CZECHOSLOVAKIA REVISITED By H. Douglas Lemons, 33ø Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Supreme Council, 33ø Sovereign Grand Inspector General in California 2958 Daneland Street, Lakewood, California 90712-2134 Soon after the ceremony of rekindling the Light of Freemasonry in Prague, Czechoslovakia, on November 18, 1990, a large amount of Fraternal correspondence ensued between Eastern European Masons and their Brothers in American Freemasonry. This correspondence from our European Brethren was an expression of joy and gratitude for their restored right to associate openly and freely with others of their same beliefs and moral values. After nearly sixty years of total subjugation and degradation, those valiant Brothers who had maintained their faith and belief in the principles of Freemasonry, even at the risk of their very lives, could now speak out freely without the risk of intimidation or imprisonment. Their message, loud and clear, was: "We are a free people! Free to speak our minds and voice our opinions! Free to choose our own lifestyle, our own religion, our own fraternities and, most of all, our own form of government!" To these messages, American Masons responded enthusiastically and welcomed these wonderful Eastern European Masons back into universal Freemasonry. In February 1991, at the annual meeting of the Conference of Grand Masters of North America, the Committee on Recognition of Foreign Grand Lodges unanimously reported that it considered the new Grand Lodges of Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Yugoslavia to be regularly formed. The Committee also recommended that all three of these new Grand Lodges be granted recognition. Since that time, a large number of North American Grand Lodges have granted recognition to these three new Eastern European Grand Lodges. This is indeed the true spirit of universal Freemasonry at its best! At the ceremonies of reinstituting the National Grand Lodge of Czechoslovakia in November, 1990, at the request of Grand Master Jiri (George) Syllaba, several members of that new Grand Lodge had the Fourth through the Fourteenth Degrees of Scottish Rite Conferred upon them by Sovereign Grand Commander, C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33ø. In February 1991, following the Grand Masters Conference in San Diego, the Grand Master of Yugoslavia, Mþ Wþ Zoran Nenezic, two of his Grand Lodge members, Brothers Ceran and Perovic, and Brother Christian Weger, Grand Secretary of the National Grand Lodge of Czechoslovakia, all were made 32ø Masters of the Royal Secret in a one-day class in the Valley of Long Beach, California. In correspondence between the Grand Masters of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Sovereign Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, requests were made to hold another Scottish Rite class in Eastern Europe for the Conferral of the Thirty-second Degree. The Grand Commander granted this request, and planning was initiated to have a Reunion Class in Eastern Europe sometime in the summer of 1991. The dates of June 7th and 8th were chosen, and the place was to be Prague, Czechoslovakia, in the very same Hradcany Castle Lodge room in which the ceremonies of November 18, 1990, were held. A very formidable Degree Team under the direction of Illþ Robert Woodward, 33ø, Deputy of The Supreme Council, 33ø, for the American Military Base Scottish Rite Valley in Frankfort, Germany, and his Personal Representative, Illþ Art Kile, 33ø, was selected from the fine Scottish Rite Brethren of the American Military Bodies. They traveled to Prague and Conferred the Fourth through the Thirty-second Degrees on a class of some forty Master Masons of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. All coordination for this event was very expertly carried out by Brother Arnold Hermann, 32ø, Sovereign Grand Commander Kleinknecht's Personal Representative and trusted adviser in Eastern Europe. It was not at all surprising that the June 7th and 8th dates which were chosen for this most important event were just two weeks after the May 23-25th meeting of the 36th annual Conference of Sovereign Grand Commanders in Europe. This meeting was held in Paris, France, and our Sovereign Grand Commander, Illþ C. Fred Kleinknecht, was a participant and an honored guest. Also invited by Grand Commander Kleinknecht to attend this meeting in the capacity of observers and aides were Illþ Sam Hilburn, 33ø, SþGþIþGþ in Texas and Grand Treasurer pro tempore; myself as SþGþIþGþ in California and Grand Master of Ceremonies; and Brother Arnold Hermann, 32ø. Presiding over this 36th Annual Conference was Illþ Henri L. Baranger, 33ø, Sovereign Grand Commander, The Supreme Council of France, whose theme for the meeting was "the perspective for the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in the Twenty-First Century." In addition to the Sovereign Grand Commanders of The Supreme Councils, 33ø, Southern Jurisdiction and Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America, other participants in this conference included the Sovereign Grand Commanders of Germany, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Spain, Iran inexile, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, The Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, and Turkey. Each of these distinguished Grand Commanders was called upon to deliver a ten-minute theme address relevant to Scottish Rite today and tomorrow. It should be noted that our Brothers of The Supreme Council of France, especially Grand Commander