Freemasonry in France

The Franc-maçonnerie is a form of associative organization, which recruits its members by co-optation and practical the ritual initiatory ones referring to a Secret maconnic and art to build. Appeared in Great Britain at the 17th century then reorganized with London in 1717, it was spread in France as in very many other countries of the world at the beginning of the 18th century.

It was structured with the wire of the centuries around a great number of rites and traditions, which involved the creation of various federations, named obediences, which do not recognize all between them. It is described, according to the times and obediences, like a “primarily philosophical and philanthropic association”, like a “system of morals illustrated by symbols” or like a “initiatory order”.

This article describes its history and its organization in the particular case of the French territory.

History

The historiography maconnic Frenchwoman

Until the middle of the 20th century the history of freemasonry was excluded from the field of the traditional university history. Particularly in France, the maconnic historiography was divided then almost exclusively between definitely hostile authors with freemasonry and others which were resolutely favorable for him and which were often masons themselves.

Since, its political influence was reduced and its historical conflict with the Roman Catholic church in France, it also become politically less powerful, if not was solved at least alleviated. In this climate become more favorable to the application of the principles and methods of the traditional scholarship, maconnic historiography could develop and be constituted in an autonomous discipline, the Maçonnologie. In the same way, the first cabin of English source would have been “the Friendship and Fraternity” founded in 1721 with Dunkirk.

The first cabin whose existence is historically certain was rested by English with Paris about the year 1725 . It met at the Huré delicatessen, street of Butcheries, with the manner of the companies angloises , and gathered mainly of the Irishmen and exiled the stuartists. It is rather probably this same cabin which will receive in 1732 official licenses of the Big room of London under the name of Thomas saint , meeting in the ensign of Louis d' Argent , always street of Butcheries.

In 1728, the French freemasons decide to recognize like “large Master of the freemasons in France”, Philippe, Duc of Wharton (1698-1731), which remains in Paris and Lyon of 1728 to 1729, and which had already been, in 1723, large Master of the Big room of London. This event, former to the transformation of the “Big room of London” into “Big room of England” in 1738, is regarded by part of the historians as the starting point of a French freemasonry independent of that of Great Britain.

If the existence of a large Master in France is thus attested since 1728, it will however be necessary to wait ten years more so that one true assembly of the representatives of all English” and “Scottish” cabins the “fully constitutes the first Big room of France on June 24th 1738 and institutes Louis de Pardaillan de Gondrin (1707 - 1743), duke of Antin, Large general and perpetual Master of the masons in the kingdom of France . It is of this Big room that the current French obediences will be born all.

In December 1736, the knight of Ramsay makes a speech developing the idea of a chivalrous origin of freemasonry. This idea will have thereafter an unquestionable influence on the appearance during the time 1740 - 1770 of very many High ranks maconnic which will be gathered thereafter with the center of different the rites maconnic.

The first revelation with the French public of the maconnic secret date of 1737. It will be then published in 1738 in the Gazette of Holland under the name the reception of a frey-mason and made following the searchings of the lieutenant of Herault police force like to the testimony of a young lady Carton, dancer of opera, to which a Brother would have entrusted. The police force of the time draws the attention of the royal capacity to the dangers which to the Absolute monarchy would make run such Company where people of all States are admitted, conditions, Religions, where it are a great number from Abroad . She makes defense consequently with all delicatessens innkeepers, landlords and others to receive to them known as assemblies of freys-masons , which by no means prevents them from continuing to meet, under the protection of people of the nobility, such as the duke of Antin. Other searchings took place of 1740 with 1745. They gave place to very detailed police reports which are today an invaluable source for the historians of freemasonry. They were accompanied by arrests and light judgments, then freemasonry settled definitively in the French social landscape and the judgments emanating of the royal capacity ceased until the end of the century.

The year 1738 is also that of the judgment of freemasonry by the bubble “In eminenti” of the Pope Clément XII. If this judgment were the signal of a wave of persecutions in the European countries most subjected to the authority of Rome, it did not go from there in the same way to France where no bubble could have effect without being recorded by the Parliament, which this one took care well not to do, for political reasons. Very quickly, French freemasonry will be thus mainly made up of catholics, whose many priests, and will remain it until the French revolution.

