Short history of Freemasonry

1717 Four English lodges unite and constitute the first Grand Lodge in the World
1723 James Anderson Constitution is announced (Old Duties)
1724 The Grand Lodge of Ireland constituted
1725 English immigrants form the first Lodge in Paris
1728 The foundation of the first Lodge on the European continent in Madrid. It was founded by an Englishman
1730 An English immigrant founds the first Lodge in North America; first English colonial Lodge is constituted in the Indian subcontinent
1731 Franz Stephen of Lotringia (since 1737 the husband of Maria Theresa, since 1745 Roman-German emperor Franz I) becomes a member of the Lodge of English deputies in the Hague.
1731 Englishmen in Russia form the first Lodge (St. Petersburg); at that time under the English Grand Lodge 104 Lodges operate
1733 the first Lodge in Florence is founded
1735 the first Lodge in Prague is founded
1736 The Grand Lodge of Scotland is founded
1737 the first Lodge in Hamburg is founded (since 1740 under the name Absalom); prohibition of free masonry in France and Tuscany
1738 Prince the Heir of the Crown Fredric (since 1740 King Fredric II, the Great) was accepted to the membership in his residence in Ransburg; Pope Clement XII for the first time announces against the free masons a ban “In Eminenenti” after which a lot of others come from different Popes; prohibition of free masonry in Hamburg, Venice, Spain, Portugal and Poland.
1739 The Inquisition persecutes free masons in northern Italy, Spain and Portugal
1740 King Fredric II The Great – constitutes a Lodge in Berlin (Grand Lodge afterwards) “Aux Trois Globes” (At Three Globes) and publicly announces his membership in the union of free masons
1742 the foundation of the first Lodge in Vienna, the Lodge “At Three Cannons” that is closed after three months on the order of Maria Theresa, but it is assumed that it kept working
1747 the foundation of the first Lodge in Lemberg
1748 the prohibition of free masonry in Turkey
1751 the foundation of the second Lodge in London, later called “Ancientis”, that stands opposite the one founded in 1717 called “Moderns”
1754 the foundation of “Strict Observation” in Germany
1755 the foundation of the Grand Lodge in France
1756 the foundation of Grand National Lodge in Holland.
1759 the foundation of the first Lodge in Glina (Republic of Croatia today) Maria Theresa prohibits to all state officials the participation in free mason and rosenkroitzer societies. Johann Gottfried Herder was accepted in the lodge “At the Sword” (Zum Schwert) in Riga.
1770 the foundation of the great earth lodge of free masons of Germany in Berlin under the leadership of Johann Wilhelm Kelner von Cinnendorf upon a ritual that he personally modified under the Swedish Christian teaching.
1771 Lesings acceptance in the Lodge “At Three Roses” (Zu Den Drei Rosen) in Hamburg
1773 the foundation of the Grand Orient of France
1775 the foundation of the Draskovic Observation in Hungary
1776 Emperor Joseph II refuses to become a free mason; American Declaration of Independence; order of Illuminati foundation
1777 the foundation of the Austrian Provincial Grand Lodge under the Grand Earth Lodge of Free Masons of Germany; the foundation of the first Lodge in Innsbruck
1778 the French philosopher Voltaire becomes a free mason in Paris
1780 Goethe becomes a free mason in Weimar
1781 the foundation of the Lodge “At True Unity” (Zur wahren Eintracht); (Ignacio von Born introduces in 1782 so-called “practice lodges”)
1782 the first lodge founded in Steiermark (founded in Maribor, moved to Graz in 1783)
1783 the foundation of the Lodges in Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz, Salzburg, Vienna and in the countries that came out of the Habsburg monarchy
1784 the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Austria with seven Provincial Grand Lodges for Austria and the hereditary Habsburg countries; Mozart becomes a free mason in Vienna; the elective Duke of Bavaria Carl Theodore prohibits all secret societies; the foundation of the Grand Orient of Poland and Lithuania; in Vienna “The Free Mason Journal” is published for the first time (Journal fiir Freimaurer); a Lodge for the colored people is founded for the first time (Prince Hall Lodge)
1785 Joseph Haydn and Leopold Mozart become free masons in Vienna, Emperor Joseph II announces the decree number 1043 (Handbillet, “Freimaurer Patent) on the limitation of the number of Lodges
1791 pre-performance of the Mozart opera “The Magic Flute” in Vienna
1794 the termination of the last active Lodge in Austria
1795 the prohibition of the mason meetings in hereditary countries of the Habsburg in Hungary
