
and Lower Saxony
, but also in Hamburg
, Munich
, and Berlin
.
, Royal Arch Chapter) of nearly all the rituals of English Freemasonry.
and was established as a district of the Grand Lodge AF & AM in 1957.
In 1959, the District Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany was founded and was raised to a Provincial Grand Lodge under the GL AF & AM of Germany in 1962. It then became an autonomous Provincial Grand Lodge and equal partner within the United Grand Lodges of Germany in 1970 and one year later changed its name to Grand Land Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany. In 1980 the name was again changed to the current Grand Lodge of British Freemasonry in Germany.
(UGLE). Through the VGLvD, it recognizes the existence of the Women's Grand Lodge of Germany (FGLvD); however, other male masonic lodges that are not part of the VGLvD within Germany are not recognized.
The other four United Grand Lodges of Germany, which have widely varying traditions, are:
Past Provincial Grand Masters (Provincial Grand Lodge)
Past Grand Masters (Grand Land Lodge)
Past Grand Masters (Grand Lodge)
Grand Master (present)
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...
working in the English language and following English masonic traditions. It was founded as a District Lodge in 1957 and was recognized as Grand Lodge in 1959. This Grand Lodge is one of the five 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....
(VGLvD). It currently has members from more than 15 nations and in addition to the "resident members" in Germany, there are some "country members" represented all over the world. Currently 16 lodges work under the GL BFG, mainly in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
and 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...
, but also in 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...
, Munich
Munich
Munich 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...
, 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...
.
Ritual
As with the other United Grand Lodges of Germany, the GL BFG is autonomous in matters of internal order and ritual. The Lodges of the GL BFG work in the English tradition with memorized English ritual texts. The GL BFG uses the common emulation ritual of England and it also supports separate Masonic orders (e.g. MarkMark Degree
The Order of Mark Master Masons is an appendant order of Freemasonry that exists in some Masonic jurisdictions, and confers the degrees of Mark Man and Mark Master.-Administrative structure:...
, Royal Arch Chapter) of nearly all the rituals of English Freemasonry.
History
The GL BFG, like the American Canadian Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M, was originally a military Masonic organisation for members of the Allied Forces in West GermanyWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and was established as a district of the Grand Lodge AF & AM in 1957.
In 1959, the District Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany was founded and was raised to a Provincial Grand Lodge under the GL AF & AM of Germany in 1962. It then became an autonomous Provincial Grand Lodge and equal partner within the United Grand Lodges of Germany in 1970 and one year later changed its name to Grand Land Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany. In 1980 the name was again changed to the current Grand Lodge of British Freemasonry in Germany.
Relationship to other Grand Lodges
As a member of the VGLvD, the GL BFG has ceded the sovereignty rights of representation to Freemasons outside of Germany and to the German public to the VGLvD and does not formally have direct relations with any masonic body outside Germany. The VGLvD is recognized as a "regular" Grand Lodge by the United Grand Lodge of EnglandUnited 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). Through the VGLvD, it recognizes the existence of the Women's Grand Lodge of Germany (FGLvD); however, other male masonic lodges that are not part of the VGLvD within Germany are not recognized.
The other four United Grand Lodges of Germany, which have widely varying traditions, are:
- Großloge der Alten Freien und Angenommenen Maurer von Deutschland Grand Lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Germany (GL AFuAMvD)
- Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of GermanyGrand Landlodge of the Freemasons of GermanyThe Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany , also: Order of Freemasons is a Masonic Grand Lodge in Germany...
(Große Landesloge der Freimaurer von Deutschland, GLL FvD) - Große National-Mutterloge „Zu den drei Weltkugeln“ Grand National-Mother Lodge, "The Three Globes" (GNML 3WK)
- American Canadian Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M (ACGL)
Grand Masters of the GL BFG
Past District Masters (British Lodge District)- 1957 A J Lawlor MBE †
- 1957 J A K Bland †
- 1958 C L C Mason †
- 1959 R G Holmes MBE, MM, Silver Award of Merit, OSM †
Past Provincial Grand Masters (Provincial Grand Lodge)
- 1959-1963 R G Holmes MBE, MM, Silver Award of Merit, OSM †
- 1963-1967 J P Railton Award of Honour †
- 1967-1968 L L A Wheatley-Perry OBE, Pkm, OSM †
- 1968-1971 B P Jackson Award of Honour, OSM
Past Grand Masters (Grand Land Lodge)
- 1971 B P Jackson Award of Honour, OSM
- 1971-1974 J G Chapman Award of Honour, OSM †
- 1974-1977 L J Sharp Award of Honour, Silver Award of Merit, Pkm, OSM †
- 1977-1980 W D J Heath-Smith TD, Award of Honour, Pkm, OSM †
Past Grand Masters (Grand Lodge)
- 1980 W D J Heath-Smith TD, Award of Honour, Pkm, OSM †
- 1980-1983 A Settle Award of Honour, Pkm, OSM †
- 1983-1985 A Bruce Award of Honour, OSM
- 1985-1988 C J Bayfield Award of Honour †
- 1988-1991 W A Spencer Award of Honour †
- 1991-1994 W L Muise Award of Honour, Pkm, OSM
- 1994-1997 R L Davies OBE, Award of Honour, OSM
- 1997-2000 D F Gale Award of Honour, OSM
- 2000-2003 N R J Woodhouse Award of Honour, OSM
- 2003-2006 M A Cooper Award of Honour, OSM
- 2006-2009 F.T Colbran Award of Honour, OSM
Grand Master (present)
- J.B. Gibson BEM