In 1743, after the death of the duke of Antin, it is Louis de Bourbon-Cop (1709 - 1771), count de Clermont, prince of blood and future member of the French Academy which succeeds to him as Large Master of all the regular cabins of France . It will remain it until its death, in 1771.

Towards 1744 one counts already a score of cabins in Paris and as much in province. The cabins of province are generally rested by masons in displacement for their businesses, but especially via the military cabins, with the wire of displacements of their regiments: when a military cabin leaves its winter quarters, it is not rare indeed that it leaves in its wake the embryo of a new civil cabin. It is of this time which the many expressions still go back to military origin of use in the modern banquets maconnic, such as famous “the gun” indicating glass, or the “strong powder” indicating the wine.

In the Years 1740, is born in France, in the mediums of the high aristocracy, an original and mixed form of freemasonry, under the name of masonry of adoption , whose Large Mistress is the duchess of Bourbon-Cop, sister of the duke of Chartres.

In 1771, Louis Philippe of Orleans (1747-1793) succeeds the count de Clermont with the head of French freemasonry. Under its authority and with the support of the cabins of province against the hegemony of those of Paris, the Big room of France reorganizes and changes name to become in 1773 the Grand the East of France, which gathers some 600 cabins. Some “Worthy” Parisian, dissatisfied more not to only be life presidents of their cabin, will resist this reform and formed transitory Big room of Clermont .

During the French revolution the Great East of France is subjected to the same evolutions and difficulties that the whole of the company: he proclaims his attachment with the democratic shape of government as of January 1789 and there are many freemasons among the revolutionists but the right-hand man of its Large Master emigrates as of on July 15th 1789. The Large Master himself, become “Philippe-Equality” publicly disavows masonry in 1793, little time before finishing on the scaffold. In 1794, under the Terror, the whole of French freemasonry plunges in a sleep of which it will be raised only with difficulty starting from 1797: whereas one counted nearly 1000 cabins the day before the Revolution, 75 cabins only will have resumed their work in 1800.

The 19th century

The plebiscite of November 6th 1804 legitimates the Empire Napoleon i. In the days which follow, the French freemasons learn that his/her brother Joseph Bonaparte is named Grand Master of the Great East of France, whose effective administration is entrusted to Jean-Jacques-Governed of Cambacérès.

A legend affirms that Napoleon himself would have been mason. However the remarks that it holds with Sainte-Hélène clearly seem to prove the opposite: It is a heap of imbeciles who are assembled to make good expensive and to carry out some ridiculous madnesses. Nevertheless, they make time with other some good deeds.

During the Empire, the Great East of France, narrowly controlled by the political power, gradually joins together under its aegis the near total of the French freemasonry which it develops again to reach quickly the number of 1200 cabins.

However, in 1804, the count Alexandre of Fatty-Tilly (1765 - 1845) coming from the the Antilles, returns to France provided with capacities emanating from the Suprême the Council of Charleston, founded in 1802. It then establishes a Suprême the Council of France and contributes to the creation of a “Scottish general Big room of France”, placed under the protection of Kellerman. The centralism of state then requires the fusion of these two institutions and obtains it during a few years.

Following the Countryside of Egypt of 1799, the French company is impassioned for the history of this country. Towards 1810, the Rite of Misraïm and freemasonry known as “Egyptian” appear in the French mediums installed in Italy. They settle in France in 1814.

At the beginning of the Restoration, in 1814, the count of Fatty-Tilly awakes the conflict which will not cease any more opposing until the end of the century the Grand the East of France, which wants to be the center of union of all French freemasonry and the Suprême the Council of France, jealous of the independence of the Scottish Rite old and accepted.

The end of the Empire involves an important weakening of the French freemasonry which had been one of its pillars and which sees its number cabins to decrease up to 300 around the year 1820.

During all the 19th century French freemasonry is democratized and politicized little by little: many freemasons are among the revolutionists of 1830 and except for Lamartine and Ledru-Rollin, all the members of the Provisional government of 1848 are freemasons.

