The Craft and Nazis Although various articles have appeared in the Cross Keys before (last November being the most recent), this was written by Bro. Alexander Craighead during the period of Nazis atrocities. Grandmaster A.J. MacDonald of Nova Scotia in his 1940 address to his Grand Lodge said, “The dictators of Europe have decreed the death of Masonry, but in this dark hour we thank God that in the British Commonwealth we still have the Great Light of Masonry which has come down to us through the centuries. The living spirit of that Light must be kept alive in the human heart wherever men are determined to be free.”
In Jugoslavia and Bulgaria, Freemasonry was dissolved just prior to the Nazi invasion. In Czechoslovakia, the two Grand Lodges closed their organizations as they saw the approach of their enemy. Many of the Brethren of these two Grand Lodges, as others from the Grand Lodge of Vienna, succeeded in reaching the U.S.A. In New York City they have been assisted by our Grand Lodge and have organized a society named Humanitas which meets regularly in the Masonic Temple.
In Norway Major Vidkun Quisling, Norwegian Nazi Fuehrer, officially banned Freemasonry throughout that country in a decree issued November 29, 1940. Quisling’s order provided penalties for the Craft members who were Immediately on Hitler’s rise to power in Ger- slow in giving up their membership and conmany, the ten Grand Lodges were dissolved verted the Masonic headquarters into a muin countries they have conquered. The Gesta- seum. po seized the membership lists, perse- The living spirit of that Light From Poland, it is reportcuted the members, ed that many of the Mamust be kept alive sold the properties at sonic officials who decidauction, sent promied to stay in Warsaw nent members to concentration camps, and in were condemned to die of starvation or ex1937 held an “anti-Masonic Exposition” in haustion in concentration camps. It is also Munich. reported that the general condition in Poland is worse than any other country that has been On the morning of March 12, 1938, a few conquered by the Nazis; that the people are hours after Hitler’s invasion in Austria, the suffering as never before, even during the premises of the Grand Lodge of Vienna were First World War. seized and closed, and the property was confiscated. A few days later the Grand Master, In Sweden Freemasonry seems to be funcDeputy Grand Master, and all the Masters of tioning as before. There is not much infortwenty-two Lodges and a great number of mation from Denmark. The situation is sometheir members were imprisoned on June 5, what complicated because they were two 1938, the Grand Master Dr. Schlesinger, died, Grand Lodges having the same name, but the being still in custody. news from Holland makes tragic reading:“Following an order calling for the dissolution According to the newspaper reports, the of all Masonic Lodges, gangs of Nazi ruffians three Grand Lodges in France, the Grand Ori- were entrusted with the work of breaking ent, the Grand Lodge and the Grand Lodge Dutch Freemasonry. All Masonic funds were National, were all suppressed. Their property confiscated. This netted the German conquerwas confiscated and many objects were sold ors more than one and a half million guilders, at public auction, after having been on exhibit or approximately $795,000. Masonic jewels for a time. Vishy, France, September 19, 1941 were confiscated and melted down, while Ma- Nine French Army Generals were today dis- sonic aprons were cut up for shoe leather. missed from the service because of their Several Grand Lodge buildings, including two membership in Freemasonry. schools and a home for the aged were taken Cross Keys November 2021
