Some aspects from the history of European Freemasonry.

Directly after the ending of the first World War some of the most leading members of the G.’.O.’. of the Netherlands took the initiative to establish more international coorporation. Firstly they thought about a co-operation between the Grandlodges of the countries who had stayed neutral. But, those good-meaning brethren where disappointed in their high hopes, because the response was very low. Most gave preference to leave everything as it was. Only the Swiss Grandlodge "Alpina" did the brethren not forget about the Dutch initiative, and finally they decided to give it a try to come to international co-operation.
At the occasion of their own Convention representatives of most of the Grandlodges in the world were invited to come to Geneva. That happened in the year 1921.
After long and deep exchanges of thoughts, the representatives from the G.’.L.’. of the state New-York, the G.’.O.’. of Austria, Bulgaria, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Turkey decided on the creation of the"Association Maconnique Internationale", in short A.M.I., to which of course also "Alpina" joined, and the G.’.L.’. of France. Both French obediencies pleaded to admit also mixed obediencies to A.M.I., with which they thought firstly of "Le Droit Humain", which organisation was active in various countries. However the masculine Grandlodges resisted fiercely against this, because they kept with their point of view, that women had nothing to look for in freemasonry. In six captivating meetings the basic assumptions were registered, and a board was chosen, that became the name "Comite Consultatief". They started with a action to support the many prisoners of war, who were still kept prisoner in Russia, by contacting them and to urge their release. A.M.I also involved heavily to end the persecution of Freemasonry in Hungary. These persecutions made many victims. (The minister of Interior Affairs in Hungary at that time, Rakovsky, was , please note, the son of a former Grandmaster of the Hungarian Freemasonry.) The Hungarians resisted against international pressure and forbade A.M.I. the right to involve in interior matters. Nonetheless the pressure was not without consequences and prosecution was relieved considerably.
In 1923 a Convention of the A.M.I. was called together and there they disputed heavily about the regularity of the "Freimaurerbund zur Aufgehenden Sonne" in Neurenberg. Although both French obediencies strongly devoted for admittance, because they thought this was very important for the sake of intenational friendship, a decision was postponed until a future Convention. Actually most of the obediencies were afraid, that their recognition, granted by the English Grandlodge would be withdrawn. This is all the more peculiar, because Great-Britain had become no member of A.M.I. and did not want to become one either, but nevertheless pulled on the ropes in the background.
During the convention of 1923 however, several new members were admitted, those were the obediencies of Greece, Venezuela, Colombia, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and San Salvador. So, the A.M.I. had become a powerful organisation, and during the convention a united appeal was directed to the Hungarian government to lift finally the ban on Freemasonry. In 1924 the Grandlodge of the State of New York, who till then had supported A.M.I. largely financially, withdrew from the organisation, because they thought that there members of the European Grandlodges held not strictly to the basic assumptions, which they put together in 1921 commonly and which were accepted by all. It turned out impossible the make the New-Yorkers change their minds. In 1924 the Grandlodges of Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru and Haiti became members of A.M.I. Again the discussion about the admittance of the "Freimaurerbund" in Neurenburg started, but just as the previous year the decision was postponed.. In reality the subject of regularity wasn’t so much the issue any more, but it went about the common antipathy whom was wild spread at that time, but was never admitted in public obviously, since it would be in contradiction with tolerance, which was AND is one of the very basic points of Masonic pursuit. A fact was, that at that time brotherhood very much was stopped before certain frontiers. Again it was both French obediencies, this time with the support of the G.’.O. ‘. Of Belgium, which worked hard, to bring off a different point of view, but they did not succeed. In 1925 the Convention was held again in Geneva. After a long discussion about admittance of the Romanian Grandlodge, also the postponed decision about the admittance of the "Freimaurerbund" came about, and as was to be expected, again a decision was postponed wrapped in many words. This was not in the least what the representatives of the G.’.O.’. of the Netherlands wanted, who felt, that from freemasons a clear decision was to be expected, a "yes" or a "no". They could not be satisfied, that again they danced around a decision. They required that during the meeting a definitive decision would be taken. The Dutch proposal did not get support and the Dutch left the assemblee very ostentatious. Meanwhile the pressure from the English Grandlodge became constantly stronger, not openly, but certainly through those Grandlodges, who were distinctly disposed towards the English Grandlodge.
In 1927 the voices who asked to bring the basic assumptions from the A.M.I. more similar with those of the Anglo-Saxon freemasonry became louder and louder. Proposals were made, in the course of which they wanted to impose to all members of the A.M.I., that the G.’.A.’.of the U.’. could only mean the God of the Christians, and that the pronouncement should stop, that the G.’.A.’. of the U.’. also could be seen as the symbol that there is a everguiding force beyond man, and that mankind should be free in their own opinion about that. This was a clear fall on the knees befor the United British Grandlodges, who had started to put pressure on those Grandlodges, who started to support a too liberal opinion in the eyes of the British. The UGL threatened openly with the withdrawal of the recognition and made it clear, that they were of the opinion, that organisations, which had no charter from London, could and would not be seen as freemasons.
