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                           WHY THE SECRECY?
                                  by
                        Richard W.  Lodge, MPS

    American and Canadian Masons, many of whom proudly wear the square
and compasses on their lapel pins and display Masonic emblems on their
cars, are sometimes puzzled by the secrecy which appears to surround
the Craft in Europe. They are told that European Masons do not wear
Masonic pins or rings outside the lodge, that Masonic temples are
often not recognizable as such, and that Masons usually don't tell
their friends or associates of their membership.

    The following is a translation of an article which appeared in the
May 1994 issue of the  AMT [Algemeen Maonniek Tijdschrift], the
official publication of the Grootoosten der Nederlanden, the Dutch
Grand Lodge and is translated and printed with their permission. It
describes the instructions given to the liquidators of Masonic Lodges
by the German occupying forces in The Netherlands in November 1940. It
is hard to imagine what it would have been like to experience this
kind of treatment of Freemasonry if it had occurred in our non-
European jurisdictions just 54 years ago. In light of it, though, the
more secretive practices of our European Brethren become much easier
to understand.


          9 NOVEMBER 1940
          DE GROTE VERBIJSTERING [THE GUIDELINES OF THE
          GREAT DISMAY]


GUIDELINES FOR THE PROVINCIAL LIQUIDATORS*

    Guidelines for the confiscation and destruction of Freemasons'
libraries, the correspondence, the objects necessary for the ritual
and the international Symbolism, which is separate from the property
to be liquidated

    1.  In all the lodges released for cleansing, everything which
        consists of books or correspondence must be gathered in one
        place in the building to be turned over to a junk dealer. As
        much as at all possible, books and magazines must be rendered
        in a condition such that use of these materials for any
        purpose other than sending to a paper mill is impossible [torn
        up, cut up).

    2.  The junkman appointed to collect these quantities of paper
        must swear an oath that the written documents and books placed
        at his disposal may only be sent to the paper mill and in no
        case may be transferred or given to third parties.

    3.  All leather aprons, packed in bundles, must be delivered to
        the collection locations in the province specified by the S.D.
        [the German Sicherheidsdienst].

    4.  All the draperies of the lodges [black, blue or red) must be
        packed together in bales and also delivered to the collection
        locations specified by the S.D. All cloths used in masonic
        labor must be included [chair and table cloths, aprons,
        paintings, flags, coulisses, cushions with masonic symbols).

    5.  All objects for the ritual of freemasonry and all consumer
        goods which bear masonic insignias of metal must be defaced as
        much as possible and packed together to be junked. Included
        are: badges, jewels, swords, circles, plumbs, trowels,
        candelabra and cups with masonic sayings, all 7-armed
        candelabra, coins, door knockers, etc.

    6.  All masonic symbols made of wood or similar material must be
        smashed and burned. These include the columns in a temple with
        J. and B., cube, pyramids, sprig of acacia, triangular tables,
        coffin, skeleton, skull, gavel, altar, minerals, sextant, 5,
        6, or 9 stars, warden's rod, rose croix, picture frames and
        cabinets with masonic symbols.

        Also, the symbols made of stone and the glass and porcelain
        consumer goods [Sphinx) must likewise be destroyed.

    7.  The consumer goods bearing lodge symbols [seats, chairs,
        tables, cabinets, lamps, picture frames] must be expertly
        cleansed of these insignias by a workman and be brought to a
        condition such that public sale by the Liquidator can take
        place. The expenses of the workman will be borne by the
        authorized liquidator.

    8.  The portraits, busts, wall maxims, and paintings are also to
        be destroyed, taking into account the fact that glass and
        neutral paintings can also be sold by the liquidator. General:

    For special information, let it be pointed out that the following
qualify as masonic symbolism: all hand tools related to construction,
as well as 5-6 and 9 stars. For the Odd Fellows three rings. For the
Rotarians the gearwheel. For the Rosicrucians a cross with a rose
growing around it. References abbreviated with letters must also be
considered as symbolism.

Afterword:

    Freemasons' medals, jewels, buttons from the warden's stick, and
the like, which are made of precious metal, or appear to be, must be
sent to the office of the Commissioner General, attention Z. H.
Schwier, Fluwelen Burgwal 22, The Hague.


In the AMT article, Editor E. P Kwaadgras, adds the following
comments:

    I had to conquer the inclination to leave this document without
commentary. During a meeting in the Grand Lodge building on 9 November
1940, Werner Schwier, the German responsible for the liquidation of
Freemasonry and related organizations in The Netherlands, handed out
these instructions to a dozen "Provincial Liquidators" appointed as
such, each of whom had to manage the task in his own territory. His
Dutch figurehead, the Hague attorney Jan Muller, named by the
occupying forces as "General Liquidator," was also present at the
meeting.

    A dramatic moment was the arrest, during the meeting, of F. W.
Adriaanse, attorney and prosecutor in Middelburg. He had received the
province of Zeeland from Muller as his territory. He had been
approached about it by telephone in August 1940. He had asked for time
to think it over, and consulted several friends with whom he was on
the board of the Netherlands Union [a Dutch political group which
wished to recognize the changed circumstances and work with the Dutch
and occupation authorities]. He also sought contact with "the leader
of the Lodge of Freemasons in Middleburg, named Dekker." He then
decided to accept the appointment "to save what could be saved."
During the meeting in The Hague, Schwier explained that a "traitor had
sneaked in," since Adriaanse was a member of the Union and not a
National Socialist. Two Germans in uniform came in and arrested him,
after which he was taken to the prison at Scheveningen. Neither Muller
nor any of the others present objected to this procedure. After ten
days, Adriaanse was freed. In the meantime, he was replaced by a more
trustworthy subject. That such things should happen in our Grand Lodge
building!

    But the document speaks for itself. Among other things, it answers
the question why so many lodge archives and libraries were lost, in
contrast to the Grand Lodge archives and library. The latter went to
Germany as research material and was largely recovered after the war.
But the possessions of the individual lodges in The Netherlands were
mostly destroyed or sold.

    *   Source: dossier no. 4500, concerning Werner Schwier, from the
        Subcommission on Investigation of War Crimes, in the Central
        Archives of Special Proceedings of the Ministry of Justice,
        primarily attachment 12.