Freemasonry in the Czech Republic
kate...@mailstation.com
Prologue
My first Central European Journey was in May, 1945. I entered
Czechoslovakia through the courtesy of the 101st Engineer Combat Battalion,
26th Infantry Division, 3rd Army commanded by General George S. Patton. I
traveled along the southern border - Stublern, Husinec, Prachatise, Pilson.
I entered Ceske Budejovice where I had a nose to nose encounter with a Red
Army colonel commanding an infantry group. My mission was to obtain the
world famous Budejovice beer for division consumption.
Forty seven years later in early 1992, I was in Prague, Czechoslovakia for
three months to complete a Central European business assignment. My work
was in determining the long - term viability of state owned and selected
business enterprises following privatization.
While living and working in Prague, I had the opportunity to meet and visit
with Dr. Jiri Syllabe, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite and
Grand Master of Czechoslovakian Freemasons. Dr. Syllaba, 90 years young,
was trained as a medical doctor specializing in diabetes. During German
occuplation in World War II, the Nazi Gestapo secret Police intended a total
liquidation of Czech and Moravian Freemasons. Dr. Syllaba and other
Brothers were put in a concentration camp till the end of the war. The camp
was infected by an epidemic fever and many Freemasons died in his arms. He
was the only medical doctor for 5,000 prisoners.
During my visits to his home, Dr. Syllaba gave me an insight into
Czechoslovak Freemasonry, past and present. His words conveyed the stamina,
courage, grit, guts, and the beauty of the human spirit embodied in Masonic
belief faith and survival. All in all, it was a very humbling experience and
remains a rich part of my personal life in Freemasonry.
BIRTH, CHAOS AND REBIRTH
Freemasonry was established in Bohemia in the 17th century and Count
Antonium Sporck probably constituted the first Czechoslovakian Lodge in
1726. It is certain that John Amos Komenski (Comenius), the famous
Protestant Priest was involved in th early history of Freemasonry. He
emigrated to England during the 30 Years War and his views on peace and
universal wisdom inspired the Rev. James Anderson and Dr. John Theophilus
Desaguliers to create the Constitution of Freemasonry in 1721. Then in 1740
some French officers who were Freemasons founded a Masonic Lodge in Prague.
Empress Maria Theresa (1717 - 1780) Queen of Bohema and "King" of Hungary
from 1740 to 1780, tolerated Freemasonry at first, but later prohibited it.
Her son and successor Emperor Joseph the Second (1765 - 1790) was an
enlightened supporter of Freemasonry. However he placed a limit on the
number of Lodges in Vienna and Prague. After Joseph's Austria's monarchs
advocated absolutistic policies and did not patronize Freemasonry. In the
20th century, Masonic Lodges were constituted mostly under German or
Hungarian obedience.
In can be said the modern Czechoslovak Freemasonry started soon after the
first World War, when two lodges John A Comenius and the Nation (Narod)
where constituted in Prague in 1918 and 1919. The Czechoslovakian National
Grand Lodge was constituted in 1923. Italian Freemasons had intended to
assist with it's formation, but Mussolini had abolished Italy's Grand Lodge
after the Italian Government was overthrown. The Supreme Council of the
A.A.S.R. was also constituted in 1923. During the period between WWI and
WWII, there were approximately 2,000 Freemasons working within about 20
regular lodges. The son (John Masaryk) of the 2st Czech President T.J.
Masaryk (1918 - 1935) and the second president Edward Benes (1935-1938)
(1945-1948) were Freemasons.
In 1935 Czechoslovakia established an alliance with the Soviet Union aimed
at containing Nazi Germany. In 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Czechoslovakia and
strictly prohibited Masonic activity. During this period about 135
Freemasons were executed or tortured to death; at least 130 were imprisoned;
64 persecuted and more than 100 died, as a result later in life of
imprisonment. Freemasons died of hunger, disease, gas or bullets. Masonic
real estate, financial resources and other assets were confiscated.
The Soviet Union liberated the nation from German occupation in the winter
and spring of 1944-45. By 1948 Communists controlled the government and
political purges continued from 1949 to 1952. The Grand Lodge of
Czechoslovakia was reconstituted in Praque in 1947. The total number of
Czechoslovak Freemasons was only 652. With the Communist takeover and
overthrow of the Czech government in 1948 accordingly, the Grand Council in
1951 decided to temporarily suspend masonic activities because of fear of a
possible forced cooperation with the totalitarian regime.
When the Czechoslovakian Communist Party leader introduced liberal reforms
in 1968, the country was invaded by Warsaw Pact Forces. The 70's saw further
efforts to eliminate social, secular and religious dissent. During the 41
years of Soviet oppression (1948-1989) only 28 Czech and Moravian Freemasons
survived. They gathered in their homes in secret meetings, maintaining
Masonic continuity.