Following the excommunications repeated of the Catholic church, become applicable in France since the Legal settlement, the catholic gradually leave the cabins, which, by-effect, become more and more anticlericals.

In 1851 Napoleon III puts an end to the Second Republic. The Second Empire starts. As his/her uncle had done it before him, it offers its protection to French freemasonry, while putting it under supervision. It obtains the Great East of France that this one elects Prince Murat (1803 - 1878) with the Great Control. In 1862, the Great East having obtained that this one is not represented, Napoleon III decided to name itself its successor, in the person of the marshal Bernard Pierre Magnan (1791 - 1865) who was not freemason and for which it was necessary to ritually confer in all haste the 33 degrees of the ecossism. The imperial decree having forgotten to mention it, other French maconnic obedience, the Supreme Council of France, directed by the academician Jean Viennet (1777 - 1868) managed of accuracy to preserve its independence.

Two years later, the emperor authorized the Great East again to elect his Large Master. Magnan was elected and remained Grand Master until his death in 1865. The archbishop of Paris gave exonerated in front of his covered coffin of his badges maconnic, which was reproached to him then by the pope. Learning the lesson from this period of authoritarianism, the Great East removed the Great Control at the end of the Empire, entrusting its direction to a “President of the Council of the Order”.

In March 1871 begins the Commune of Paris, in which the freemasons of the capital will strongly imply themselves. The Thirifocq Brother, socialist militant, member of the cabin “free Examen” of the Supreme council of France requires that the maconnic banners be planted on the ramparts and that they “are avenged” (sic) if they would be perforated by the balls of the Of Versailles one. Many freemasons appear among the revolutionists, of which Jules Vallès or Elisee Reclus. April 29th 1871 took place a great demonstration gathering in front of the forces of Versailles several thousands of freemasons of two obediences behind tens of banners. This demonstration was followed interview between the two emissary of the Commune (of which Thirifocq) and Adolphe Thiers, which showed a failure then by the crushing of the Commune by the Of Versailles ones. Contrary to those of Paris, the cabins of province did not support the Commune and, as of the end of this one, the Great East repudiated officially the action of the Parisian cabins to adopt in Thiers and the Third Republic in which it was brought to play a leading role.

July 8th 1875, Jules Ferry (future Minister for the State education of the Republic) and Emile Littré (author of the dictionary éponyme) are initiated by the cabin “the Lenient Friendship”. The French Republic, which wants to open public schools on all the territory enters in open conflict with the Catholic church which is opposed to it. It is in this context that the Great East, which gives officially its support for the Republic, decides in 1877 to remove for its cabins the obligation to work “With the Glory of the Great architect of the Universe”. In theory each cabin remains free of its choice to continue or not to respect this old Landmark of freemasonry, but in practice, in a climate envenimé by 30 years of conflict open between the Republic and the old religion of State, all the references to the religion will be gradually removed the ritual ones of the Great East.

As regards Council Supreme of France, the traditional obligation is not removed, but its Large Crémieux Commander will recall with strength as of 1876 that its jurisdiction does not impose “any form to the Great architect of the Universe”. The Supreme Council must also face a sling of the cabins of the first three ranks, which intend to be freed from its supervision. It will end up their granting their independence within the Big room of France (2nd of the name) founded in 1894 to manage the first three ranks of the freemasonry of the old and accepted Scottish Rite.

Of 1893 with 1899, France sees constituting the first mixed maconnic obedience, which will very quickly become international: the international mixed Order of the Human right, which adopts to him also the Scottish Rite old and accepted.

The 20th century

For the history of French freemasonry, the 20th century begins with a scandal which will leave durable traces and which testifies well to the implication of the freemasonry of the time in the policy: the Business of the cards. It begins in 1901 when the Général Andre, Minister for the war and freemason puts in cards the philosophical and religious convictions of some 27000 officers, to manage their advance. The information is provided by hundreds of freemasons in all the country. In 1904, the press seizes the business. The scandal is immense and will be completed by the resignation of the Général Andre.

