Dear Bro. Gazzo

After reading Bro Henning A. Klövekorn’s article “The formation of the first grand lodge of freemasons, Germany 1250”, I went to his website, where I was further informed about his book “The 99° of Freemasonry” from which the article is extracted, as well as some other theories stated therein. I have not read the book itself (something which, time permitting, I plan to do sometime in the future) so, by necessity, I must confine my comments to the information I gleaned from the pages readily available to me.

Even in the short sections I read, it is clear that Bro. Klövekorn has spent a great deal of time researching his subject and thinking about it. As someone who is presently involved in a somewhat similar undertaking, I thoroughly empathize with him for the vast amount of work he has done. It is no small feat to wade through the mountain of material written in the last two and a half centuries about Freemasonry – which, elsewhere in this website, W. Bro. Bernheim has so aptly described as “The bad, the good and the ugly” – and still come up with something remotely interesting to say. So, even though, based on what I have read so far, I question the accuracy of much of his data, and disagree with many of the conclusions he derives from it, I congratulate him for a provocative and well written article.

As it is possible that, in his book, Bro. Klövekorn has presented proper documentation to support those statements that go against established scholarship, I will suspend any further consideration of his ideas – many of which have been presented in the past by other Masonic researchers – until I have the opportunity to read the complete work, and, perhaps, be convinced by the strength of his arguments.

Until then, I remain,

Sincerely and fraternally yours

Ruben Gurevich, 32°, RAM, QCCC, MPS
Lewiston, NY

I understand the reservations of Bro. Ruben Gurevich. It is difficult to be confronted by information when it departs from one's own research or as is most often the case, one's own conditioning. Most Freemasons have been conditioned to think of no other reality than the source of Freemasonry stemming from England, the seat of power of British Freemasonry.

What counts in this debate, is evidence. I have brought forward evidence that clearly shows fraternal and allegorical Masonic lodges in Germany in the 12th Century. The German masons were not only the first to structure their masonic organisations into Grand and subordinate lodges, but the first to use secret methods of recognition and statues to rule their craft. They were also the first to use the square and compass as is depicted by the coat of arms of Masons in my book. This is the evidence.

I challenge any brother or sister, to uncover evidence to the contrary, for the good of the Order. If there is clear evidence to show an earlier English origin, then I will happily revert my position, but until that point, I err on the point of evidence, which shows a Germanic origin of our Craft.

Fraternally, Bro. Henning A. Klovekorn. - Note, the 99 Degrees of Freemasonry will shortly be re-published by Cornerstone Publishing.

Greetings Bro Henning A Klovekorn,

This topic sounds very interesting.
Whilst I wait for the republishing where can I direct my attention to read about this topic?
eg. other books, source documents, internet etc.

I am very eager to see evidences or indicators brought forward.
Not for any political reason but just so that I may consider them and learn.

Bro. Anton,

Well this is the challenge for all of us. There is little evidence left of the period we are discussing.

I was pleasantly surprised to find as much evidence as I did regarding central Europe, expecting to find much less when one considers that every single Masonic Lodge in Greater Germany was raided and most Masonic documents were destroyed by the National Socialist Government in the 1930's & 1940's.

That the Regius Manuscript, a British Document often used to bolster the British origin cause, contains references to the three corwned martyrs was particulalry surprising, as the three crowned martyrs are endemic to Germany. Interesting how most authors manage to ignore such important areas.

Often it is also what one does not find which is interesting. Like the lack of wine on DaVinci's Last Supper, the Regius Manuscript makes no mention of the Bible. The reality being that the idea of a VSL and the need to have one, is an invention of modern Freemasonry.

My advice Bro. Anton, is not to look in your local library or on the internet for much new information, it is unlikely. Here you will only find what others have written, and copied from one another in most cases. The best research is that undertaken in the field, in the monuments of ages, in rare private collections, in reserve collections of masonic books in places like the Ukraine. Innovation is driven by provocation, sometimes we need to provoke thoughts and ideas to obtain new information.

Hopefully not all is lost, and more evidence comes to light, no matter which personal views we may hold. There is so much yet to be discovered, about Rosslyn Chapel, about our Crafts origin, about the pyramids, ....I hope that Masons become inspired to search and explore Freemasonry in all sences, not just conduct the ritual once a month. There should be a little 'Indiana Jones" in all of us.

Bro Henning.

Dear Brothers,

The new International Edition of the '99 Degrees of Freemasonry' has been launched.

The book is now in a larger format with new photos and further added work.

Available at amazon.com and a large range of on-line stores, you can also get your physical copy at bookstores such as Dymocks Books in South Australia and the BookRack.

Cornerstone Book Publishing is the new publisher which deals with specialist Masonic works.

Regards,

Henning A. Klovekorn

www.klovekorn.com