Introduction

This article was written before Hitler came to power in 1933 and before the Anschluss of Germany and Austria in 1938. Like the article Freemasonry, Judaism and General Erich Ludendorff the writer's thoughts are prophetic.

Freemasons are accused of causing the war (WWWI 1914-1919) and various other crimes.  The rise of Mussolini is mentioned and false claims that Freemasons have 'interfered' in a variety of matters are challenged.

Ultimately however, Brother Hilm's article carries a simple message: Freemasons are innocent of all the alleged crimes and other acts laid against them. He clearly has a perception of the future in that he says that Freemasonry will survive except where its enemies intentionally misunderstand Freemasonry. Even then he councils that Freemasons should remain true to the principals of the Order. This message of tolerance and of 'turning the other cheek' for, as in Germany, Freemasons along with their fellow scapegoats the Jews, was to no avail as many Austrian Freemasons were to discover.

The author claims that the church was unhelpful at this time but we trust that, whatever the truth of the matter, time has healed that situation.

If any one has any information regarding the fate of Brother Theodor Hilm I would be pleased to receive the details in order to record them for posterity.

Robert L. D. Cooper
Curator
The Grand Lodge of Scotland Museum and Library
May 2004.

Attacks on Freemasonry in Austria

 It seems to be an endless campaign, the fight of the day with the night, of the good with the evil, of the truth with the lie. Where are the stronger forces? Where shall lie the victory? The millennium, when Christ will reign and Satan shall be bound, is it still far away? Are the efforts of those who are striving onwards and upwards, are they in vain? Is it a natural law that when the glory of the light has ended, the forces of the darkness will begin to act? Will those who bear the light, will they make it shine, all powerful, omnipotent, or will they stumble and fall and extinguish the flame?

Unity is strength. This has always proved true; it is of greater importance now than ever before. Masonry today is almost divided into two camps, Anglo- Saxon and Latin, but the battle it has to fight is the same all the world over, as it meets with the same type of opponents. Does that not mean preparing the way for the enemy? Or are there hidden influences? Divide et impera, divide and govern, a stratagem of ancient Rome - has Rome ever forgotten it? Parts are more easily defeated than is the whole. Hungary and Italy are good examples. Who is to come next? There is a singular coincidence in the ways of war. The same kinds of soldiers are used, national troops on business, Field Marshals, like Mussolini, visible to all eyes, commanding. The wise General Staff in the background gives the necessary directions. And Mussolinis, small and tall, appear everywhere. Austria has her share, though there is paper war only. Michl an Austrian Pan-German, is accusing us as originators of the World War, of the murder in Sarajevo. His recent voluminous pamphlet has been much noticed in Austria and Germany and has found a wide circle of believers. Numerous attacks have followed. The most important perhaps, and of more recent date where the General Staff even appeared on the scene was an article in the "Reichspost," the official paper of the Roman Catholic party, the mightiest in Austria.

This article, which appeared on April 4, 1925, is entitled "The Secret Brothers." It tells first of the successes of Freemasonry in Austria, how the Viennese Grand Lodge, founded Dec. 18, 1918, with fourteen lodges and a thousand members, shows today sixteen lodges and 1500 members and is principally interested in educational problems. This, it says, it learns from the Narodny Listy, a leading. Prague journal, while the Viennese Press, where the lodges have widespread connections and wield a power as never before, does not speak about these successes. The article says it is as if the lodges did not exist and did not have influence in every form of local government and legislation. The Press is silent, it says, hiding by this silence the proceedings which go on behind closely drawn curtains, concealed from the eyes of the mortals which do not belong to the secret fraternity.

In the general turnover after the war the lodges succeeded in getting official acknowledgment, according to this writer, for at that time nothing appeared so urgent in legislation as to grant this permission. To speak the truth, the article says the lodges had never had great troubles before for, disguised as humanitarian associations, they were doing their work and their members were only obliged to go to the near Pressburg for the ritualistic assemblies. Now, having free course, says the writer, it was presumed they would come out of their secret corners and tell the world what they had to say, what gifts they had to bestow on mankind. But things happened differently, according to the article in question. A festival meeting was held on the first of June, 1919, in the palace of Archduke Ludwig Viktor - a great triumph, with 600 brethren present, all in Masonic clothing. "Now we are trusting the future," an orator declared. "If we have been taken until now as some kind of valets of the King of Hungary, as mere harmless, peaceful dreamers,. what an error, we are not quite so harmless. Now the way is free, as there are kings no more." In the same meeting the Grand Master proclaimed: "Now a real' Masonic activity will begin!" Nevertheless, the "Reichspost" says it is hidden, the brothers disguised as philanthropists, as popular educators and orators, acting" in a hundred changing forms, always one aim in view which they are concealing now just as they did then. They are not mere dreamers, the article asserts. "Masonry intends and will bring war !"

And thus the article goes on, accusing us as antagonists of Christendom, of religious education, as promotors of dangerous school reforms. The 1500 brothers, it says, in sixteen lodges, is a small number, but the number does not make it. This secret society, which wants to stay secret in the full freedom it has been granted, does not boast itself in sumptuous temple buildings like their American brethren, but has a predominating influence in a very powerful political party, according to the "Reichspost," while the social democratic Austrian workman has become its plaything. The real leaders of the workmen are losing their power under the sway of Freemasonry, it declares, adding that one of the most important political facts is found in the influence of an uncontrollable international secret society on Austrian socialism which, it says, must seriously be taken into account.

The article was reprinted in full in the "Wiener Freimaurer Zeitung," of April, 1925, as it supplied a welcome occasion to show that erroneous opinions prevail in many quarters. As a reply it was stated that Grand Lodge has by no means to shun the light of the day, that it is quite unpolitical, that it has none of the alleged aims in view, that it has nothing to do with government or legislation.

There is only one idea which the Grand Lodge is eager to serve, and that is the idea of peace, mutual understanding and reconciliation. On numerous occasions Grand Lodge has openly and repeatedly declared its principles, and in the six years of its life has supported officially many institutions for the furtherance of peace. It was specially active in propagating the Pan-European idea as a means to enable the League of Nations to become more efficient than it is at present and in this way to seek permanent peace on this continent. With regard to our alleged attacks on religion and education it remains to be said that the lodges are formally and conscientiously bound by the "Ancient Charges" which form an essential part of our Constitution. The lodges have among their members adherents of many parties, conservatives and progressionists, and this being the case, it is not true that they could decisively influence a political party. In the writer's opinion the continual attacks are very much to be deprecated, as we are rapidly approaching a new state of things, a new age, and the occasion will need the co-operation of all forces which could serve the public weal. Of course, if our aspirations are intentionally misunderstood, we can do nothing more than strictly follow the way marked out by the principles of our Order and patiently endure the assaults from whatever side they may come.