In 1913, two Cabins, the Center of the Friends and English cabin 204 leave the Great East and found Independent and regular national big room , which will be immediately recognized by the plain Big room of England and which will remain until in the Années 1960 mainly animated by English or Americans residing in France. Into 1948, this obedience will change name for that of French national Big room which it carries still today.

If the pacifist current which appears in France before the First World War also expresses in freemasonry, it disappears in this one as in the remainder from the country at the beginning from the conflict and the first cabinet of Sacred union includes/understands 9 freemasons. An International Conference joins together in January 1917, with the seat of the Big room of France, several European obediences. It is launched there a call to the creation of the Société of the Nations. A similar conference brings together in June 1917 representatives of 16 the allied or neutral obediences to the seat of the Grand the East of France with the same objectives.

After the losses due to the war, French freemasonry takes again its progression: the Great East of France passes from 23000 members in 1919 to 33000 in the Années 1930, while the Big room of France passes from 6300 members to 16000 over the same period.

With the Release, a thousand of French freemasons were off-set or killed, the majority for their activities of resistance or because of their Jewish origins. The temples were plundered, the confiscated files. When the cabins are raised, of the often spontaneous committees of purification set up themselves. On the whole, the number of active freemasons fell by two thirds. French freemasonry will spend twenty years to find its prewar manpower and will never find the political and social influence which it had under the First Empire, following the revolution of 1848 and under the Third Republic, preferring from now on to turn more to the philosophical reflection, even spiritual.

The judgment Communiste of freemasonry decreases considerably in France starting from 1945, mainly because of fraternity born during the Résistance between gaullists, Communists and freemason vis-a-vis their common enemy: the Mode of Vichy.

In 1945, the freemasons of the cabins of adoption of the Big room of France constitute themselves in one Female maconnic union of France , which will become in 1952 the female Big room of France. In 1959, this obedience gives up the Rite of adoption for the Scottish Rite old and accepted.

In 1958, Brothers of the French national Big room, in dissension with the not-recognition of other French obediences, found French national big room known as “Operated” become since the traditional Big room and symbolic system Operated (GLTSO).

In 1964, the Big room of France signs an agreement with the Great East of France which causes a scission in its center and within the Supreme Council of France. The Large Commander Charles Riandey, accompanied by a few hundreds of Brothers, then leaves the Supreme Council to found some another, under the aegis of the French national Big room, named the “Supreme Council for France”.

Since the Years 1970, one attends in France a very great number of scissions which gave rise to several small obediences, like with very many microphone-obediences and with some independent cabins. If the serious one of some of them is unanimously recognized, conformity with the maconnic traditions of some others is not always well established. Certain authors see in this tendency the reflection of individualistic atomization and the rejection of the institutions which characterize, according to them, the current French company.

The 21e century

February 20th 2002, in Paris, the Large Masters, Large Mistress and Presidents of 9 obediences sign the text founder of French Masonry , expression whose Grand the East of France deposits the mark:

With the variation of the controversies partisanes, committed in an initiatory step which émancipe the consciences, French maconnic obediences affirm jointly:

  • primacy of a course balanced between initiatory, practical of a method symbolic system and engagement citizen and social step;

  • the rejection of any dogmatism and any segregation;

  • the refusal of all the integrisms and all the extremism;

  • will to work with the improvement of the human condition, progress of individual freedoms and collective:

  • the defense and the promotion of the absolute freedom of conscience, thought, expression and communication;

  • the defense and the promotion of the Secularity, essential freedom which allows all the others;

  • the research of the dialog for peace, fraternity and the development

They decide to work together with the improvement of the Man and the Company.

In October 2002, this whole of obediences creates the maconnic Institut of France the purpose of which is of to promote the cultural image of masonry French through its historical heritage, arts person, artistic and his diversity and of to better redécouvrir, deepen and do to know with all public interested the cultural values and ethical S of the Freemasonry . The IMF is at the same time a foundation for the maconnic culture and a center of studies and research. It organizes each year a living room of the book maconnic and decrees a literary prize which rewards an author not mason defending for the ideas and the values close to those of freemasonry.

In July 2006, the Big room of France decides to withdraw this association and the Grand the East of France agrees to cancel the mark “Masonry French” near INPI.

