Translation from German by Robert Hutwohl[1]

 

 

 

Photo and short obituary of Brother Dr. Franz Hartmann in Oriflamme 10, no. 7 (September 1912), 5

 

 

Br∴ Dr. Franz Hartmann, 33°, 90°, 95°, IX°.†

Aufgenommen in den Freimaurer-Orden in der

loge “Washington”, No. 12, Or∴ Georgetown, U. S. A.,

gestorben am 7. August 1912 in Kempten,

gew. Erster General-Gross-Administrator des Ordens der

Alten Freimauerer vom Memphis- und Misraim-Ritus

in Deutschland.

Ehren-Grossmeister des (33°) Grossorient von Deutschland.

Mitbegünder unseres Ordens

O • T • O

________________

Brother∴ Dr. Franz Hartmann, 33°, 90°, 95°, IX°.†

Accepted into the Masonic Order in the

lodge “Washington”, No. 12, Order ∴ Georgetown, U.S.A.,

died on August 7, 1912 in Kempten,

born First General Grand Administrator of the Order of

Ancient Freemasons of the Memphis and Misraim Rite

in Germany.

Honorary Grand Master of (33°) Grand Orient of Germany.

Co-founder of our Order

O • T • O

Further on in the journal, pages 12-14, I translate:

[p. 12]

OUR ORDER.

———

Our late Honorary Grand Master Br. Dr. Franz Hartmann, 33°, 90°, 96°, IX° wrote in the “Oriflamme”, Volume II, No. 2.

“The Order of Ancient Freemasons of the Memphis and Misraim Rite, founded by the Masters of Wisdom, whose branches are spread all over the world, has now begun its activities in Germany. Whether this activity will be successful will depend on the ability of its members, and there is no doubt that the best forces in Germany will join this brotherhood as soon as they recognize its origin and purpose. The Order is still in its infancy here, and not all who have joined it are up to its task.

The first condition for admission is not a great erudition, but a heart inclined to the promotion of the welfare of humanity, which is capable of feeling LOVE, that is, the awareness (turned into action) of the unity of God in all creatures.

The Order has already achieved great things by creating a literature whose purpose is to spread a higher view of life than the previous material one.

As the Order as such has no dogma, with the exception of the general brotherhood of mankind, it offers no points of attack to its enemies. However, all attacks will not prevent the Order from pursuing its path safely and peacefully; the “Light from the East” will remain victorious despite all the fog!”

 

Almost 10 years have passed since those words of our deceased brother, the co-founder of our Sovereign Sanctuary in Germany, appeared in print, and this anniversary issue of the “Oriflamme”, which appears under the mystical sign: I. N. R. I., is therefore the most appropriate place to check to what extent the words of our deceased brother have come true.

At first, Our Order grew by accepting and affiliating existing organizations until it reached the impressive number of around 1,000 members. However, this numerical growth went hand in hand with growing internal quarrels and disputes because, as Brother Hartmann had already written in 1902, not all those who joined Our Order were up to its tasks. The first secession took place in Berlin as early as 1904. In December 1905, the Hamburg lodges went over to the so-called recognized Grand Lodge there. And in 1910, the so-called Eberhart Lodges left Our Order again and, through the “admission” of new members, were affiliated with various so-called recognized German Grand Lodges. These trials and tribulations of the first years, however, brought about the great good that a definitive clarification finally occurred in Our Order, so that today Our Order only has about 500 members in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, but these are imbued with the true purpose of Our Order and do not have one eye on the “recognized” lodges for contact and admission as visitors.

However, this loss in the number of members in Germany is offset by a gain, the final effect of which cannot yet be estimated: an increase in the influence of the Sovereign Sanctuary for the German Empire and of the Oriental Templar Order, which is organically linked to it, in countries outside of Germany.

In 1908, French brothers requested a charter from Our Master of the Order, whereupon Our Order, on June 24, 1908, founded the

Supreme Grand General Council

of the United Rites of Ancient and Primitive Masonry

Grand Orient for France and its Dependencies in Paris.

Note:

[1]Obituary to Dr. Franz Hartmann. Photo and short obituary of Brother Dr. Franz Hartmann. Oriflamme 10, no. 7 (September 1912), 5. Translation from the German by Robert Hutwohl, 2025. Note, Dr. Hartmann died in August 1912. Because Dr. Hartmann was part of the O.T.O., as was Dr. Kellner, A. E. Waite, John Yarker (died March 20, 1913) and others such as Papus, Brother Aleister Crowley and Theodor Reuss, it was fitting for the O. T. O. to give a short dedication to him. Things rather fell apart once Crowley came on board and matters were found out. That is probably why membership gradually decreased.