The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

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Chapter 9 - Masonic and Anti-Masonic Literature
It is obvious that although the brethren of Doric Lodge cannot be called
racists or fascists in the strictest sense of the word, they have a certain prejudice
against Jews. The Chaplain of Doric Lodge admonishes them that it is forbidden
to raise racial or religious issues in lodge, and reminds them that Freemasonry
welcomes and admits worthy men of every country, sect, and opinion. 1781 This is
the idealistic and theoretical view-point of Freemasonry, laid down in the
landmarks of the Ancient Charges of Anderson's Constitutions from 1723,
according to which a candidate must only profess a belief in a Supreme Being,
while no subjects of sectarian or political character must be discussed in lodge.
However, in Masonic reality these tenets have not always been obeyed. The
Doric Lodge dramas take place in the 1940's. Already in the late 1800's there
were debates whether or not to initiate Jews, which will be described at the
crucial example of Germany.
Thus, the IFL states that at the time of the English Princess Victoria's
engagement with the German Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, Jews were admitted to
English lodges, but not to German ones. 1782 English brethren of Jewish faith were
not allowed as visiting brethren in German lodges. Thus, when Friedrich
Wilhelm, a Mason, came to London in 1857, the English brethren made it clear
that they would not admit German Masons to visit them as long as the latter
rejected English brethren of Jewish faith. The prince promised to abolish this
out-dated German Grand Lodge decision upon his return to his mother country.
However, in 1874 the Grosse National-Mutterloge "Zu den drei Weltkugeln"
only granted Jewish Masons the right to visit Christian lodges, still rejecting the
initiation of Jews. This caused its Grand Master, who saw his liberal thoughts
fail, to demit from Freemasonry.
In 1881, the Grand Master of the German Grand Lodge "Royal York" wrote
to the Grand Master of the Dutch Grand Orient: "Wir erkennen mit Ihnen im
Prinzip, daß die Ausschließung der Israeliten von der Aufnahme in unseren
Logen nicht vereinbar mit dem Grundwesen der Freimaurerei ist [...] 1783 , and
expressed his hope that this barrier would soon fall. In fact, he achieved the
modification of the constitution that the religion of the candidate was no obstacle
for his initiation. In 1889, the Grand Master of "Royal York" resigned from his
office because he feared that Jewish neophytes would have to encounter
unjustified difficulties. To sum up the situation in Germany before WW I, two of
the old Prussian Grand Lodges, i.e. the "Große Landesloge" and the "Große
National-Mutterloge Zu den drei Weltkugeln" allowed Jewish brethren to visit
them, but refused the initiation of Jews, whereas the Grand Lodge "Royal York
zur Freundschaft" permitted the initiation of Jews to the first three degrees. The
"humanitarian" German Grand Lodges had Jewish members. That the German
lodges were most liable to follow the spirit of time is proven during the rise of
antisemitism in the pre-war era, when the Grand Lodge "Royal York" returned to
1781 Ibid, p. 164.
1782 For a detailed description of Jews in German Freemasonry see IFL, p. 795-796.
1783 IFL, p. 795.