In November 1989, the Velvet Revolution ensued (so called because it
occurred without bloodshed) when their country Czech and Slovak students
rose up together to liberate their country from Communism and it's
brutality. By the end of the year a new non-communist government was formed
administered by President Vaclav Havel, whose father was a well known
Freemason. Havel's government effectively and efficiently ended the
Communist party's supreme role in political life. Legislation was passed
guaranteeing freedom of conscience, assembly and speech and restrictions on
travel abroad were removed.
Subsequent to the "Velvet Revolution" the 28 Brethren who survived the
Communist totalitarian regime, prepared an international reconstitution of
the Grand Lodge in Praque on November 17th, 1990, one year after the
"Velvet Revolution. Sovereign Grand Commander C. Fred Klein-knect 33rd
Degree S.J. USA performed fraternally the elevation from the Fourth to the
Fourteenth Scottish Rite Degrees of those Czech Brethren who had been
initiated into Symbolic Lodge Freemasonry 40 or more years ago.
Reconstitution of the Czechoslovakian Supreme Council 33rd degree of the
A.A.S.R. came to fruition on November 23rd, 1991 under the guidance of
Sovereign Grand Commander Kleinknecht SJ USA and other Sovereign Grand
Commanders from Italy and Finland. During these ceremonies, many Freemasons
cried and shed bittersweet tears-for during years of war and oppression,
they sustained their devotion to freedom and Freemasonry-to the realization
that only through liberty can a human being fulfill his highest potential.
EPILOGUE
"Where did the young people, who had never known another system, get their
longing for truth, their love of freedom, their political imagination, their
civic courage and civic responsibility" - President Vaclav Havel, January
1st, 1990.
These words were uttered by President Havel after the November 17th, 1989
Velvet Revolution initiated by student protests of Communist police
brutality.
In the evening of Thursday April 9th, 1992 Dr. Jiri Syllaba and Christian
Wger, escorted me to the Convent of St. Agnes in Praque. The purpose of the
trip was to attend a communication of the NAROD LODGE (The Nation) held in a
dungeon under the convent proper. Permission was granted to the Czech
Freemasons by the Catholic hierarchy to use the dundgeon, since all Masonic
assets including real estate had been formerly confiscated by the enemy.
There were about 35 Chech Freemasons present, wearing white gloves, tuxedos
and dark suits and bedecked in blue chest sashes. During the meeting I was
presented with an pron of the Narod Lodge signifying entrance into the
lodge.
After the meeting was formally closed, thables were placed together, covered
with tableclotheser and refreshments were served. For a couple of hours,
the Czech Freeemasons asked questions about the American Revolution and the
resemblance of the Velvet Revolution to it. They wanted to know, from the
beginning, what made the United States of America tick.
The discussion brought to mind the words uttered by Parrick Henry
(1736-1799) American Revolutionary War Statesman from a speech in the
Virginia Convention, March 23rd, 1775. "Is life so dear or peace so sweet
as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty
God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty
or give me death. If we wish to be free; if we mean to preserve inviolate
those inestibabnle priviledges for which we have been so long contending; if
we maan not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so
long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the
glorious object of our contest shall e obtained - we must fight. I repeat
it, we must fight. An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is
left us. The the Freemasons of the Czech Republic, the word for freedom is
SVOBODA! SVOBODA! SVOBODA!
They never forgot it.
On May 17, 1997 Dr. Jiri Syllabe, 97 years young, Past Sovereign Grand
Commander and Grand Master of Masons in the Czech Republic, passed on that
far country from whose borne, no traveler returns. He was laid to rest in
the family ancestral plot in Praque. He treated me as a son and a far
country and a mentor in further teaching me the Masonic way of life. I shall
miss him.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Scottish Rite Journal/Masonic Dawn in Easter Europe/Sarkia/2-92
Scottish Rite Journal/Czechoslovakian Freemasonry/Syllaba/3- 92
Colorado School of Mines Mag./After the 1989 Velvet Revolution/JB/8-92
Personal Correspondence/Syllaba-Bernstein/92
Scottish Rite Journal/How Czech Freemasonry Survived WWI&II/SYll/3/93
Bartlett's Quotations/14th Ed. - 1968/Patrick Henry, 1736-1799
Joshua Rosenblatt
(in message <u16d7vg1f7i45dvk2...@4ax.com>):
> FREEMASONRY IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
thank you :)
Åke Eldberg
by a very old brother from Checkia some ten years ago. He told
us a similar story. Sadly, I don't remember his name but I have
photos ...somewhere.
=C5ke
vstlmoox
news:u16d7vg1f7i45dvk2...@4ax.com...
> FREEMASONRY IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Many thanks for sharing!
--
Fraternally,
Bro. Geoffrey Howard
Senior Warden
King Solomon Lodge #62 F&AM PHA
MW Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington and it's Jurisdiction - District 9
Hanau, Germany