Freemasonry in Hungary

M\W\ Joseph Ferencz, 33, Grand Master of Hungary, and
George Gtai, 33, H-1446, Postafiok 395, Budapest, Hungary

Hungarian Freemasonry is not understandable without knowledge of some geopolitical and historical facts. Hungary is a continental country situated in the southeastern part of Central Europe. Its geographical position has two fundamental consequences. First, because of limited connections and the lack of sea routes, the conditions for cultural and economic development are generally unfavorable. Second, Hungary is located on the border of three cultures and thus torn between three competing poles of influence. In the west is Germany; in the east are the Slavic Orthodox Christian countries of Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Russia; and in the south is the Islamic culture of Turkey.
	In regard to the latter, the medieval Hungarian Kingdom was defeated in the sixteenth century by the Turks attacking western Christian countries through Hungary. The fighting and the Turkish occupation of Hungary lasted for 150 years. Following that, the victorious Hapsburg Empire remained in Hungary as an occupational power to the end of the nineteenth century. 
	The essence of Hungarian history in the last four centuries is a fight for survival and independence amidst the conflicts and devastations of the great powers. These turmoils have only increased national feeling and the progress of general humane ideas. One can measure the actual state of the country through Masonry which has been an integral part of Hungary's democratic spirit and desire for independence. Since its establishment in Hungary 250 years ago, Freemasonry, like Hungary itself, has had a tumultuous history. In fact, the Craft has been legally sanctioned for a total of only 85 years, and even these years were accompanied by interruptions caused by the animosity and suspicion of the authorities.
	The foundation of the first Hungarian Lodges was the consequence of the eighteenth century Age of Reason. It influenced Hungary's sovereigns and ruling classes to adopt what has been called enlightened absolutism. As well, it shaped bourgeois liberalism. The founders of the Lodges and distributors of the Masonic ideas were those who had connection with the new intellectual movement. 
	In particular, German-speaking merchants, in about 1749, and Hungarian noblemen, in about 1770, enlisted in the Emperor's service and joined military Lodges. The spiritual freedom and the spread of Masonic thought, however, were short-lived within the multinational Hapsburg Empire. Two decades were enough to defeat the tender beginnings of liberalism and liberty. On the outside were the American War of Independence and the French Revolution. On the inside of Hungary, the liberal movement was suppressed, Masonic activity was limited to the capital in 1783, and prohibited altogether in 1795.
	In the greater part of the nineteenth century the absolute monarchy, which became gradually more and more outmoded, tried to maintain its position against growing civil unrest. The Hungarian War of Independence was defeated by Russian armies in alliance with Austria in 1848-49. Many of the independence movement's generals and its leader, Louis Kossuth, were Masons, Kossuth being initiated in exile in Cincinnati, Ohio. He remains one of the greatest heroes and Masons of our history.
	Because of the unification of Italy and the rise of Prussia, both on Austria's borders, the Hapsburg Monarchy reached a state of decay and had to make compromises with the Hungarians. The Austro-Hungarian Monarchy was established with Hungary managing its own internal affairs in 1867. The next period, up to the World War I, was a boom for the country and for Freemasonry. The number of Lodges increased to 83 and the Brethren to 7,000. The Craft Lodges and Scottish Rite joined in a unified body and established the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary which has represented Freemasonry since that time. Besides its charities and philanthropic foundations, it has helped to develop a modern society, and Hungarian Brethren were hosts to Austrian Masons when the Craft was banned in Austria.
	The history of Hungarian Masonry after the World War I up to the present is instructive on one side and tragicomical on the other. It proves the irreconcilability of Masonry with any form of dictatorship and intolerance. 
	Following the end of the war a communist "proletarian dictatorship" was established in Hungary in 1919. Its first acts were the dissolution of Freemasonry for its bourgeois nature and the occupation of the Budapest Temple (see photo below) which was one of the most splendid Masonic Halls in Europe. 
	After the overthrow of the "Reds," their opposite, the nationalists, came into power. This government accused Freemasonry of being responsible for the loss of the war, the unjust peace treaty, and the communist terror. One of the first steps of the new regime was to ban Masonry "forever" and to confiscate all Masonic property. The occupants of the Masonic Temple changed from "Red" guards to nationalist officers.
	Freemasonry remained officially illegal until the end of the World War II. In this period Brethren arranged covert meetings, kept up limited connections abroad, and visited with Austrian and Czechoslovakian Lodges until the occupation of these countries by Hitler's army. In the last year of World War II, Hungary, as an unwilling ally of Germany, was occupied and became for a year the battlefield of the devastating Russian-
German fighting of 1944-1945.
	There was still street fighting in Budapest, capital of Hungary, when a couple of the 300 surviving Brethren, after the war, began the reorganization of Freemasonry in the hope of a lasting peace and freedom. The elected multiparty government  restored Masonry to its rights and gave back its properties. The ruined Temple was renovated with the support of foreign Brethren, first by the Americans, and Freemasonry developed again dramatically to 1,500 members working in 19 Lodges by 1949.
	Then, backed by the Soviet army, the Hungarian communist party came into power via fraud and violence and established a one-party tyranny called, ironically, a "people's democracy." Freemasonry was suppressed and, again, all its property nationalized. The Temple was occupied by the secret police in 1950 because, allegedly, "it had become the meeting place of enemies of the people's republic, capitalists and supporters of western imperialism." This regime lasted for 40 years until the disintegration of the Soviet Union. In this period, Hungarian Masonry was supported by different sources, first by Austrian, American, and German Lodges, then by Hungarian Brethren who had emigrated after World War II and after the unsuccessful revolution in 1956. Within the framework of the general right of public meeting, the administration permitted Freemasonry but, unlike the past rehabilitations, without giving back any of Hungarian Freemasonry's properties. Finally, Masonic Light returned to Hungary on December 27, 1989.
	On May 25, 1990, just five short months after the Grand Lodge of Hungary was reconstituted, a joint Conferral of the First Degree took place with all four active Hungarian Lodges present: Arpad, Deak, Egyenloseg, and Galilei.
	Arpad Lodge performed the work, and six candidates from the participating Lodges became Entered Apprentices. Brethren and Masters of each Hungarian Lodge and G\M\ Dr. Istavn Galambos, were present along with many distinguished Masonic dignitaries from countries throughout Europe. Bro\ Gabor E. Escdi, 32, Treasurer of Zum Wiedererbauten Tempel der Bruderliebe Lodge, Worms, Germany, summarized the momentous event saying: "This is an historic day in the life of the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary. If this initiation is anything to judge by as far as enthusiasm, participation and work standards go, then this Grand Jurisdiction has a bright future."
	The present Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary, recognized throughout the world, consists of four Lodges with steadily increasing membership in spite of hard conditions and, consequently, limited social opportunity. The rebirth of Hungarian Freemasonry could not have been achieved without the help from our Austrian, American, and German Brethren. To restore the Scottish Rite to Hungary, several Hungarian Master Masons were initiated in Vienna. Then in October of 1991, five of these Masters received the Thirty-third Degree in Washington from Sovereign Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33.
	Our Masonic duties have become even more important because of the ethnic, economic, and political turmoil of the whole region once it was delivered from Soviet oppression. Intolerance, poverty, and strident nationalism now prevail and hang ominously over our future. Yet our Masonic mission in Hungary remains what it has always been, to help our fellowmen to the path of brotherly love and humanity. In the present storm, we staunch few remain responsible for and the guardians of our beloved Masonic Fraternity.     s