The British were furthermore of the opinion, that authorised Grandlodges should not maintain any relation at all with groups of freemasons who were not acknowledged. They showed no understandment at all for the universality of freemasonry, and only demonstrated their demagogic imperialism. The English Grandlodge did not shun any means to maintain the British hegemony over the Masonic obediencies in the entire world. And so it continued to rumble inside the A.M.I. until the second World War broke out.
Sisters and Brethren, it is a known fact, that far to few of us show interest in the course of matters within international freemasonry. Who for instance knows anything about the long negotiations with the U.G.L., whom, as is already described earlier, hold the point of view that only they have the right to decide which Masonic organisations will be acknowledges or not. Who still knows the problems ,which caused very heated feelings in France, Belgium and Luxembourg, and where also the Grandlodge of the Netherlands was involved?
Anyway, directly after the end of the second World War it was distinctly indicated, that European freemasonry was basically devided into two large groups, namely on one side the Anglo-Saxon oriented obediencies, who were allowed to call themselves regular, and on the other side the Latin oriented groups from Franco-Belgian freemasonry. In 1960 the members of the A.M.I renewed their co-operation with the draft of the Convenant of Luxembourg. But in Austria, Switzerland and later in Belgium the doubts about the direction A.M.I where went to, became stronger.
Meanwhile the G.’.O.’. of France and the Grande Loge of France tried to combine at least French freemasonry in a striving for equal goals. Beside the two Grandlodges in France also were many lodges of the mixed freemasonry "le Droit Humain", de grande loge Mixte de France and the Grande Loge Mixte Universelle, the Grande loge Feminine and both Grandlodges of Memphis-Misraim, de Grande loge de l’Opera and some more smaller groups.
The Grandmaster from "Alpina", supported by numerous Swiss brethren promises on the Convention of the G.’.L.’. de France in 1961 to try and get a arbritration agreement with the English Grandlodge, so that the ranks of international freemasonry could become peaceful again. But the English stick to their point of views and don’t think about a more forthcoming attitude towards the A.M.I. To enforce those arguments, England even demands the disbandment of the Association Maconnique Internationale and requires from "Alpina" that they should cancel the relations with France, and if "Alpina" would refuse to do this, their regularity would become into danger..
The pressure on "Alpina" becomes stronger and stronger, particularly after the English have made it clear to the Swiss that the English wont tolerate any representatives from obediencies who belong to A.M.I., were invited to the Swiss convention.
Then the Grandsecretary of "Alpina", Br.’. Moses, states in public, that the U.G.L of England isn’t the mother of worldfreemasonfy and he reminds the British to the battle that went on in England around 1800 between the Moderns and the Ancients, and that, after both parties had fought with eachother for life and death, the old Constitutions of Anderson were abandoned and a entire new constitution was created, in the course of which the idea of the worldfreemasonry was left just to be able to make peace.
Of course the English became very angry by this statement and after a fierce battle the Swiss gave in and left A.M.I.
Between the members of the A.M.I however, friction appeared more and more. Obediencies dissociated from the A.M.I. and created the Ligue of Freemasons". But they discovered soon, that with that no end could come to the differences. The harmony became disturbed by insinuations etc. But obviously there were also obediencies ,both in the A.M.I as in the Ligue , which did not even think about it to comply with the demands of the British Union.
Belgium decided not to have a Bible on the pure Cubic Stone anymore, a example that was immediately followed by the French obediencies.
Attempts were made to keep those Grandlodges into the A.M.I. At first also the Netherlands, which had withdrawn and later were admitted back into the A.M.I choose the side of Belgium, but when against all agreements, the newly appointed Grandmaster, B.’. Davidson, defended the English points of view totally unexpectedly, some lodges left the G.’.O.’. under the guidance of Br.’. Onderdenwijngaard and the Dutch Grandlodge was created.
The Dutch Grandlodge from Br.’. Onderdenwijngaard was very active internationally and it was most of all he, who advocated to establish a entire new organisation, in which each obedience could decide themselves if they wanted to accept the Bible as B.’. of H.’. K.’. on the pure Cubic Stone or not, in short, to grant eachother absolute freedom of thought, like it is anchored in the Masonic ideals.
Also the Belgians and the French were enthusiastic to change the goals of the A.M.I. and to create a new organisation, in which the strong urge would exist to tidy away everything what kept freemasonry devided, and consequently continue with the building of the temple of humanity on international level with the Constitutions of Anderson as starting-point.
As Already earlier is remarked by the Swiss Grandsecretary, it is both English Grandlodges which left the original basis of Anderson and created in its place, the so called ‘Landmarks’. To the Constitution of Anderson new points were added and some articles were changed. Amongst others it was stipulated that every Grandlodge, who wants to be considered ‘regular’ needs the charter of Great-Britain.
Well... to end this part of the long complicated history of European freemasonry Clipsas was established in Strassbourg . Clipsas leaves her members free in regards towards their views about the G.’.A.’. of the U.’. and does not subscribe to the point of view of the English that the G.’.A.’. can only be the God of the Christians. And of course the English never have accepted the fact that also women work at the rough ashlar.
The members of Clipsas dont want to control anybody and acknowledge everybody’s right on a own opinion and within Clipsas the sisters and brethren search very consciously for that what unites and we Try to avoid anything what will separate us from eachother.


Matthieu Regoor, translated by Betty Langenberg