1798 the foundation of the third Prussian Grand Lodge Royal York under the name Friendship in Berlin; proclamation of King Fredric Wilhelm III on prohibition of all secret societies with the exception of the three existing old Prussian Grand Lodges and their sister Lodges
1801 Frank II prohibits to all his officials the membership in secret societies; in Charlestown (USA) the foundation of the first Highest Council of the Old and Accepted (Scots) Ritual, afterwards called “Mother Council of the World”
1803 Emperor Alexander I cancels the prohibition of the Lodges in Russia
1811 the foundation of the Grand Lodge in Hamburg, Bairoit and Saxony
1813 two Grand Lodges of England (Moderns and Ancients) join into one United Grand Lodge of England
1814 the prohibition of the Lodges in Italy and Spain
1823 in Germany the Eclectic Union constitutes as a Grand Lodge; the foundation of the first south American Grand Lodge in Brazil
1824 the foundation of the first Grand Lodge of Central America in Haiti
1829 the foundation of the first Grand Lodge “At the Sun” (Zur Sonne) in Bairoit
1841 Franz List becomes a free mason in Frankfurt am Main
1844 the foundation of the Swiss Grand Lodge “Alpina”
1846 the foundation of the Grand Lodge “At the Union” (Zur Eintracht) in Darmstadt
1858 the foundation of the Grand Earth Lodge of Danmark
1859 the foundation of the Grand Orient of Portugal
1861 the foundation of the Grand Orient of Italy
1868 the foundation of the Grand Orient of Greece and the Grand Orient of Spain
1870 the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Hungary with three degrees of John
1871 the foundation of the first Austrian “border lodge” due to the different regulation of the societies in Austria and Hungary: profane society in Vienna, ritual work on the Hungarian ground, up to 1918 total of 16 of these Lodges were founded; the foundation of the Grand Orient of Hungary.
1876 the foundation of the Lodge “The Light of Balkans” in Belgrade under the Grand Orient of Italy and Grand Master Garibaldi and deputy Mazzini
1877 the Grand Orient of France separates from the regular masonry
1881 the foundation of the second Serbian Lodge “Serbian Communion” in Belgrade under the Grand Orient of Italy
1883 the foundation of the Lodge “Unity work and perseverance” in Belgrade under the Grand Orient of Italy
1884 the foundation of the first Grand Lodge of Australia
1886 union of two freemason institutions in Hungary into one Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary
1891 the foundation of the first Grand Earth Lodge of Norway; under the Grand Symbolic Lodge of Hungary in Belgrade “Brother” Lodge founded
1892 the Lodge “Nemanja” is founded in Nis with the help from the Lodge “Brother”
1896 anti-mason congress in Trent with the central subject on Leo Taxle, who, since 1885 publicizes anti-mason books, but reveilles himself as a fraud
1897 anti-mason day in Vienna presided by Cardinal Anton Grusa
1903 the opening of the world mason business center in Switzerland
1905 the foundation of the “Universala Framasona Ligo”, the union of the masons that speak Esperanto that gives birth in 1913 to the Universal Free Mason League (UFL) as a international union of free masons; in Vienna the Emperor Court does not allow the foundation of the freemason lodges
1907 the foundation of the free mason union “At the Rising Sun” (Zur aufgehenden Sonne) in Nurnberg
1909 the foundation of the Lodge “Union” in Belgrade under the protection of the Grand Orient of France; foundation of the workshop of the Roses Cross in Belgrade for the work under the system of the Scottish Ritual to the 18th degree under the protection of the Grand Council of Romania
1910 the foundation of the lodge “Sumadija” under the protection of the Grand Lodge of Hamburg
1912 start of the work of the Grand Council of the Scottish ritual of Serbia under the protection of the Grand Council of Greece; the Light was brought into the newly built mason temple in Belgrade in Vracar
1913 the foundation of the Grand National Lodge of France
1918 the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Vienna through the unity of 14 border Lodges
1919 the foundation of the Grand Lodge “Jugoslavija” in Zagreb; the official cancellation of the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary
1920 the foundation of (in German) the Grand Lodge “Lessing at three rings” (Lessing zu den drei Ringen) in Czechoslovakia; the foundation of the Norwegian Grand Lodge “Polarstjernen”
1921 the foundation of the Association Maconnique International (AMI), the international union of Grand Lodges; the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Poland
