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Freemasonry
in
Lithuania
.
Continuing
on our theme of newly formed Grand Lodges. We look at Freemasonry in
Lithuania
and again we discover that Lodges existed there many years ago, until the
events of the Second World War suppressed the Craft.
The
first Freemason`s Lodge in the territory of present-day Lithuania was
founded in Klaipėda (Memel ) (then within Prussia).
Memel
in the 18th and 19th century was international port where lived together
Germans, Scots, English, Lithuanians and other nations. Here, in
February 23, 1776
a constitution granted by the Grand Lodge of Berlin allowed for the
founding of the
Memphis
lodge. The full name called Johanisloge Memphis in Orient Memel
It
belonged to Grand national Mother Loge of
Prussia
Zu den drei Weltkugeln. First Master (Master von Stuhl ) of this
Lodge probably was Englishman or Scots. His Name was Simpson. The
lodge
Memphis
had a Lodge room on the Alexanderstrasse. But unfortunately during
World War the Lodge house was destroyed. In the List from 1782 in Lodge
Memphis
were 110 Members.
This
lodge, in contrast to other lodges in Lithuania, did not experience
repressions and persecution, and as a result, was the longest-lived up
to July of 1935, when all Freemason`s Lodges were banned in Nazi Germany.
Though 1923-1938 Klaipeda (
Memel
) belonged to
Lithuania
, but Nazi influence in the port
Memel
at that time was very strong. Therefore the Lodge of
Memphis
was closed.
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