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

Chapter 9 - Masonic and Anti-Masonic Literature 731
Masonic pun. [...] It is also an all-too-obvious pun on the 'god' of Masonry, the
male reproductive organ! Nice, eh?" 1801
Having mentioned examples of attributing a sexual connotation to Masonic
symbols, the following is an example of appointing a political significance to
them. Walter Ulbricht, a former Communist leader in East Germany, unwittingly
provided material for anti-Masons when he ordered a new flag adopted for his
Soviet "republic." This led to an association of Freemasonry with Communism,
since the new flag substituted a circle for the sickle of the Soviet flag, while the
hammer was retained. The hammer is a profane artisan's tool, but in European
Masonry also a well-known symbol referring to the Supreme Intelligence, i.e.
God. 1802 A writer in the Rheinischer Merkur felt stimulated to launch the
following conspiracy theory: "The variant Hammer and Sickle leads to the
suspicion that Ulbricht is trying to achieve a higher status by using the Masonic
symbol of intelligence, the circle. He probably wants to prove that he is the most
dependable of all the red satraps, as well as the chief architect of his red Builders
State." 1803
9.2.1 The Vatican
Section 2.3 on Freemasonry in Italy has already sketched the history of Papal
Bulls and Catholic oppression with regard to the Masonic fraternity. What makes
this topic interesting for literary studies is that the Encyclicas of the Vatican each
time produced outraged and rebellious reactions of ardent Freemasons, who
published their counter-acts. These were again commented on by fanatic
Christians and anti-Masons, so that a whole vicious circle of verbal injury
literature and also mock poetry evolves around this subject. Coil's Masonic
Encyclopedia records seventeen Bulls by eight different Popes from 1738 until
1902, starting with In Eminenti under Clement XII in 1738, which was followed
by Providas (Benedict XIV; 1751), Ecclesiam (Pius VII; 1821), Quo graviora
mala (Leo XII; 1825), Traditi humilitati (Pius VIII; 1829), Mirari vos (Gregory
XVI; 1832). Then came six Bulls under Pius IX; respectively, Qui pluribus
(1846), Quibus quantisque malis (1849), Quanta cura (1854), Multiplices inter
(1865), Apostolicae sedis (1869), Etsi multa (1873). These were succeeded by
four Bulls under Leo XIII, Etsi nos (1882), Humanum Genus (1884), Ab
Apostolici (1890), Praeclara gratulationis (1894), and Annum ingressi
(1902). 1804 Of all these, Humanum Genus was the most pretentious, calling
Freemasonry the "Devil's work." 1805 As its name implies, it is an essay on the
1801 Schnoebelen, p. 124.
1802 Cf. Pollard, p. 52.
1803 Quoted in Pollard from California Freemason, summer 1960, who cites a partisan Catholic writer
in the Rheinischer Merkur. P. 52.
1804 Cf. CME, p. 55.
1805 Cf. IFL, p. 236.