1923 the foundation of the National Grand Lodge of Czechoslovakia. The foundation of the National Grand Lodge of Romania
1925 the prohibition of free masonry in Italy; the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Finland; the foundation of the Grand Orient of Romania
1929 The United Grand Lodge of England announces 8 basic principles as the basis of recognition of any Grand Lodge (in 1989 the edition renewed)
1930 the foundation of the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Germany
1933 the German lodges quench by themselves or try to preserve themselves through the name change as national-Christian order; 1934-46 the authorities prohibit them as well
1937 in Switzerland on the referendum the citizens pronounce against the prohibition of free masonry
1938 the prohibition of free masonry in Austria
1940 under the pressure of Hitler and Mussolini the prohibition of the work of all lodges in Yugoslavia
1945 the beginning of the work of mason lodges and Grand Lodges in Germany and Austria
1948 the Declaration of Human Rights of United Nations
1949 the foundation of the United Grand Lodge of Free Masons (AFAM later on) of Germany. Founded by 174 lodges out of the total of nine Grand Lodges
1955 Magna Charta of German Free Masons announced
1954 a book by the Austrian Grand Master Bernhard Schaihenblauer “Johns Free Masons” is put on the list of forbidden books by the Vatican
1958 the foundation of the United Grand Lodges of Germany, the union that includes almost all active German Grand Lodges and that includes all other Grand Lodges since 1970
1970 “Lihtenauer Declaration” on the dialog of the Church and free masons. 1974 the foundation of the Austrian Free Mason museum in the Rosenau palace.
1980 the German Bishop conference announces the irreconcilability of the Church and free masons
1981 the proclamation of the Congregation for the questions of faith where it is stated that the entry into free masonry has the consequence of the exclusion from Church, the proclamation is repeated in the eve of the validation of the new code Iuris Canonici.
1983 New Church Law, Codex Iuris Canonici, enters into force, free masonry is not mentioned explicitly in it, but it is stated that excommunication is applied to the members of the non-Church organizations
1989 renewal of the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary
1990 renewal of the Grand Lodge of Czechoslovakia and the Grand Lodge “Yugoslavia” in Belgrade
1992 renewal of the Grand Lodge of Russia
1993 part of the brotherhood of the Grand Lodge “Yugoslavia”, in March 1993 in Rimini, Italy, holds an assembly, elections and changes the name into Regular Grand Lodge Yugoslavia. Even so, a number of Lodges continues to work in the Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia, renewal of National Grand Lodge of Romania; United Grand Lodge of England recognized Regular Grand Lodge of Italy and withdrew recognition of Grand Orient of Italy.
1994 60th World Congress of the Universal Freemason League (UFL) in Vienna
1997 the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Croatia
1999 the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Slovenia
2002 the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Lithuania; the representative of the Anglican Church announces that the free masonry is opposite to Christianity
2003 the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Latvia
2004 the foundation of the Grand Lodge of Malta
2005 CMI withdrew its recognition from Grand Lodge of Ecuador; foundation of Grand Lodge of Kingdom of Morocco; Grand Lodge of Andorra founded an English speaking Lodge; foundation of Grand Lodge of Mauritius; foundation of Grand Lodge of Macedonia; foundation of Grand Orient of Romania; foundation of Grand Lodge of Ukraine; foundation of Grand Lodge of Bosnia and Hercegovina;
2006 Regular Grand Lodge “Yugoslavia” changes the name into Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia, but that same year a majority of brothers and Lodges from the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia, brothers and lodges from Grand Lodge “Yugoslavia”, and brothers from lodges of the Grand National Lodge of Serbia and Montenegro, unite into the United Grand Lodges of Serbia; on the Cyprus, Grand Lodge of Greece established Grand Lodge of Cyprus; nine Lodges departed from Grand Lodge of Philippines and founded Independent Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Philippine Islands
2007 foundation of Grand Lodge of Montenegro; a group separated from Grand Lodge of Paraguay founded Great Symbolic Lodge of Paraguay.