Grand National Mother Lodge "The Three Globes"

The Grand National Mother Lodge "The Three Globes" (Große National-Mutterloge „Zu den drei Weltkugeln“, often abbreviated GNML 3WK) is the oldest recognized Masonic Grand Lodge in Germany. It was founded in Berlin in 1740, when the lodge Aux Trois Globes was formed with the permission of Frederick the Great, then King of Prussia. The Grand Lodge traces its origins to the Crown Prince's initiation as a Freemason in Brunswick in 1738 and to the lodge La loge première/La loge du Roi notre grand maître, which he led after his accession. The foundation date is taken as 13 September 1740. Modelled on the Premier Grand Lodge of England, though without a charter from it, the new lodge soon spread, creating lodges in Meiningen, Frankfurt an der Oder, Wrocław, Dresden and Neuchâtel. In 1744 it adopted the name Great Royal Mother Lodge of the Three Globes, and in 1772 it became the Grand National Mother Lodge of the Prussian-States. Over the following centuries it became a major institution of German Freemasonry, with a royal charter granted in 1796 and a structure headed by a National Grand Master, supported by a Federal Board of brothers holding the highest degree. By 1933, as one of eight national Grand Lodges, it counted 22,700 members in 177 lodges. Freemasonry in Nazi Germany was suppressed, and in 1935 the Mother Lodge had to dissolve. It was reactivated in 1946, initially limited to the American Sector in Berlin. In 1970 it joined the United Grand Lodges of Germany (Vereinigte Großlogen von Deutschland) as an independent partner, and it remains a member of that umbrella organization today. The Grand Lodge describes itself as a brotherhood dedicated to humanity, tolerance and personal development, grounded in the ideals of the Enlightenment and humanism. Its website serves as a central information platform about Freemasonry, its history and nearby St. John's lodges. It is a registered association (eingetragener Verein) and is not a commercial company, but its name and symbols function as a protected institutional trademark.

The Grand National Mother Lodge "The Three Globes" traces its origins to the night of 14/15 August 1738, when the future Frederick the Great, then Crown Prince, was initiated as a Freemason in Brunswick, quickly passed to fellowcraft and raised to Master, all without his father's knowledge. He invited Baron von Oberg and the writer Jakob Friedrich von Bielfeld, who had been instrumental to his candidature, to form La loge première/La loge du Roi notre grand maître at Rheinsberg Castle, with Oberg as Master. After his accession to the crown, Frederick led the lodge himself from 20 June 1740. The foundation of the Grand Lodge is taken as 13 September 1740, when, with the King's permission, the lodge Aux Trois Globes was formed under the auspices of the privy council and Charles-Étienne Jordan. It was modelled on the Premier Grand Lodge of England, although it received no charter from it. When the King departed in the same year for the First Silesian War, La loge première was dissolved and its members joined the new lodge. This new lodge created, according to the custom of the time, lodges in Meiningen, Frankfurt an der Oder, Wrocław, Dresden and Neuchâtel. On 24 June 1744 they therefore took the name Great Royal Mother Lodge of the Three Globes, and finally changed this on 5 July 1772 to Grand National Mother Lodge of the Prussian-States. On 5 March 1767 the Mother Lodge "The Three Globes" became submerged in the Rite of Strict Observance as L'union, but withdrew in 1778. After the Williamsbad Congress of 1782/3, which ended Strict Observance, they declared independence and adopted the "Rectified System". The Grand National Mother Lodge became a legal entity by royal charter on 9 November 1796. It is now a registered association. It is headed by the National Grand Master, supported since 1797 by the Federal Board of brothers with the highest degree. Similar to the Grand Landlodge of Freemasons of Germany, the GNML has separate bodies for the "higher degrees". In addition to the St. Johns lodges, administering the first three degrees of "apprentice", "journeyman" and "Master", there is the General Old Scottish Lodge for the 4th grade ("Scots Master") and the inner Orient for grades 5–7 ("Elect brothers", "Elect of the inner temple", "Intimate of perfection"). By 1933, as one of eight national Grand Lodges, it had 22,700 members in 177 lodges. To escape the Masonic hostility of the Third Reich, they turned to the "National Christian Order Frederick the Great", but this had no effect, because in 1935 they had to dissolve. After the Second World War, the Great National Mother Lodge was reactivated in 1946, but its area of activity was initially limited to the American Sector in Berlin. A total of 42 lodges of GNML "3WK" joined the United Grand Lodge, founded in 1949; only five lodges in the Federal Republic remained faithful to their Grand Lodge, waiting for local approval. The United Grand Lodges of Germany – Brotherhood of Freemasons was founded in 1958 as a national communicator with foreign grand lodges. To avoid name confusion, the United Grand Lodge of Germany changed its name to Grand Land AFAM from Germany and later to Grand Lodge AFAM of Germany. At the founding of VGLvD there were initially only two founding members. The Grand National Mother Lodge only joined in 1970 as an independent partner. Known members include Frederick the Great (founder and protector, though not a member of the lodge itself), Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Duke Friedrich August of Brunswick, Leopold Wilhelm of Dobschütz, Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Elder, Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Younger, Job von Witzleben, Georg Friedrich Kersting, Ernst Paul Lehmann, Karl Ernst August Sachs and Gustav Stresemann.

• 1970

  Grand National Mother Lodge joined the United Grand Lodges of Germany (VGLvD) as an independent partner.

• 1958

  United Grand Lodges of Germany – Brotherhood of Freemasons founded as a national communicator with foreign grand lodges.

• 1949

  42 lodges of GNML "3WK" joined the United Grand Lodge; five lodges in the Federal Republic remained faithful.

• 1946

  Reactivated after the Second World War, initially limited to the American Sector in Berlin.

• 1935

  Freemasonry in Nazi Germany was suppressed; the Mother Lodge had to dissolve.

• 1933

  As one of eight national Grand Lodges, it had 22,700 members in 177 lodges.

• 1797

  Federal Board of brothers with the highest degree established to support the National Grand Master.

• 1796

  Became a legal entity by royal charter on 9 November.

• 1782

  After the Williamsbad Congress of 1782/3, declared independence and adopted the Rectified System.

• 1778

  Withdrew from the Rite of Strict Observance.

• 1772

  On 5 July the name was changed to Grand National Mother Lodge of the Prussian-States.

• 1767

  On 5 March the Mother Lodge became submerged in the Rite of Strict Observance as L'union.

• 1744

  On 24 June the lodge took the name Great Royal Mother Lodge of the Three Globes.

• 1740

  Foundation of the Grand Lodge on 13 September, when the lodge Aux Trois Globes was formed with the King's permission.

• 1738

  Future Frederick the Great initiated as a Freemason in Brunswick on the night of 14/15 August.

Oldest recognized Masonic Grand Lodge in Germany, rooted in Enlightenment and humanist ideals, dedicated to tolerance, charity and personal development.

• St. John's lodges

  Administer the first three degrees of apprentice, journeyman and Master.

• General Old Scottish Lodge

  Responsible for the 4th grade, Scots Master.

• Inner Orient

  Responsible for grades 5–7: Elect brothers, Elect of the inner temple, Intimate of perfection.

1. 1Home | Zu den drei Weltkugeln3wk.org
2. 2Freimaurerei Großen National-Mutterloge Zu den drei Weltkugeln Geschichte | Zu den drei Weltkugeln3wk.org
3. 3The Three Globes - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Grand National Mother Lodge, "The Three Globes" - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org