Fraternity-Testvériség, 1959 (37. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1959-10-01 / 10. szám
8 FRATERNITY AEMIL POULER: FREEMASONRY IN HUNGARY (Conclusion) GRAND LODGE DISSOLVED On March 21, 1919, the communistic government of Hungary dissolved the Grand Lodge and seized the Masonic Temple, but after the fall of the government, the temple with everything in it came back into the possession of the Grand Lodge. During the Roumanian invasion, the military authorities prohibited all Masonic meetings. The Grand Lodge had begun its activity but only in order to maintain its charitable institutions and to work out ways and means for the reorganization of Hungarian Masonry. On May 14, 1920, the Masonic Temple with all the contents, which included its archives ,library and Masonic museum, were confiscated by military authorities. Then on May 18, the Minister of Home Affairs dissolved the Grand Lodge and all its subordinate Lodges. The decree of dissolution accused Masonry of trying to seize political power and of plotting the war with its disastrous consequences. It dissolved all Masonic bodies on the ground that this step would prevent them from conspiring further against the interests of the country. NO INVESTIGATION The dissolution of all Masonic Institutions was not preceded by any investigation. As is customary among political and religious authoritarians, the truth was never spoken in these attacks on Masonry. Nothing was said of its doctrines, its philosophy of life, its benevolences and its labors of uplift among men. Year after year, the leaders of the dissolved Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary had been asking in vain for a rigorous investigation, but no such investigation has ever been made. The Masons, while they ceased Masonic activities such as holding meetings and conferring degrees, continued to carry on two very fine charitable institutions. One was a Home for Girls and the other was a station supplying milk and food to undernourished children. GRAND LODGE RESUMED On December 13, 1945, the Hungarian Government declared null and void the decree of 1920 which had banned Freemasonry,