Principal French obediences

There is, in 2005, approximately: 135000 members with the various maconnic cabins. It should be noted that all obediences always do not recognize the ones the others, according to certain criteria, but that the masons, beyond the possible nuances or divergences of their various obediences, generally recognize themselves between them like Frères and Sisters.

French masonry French masonry

Obediences of this group are arranged in a protocolar order, based on their seniority:

  1. the the Great East of France (the first French obedience of many Brothers, male but accepts the Sisters like visitors)

  2. : Created in 1773 per transformation of the first Big room into France (1728): 47000 members in 2007 (all the figures go back to this year), approximately 1000 cabins.
  3. the French federation of the international mixed Order maconnic the Human right, (mixed).
  4. : Created in 1893 by freemasons resulting from two great obediences of the time: 15250 members (in 2005), 518 workshops.
  5. the female Big room of France (female but accepts the Brothers like visitors)
  6. : Created in 1952 by transformation of the female maconnic Union of France (1945): 11700 adherent (in 2005), 360 cabins.
  7. the traditional Big room and symbolic system Operated (male)
  8. : Created in 1958 by members resulting from the French national Big room (1913), 3200 members
  9. the female Big room of Memphis-Misraïm (female but accepts the Brothers like visitors)
  10. : Created in 1965, 1000 adherent, 50 cabins
  11. the French national Cabin (male)
  12. : Created in 1968, 600 members
  13. the universal mixed Big room (mixed)
  14. : Created in 1973, 1000 members
  15. the mixed Big room of France (mixed)
  16. : Created in 1982, 2500 members, 110 cabins
NB: the Big room of France was withdrawn from this group in 2006.

Group recognition of the plain Big room of England

  • the French national Big room (male, only obedience recognized by the plain Big room of England. It does not have any relation with the other French freemasons. It is the second French obedience of many Brothers)
    : Created in 1913 by two cabins having left the Great East of France (1773): 31000 members (in 2005), 1268 cabins

Other obediences

There exists in France of very many others maconnic obediences which assert their independence compared to the two large poles of recognition mentioned above. Since about thirty years, it appears about it and disappears from it from news each year. Some, sometimes extremely old, are of an origin and a well-known and documented tradition. Others are of an origin and of an authenticity verifiable with more difficulty and join together only a few tens of members. Risks of various drifts, for example sectarian or racketeers, can exist in certain cases.

Independent cabins or “savages”

All the times, since the origins, also saw appearing then quickly to disappear a certain number of independent cabins, sometimes qualified “savages”, i.e. working only, apart from all obediences, often on the initiative of a charismatic leader having a very original design, even sometimes completely personal, freemasonry. Concerning France, it was the case for example of cabins occultists or more or less maconnic mystics of inspiration created by personalities like Cagliostro and Papus, but also of some completely maconnic cabins having functioned clandestinely during the occupation.

This movement of creation of cabins independent of any federation and any control, accelerated considerably in the Années 1970 and principal obediences generally question the character authentically maconnic of these recent bunches at the dubious origins.

Criticisms and scandals

French freemasonry had to face the course of its history with different criticisms and some scandals:

  • At the 18th century, it is the Pope who wishes to make it prohibit everywhere in the world, for reasons more political than religious, mainly related to the situation in Tuscany. However the bubble In eminenti not having been recorded by the Parliament of Paris, it was never applied in France.

  • At the end of the 19th century, during the conflict which opposes the Republic to the Catholic church, it lines up side of the first resolutely, so much so that it was sometimes called the church of the republic . Its networks were at the time powerful, at the point to allow drifts which culminated with the Affaire of the cards.
  • During years 1990, of many freemasons (in particular of GLNF) were implied in various politico-financial Affaires reported by the press, like the Affaire of the HLM of Paris, the Affaire of the HLM of the Hauts-de-Seine, the business of the DCN of Toulon, the businesses of the court of Nice, the businesses of the town hall of Nimes, the Elf business (Dumas, Sirven and Le Floch Prigent is masons) and others. French maconnic obediences always condemned these practices and from the freemasons condemned by justice were excluded from their cabin following these businesses, in which the role of some “fraternal” was often evoked.
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