Baranger, were superb in their courtesy and hospitality, and every opportunity was taken to make everyone feel most welcome while in Paris. Grand Commander Baranger deserves highest accolades for arranging and conducting so efficient and effective a conference. The papers delivered were interesting, informative, and inspiring. Clearly, much good was accomplished in this conference, and a definite highlight of the meeting was the address given by our Grand Commander, Illþ C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33ø, who spoke on Scottish Rite progress in America. At the conclusion of the Paris Conference, most of the members of the delegation from the Southern Jurisdiction, accompanied by their ladies, began a whirlwind tour by car of the route taken by the Knights Templar during the Crusades as they traveled through the south of France and into Spain before embarking for the Holy Land. Our group, however, did not go that far. Rather we visited Barcelona, Spain, and flew from there to Frankfort, Germany, where we were cordially received by Illþ Robert Woodward, Deputy of The Supreme Council, 33ø, for the American Military Bodies in Germany, and the wonderful members of the American Military Base at Frankfort. After a brief but very enjoyable visit during which we discussed plans for the upcoming meeting in Prague, we then flew from Frankfort to Rome, Italy, for a round of very important meetings with the Illþ Elvio Sciubba, 33ø, Past Sovereign Grand Commander, The Supreme Council of Italy. Upon concluding our business in Rome, we flew directly to Prague, the "Golden City" of Czechoslovakia. There we were met by representatives of Italy, Yugoslavia, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, and before the day was over, we had been officially greeted by MþWþ Jiri (George) Syllaba, Grand Master, Czechoslovakia; MþWþ Zoran Nenezic, 32ø, Grand Master, Yugoslavia; and MþWþ Joseph Ferencz, Grand Master, Hungary. This was a wonderful homecoming for us, and truly a reunion with some of the finest Masons we have ever known. Even though the next morning brought cloudy skies with threatening rain, it did not in any way diminish the enthusiasm for the events which were to follow through the day. The Brethren started gathering in the Lodge room in Hradcany Castle early in the morning, and by 9:00 AM, all were in their places, eager to witness the first of the Degrees. Brother Art Kile and his Degree Team members were already in full costume, with all the props and sets in proper placement. Precisely at 9:15 A.M., they commenced their exemplification of the Fourth Degree. Throughout the morning they Conferred two more of the mandatory Degrees, and Communicated all those between the Fourth and the Eighteenth Degrees. At noon, all the Brethren gathered in the famous restaurant beside St. Vitus Cathedral, inside the grounds of Hradcany Castle, where they were treated to a Czechoslovakian multicourse luncheon. Following an excellent repast, the Brethren returned to the Lodge room where they witnessed the full exemplification of the Thirtieth and Thirty-second Degrees, and the Communication of all those Degrees between. All work was completed by 4:30 P.M. At this time, Grþ Cmdrþ Kleinknecht addressed the class which consisted of twenty Czechoslovakian Masons and seventeen Yugoslavian Masons. Present also was the Grand Master of Hungary and one of his Grand Lodge officers who also witnessed the Degrees. The Grand Commander complimented Brother Art Kile and all the members of the American Military Bodies Degree Team for their excellent work. He also congratulated each of the newly made Masters of the Royal Secret, and expressed his sincere desire that Supreme Councils might be formed in all of the Eastern European countries at an early date. The Grand Commander then presented me as the SþGþIþGþ in California, and I had the pleasure of extending my congratulations to the Brethren of the Class and the honor of capping each of them with the black cap of the 32nd Degree. Following a few further instructions regarding Fourteenth Degree rings, etc., the entire class and all participants proceeded downstairs into the courtyard where official photographs were taken. About this time, the skies literally opened up over Prague, and everyone had to scurry for cover from a very heavy summer downpour. Then, at 8:00 P.M., the class members, their ladies, and all participants joined at the Grand Commander's banquet in honor of this most auspicious occasion. Following an excellent dinner, the Grand Commander delivered a brief, but very informative address. He then called upon each of the four Grand Masters who were present from Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, and the American Canadian Grand Lodge in Frankfort, Germany, whose newly Installed Grand Master, Broþ Hugh E. Black, 32ø, KþCþCþHþ, had participated in the Conferral of the Degrees. Brother Arnold Hermann, responsible almost single-handedly for arranging this class, was then called on for his remarks. He, too, made some brief, but very emotional comments, and then had resented to every Brother present a beautiful gold commemorative coin in honor of this first Scottish Rite class in Eastern Europe. The ladies were each presented a beautiful Czechoslovakian cut-glass vase as a memento of this marvelous evening. On the following day, Sunday June 9th, the Brethren exchanged some rather emotional farewells before returning to their various homes. They had come in harmony! They dwelt in unity! They departed in peace and love! So mote it be!