The Organization
The “Grand Lodge of Austria” (GLvÖ) is the highest Masonic authority in Austria. It serves as a sort of umbrella organization for the lodges working under its jurisdiction, providing them with values and organizational rules; apart from this, the lodges are independent.
While this may sound quite hierarchical, it is in fact very democratic. Ultimately, power lies at the base rather than at the top. The freely elected representatives of the lodges make all fundamental decisions of the Grand Lodge in general assemblies. Furthermore, they elect a Grand Master and other board members of the Grand Lodge from among their ranks. In our jurisdiction, this takes place every three years.
Our Grand Lodge comprises over 80 lodges
The association of the “Grand Lodge of Austria” currently includes 83 lodges; among them are three research or special-interest lodges dedicated to specific purposes: for example, the lodge “Quatuor Coronati” is dedicated to Masonic research. In addition, a cross-lodge Masonic Academy also handles research agendas within the Grand Lodge.
The membership numbers of the lodges vary greatly: the largest count over seventy Brethren, the smallest around twenty. Taken together, more than 3,600 Brethren belong to the lodges of the Grand Lodge of Austria: an average of just under fifty per lodge.
The seat of the Grand Lodge is located in a historic building in the Rauhensteingasse in the center of Vienna. Two-thirds of the lodges also have their home here. The remaining third is distributed across the other eight federal states.
Our Grand Lodge follows the English rules
On a global scale, there are two fundamental branches of Freemasonry: the more spiritual and self-educational Freemasonry of the English tradition, and the socially and politically engaged Freemasonry of the French tradition.
The “Grand Lodge of Austria” adheres to the English tradition. As early as 1952, it was recognized as regular Freemasonry by the “United Grand Lodge of England,” which sets the international standard. “Regular” means: in accordance with the English rules.
Consequently, our Grand Lodge belongs to the vast international majority. Among other things, this means: it does not issue statements on public controversies and does not interfere in political affairs. It maintains the position that the humanitarian concerns of Freemasonry should influence the world through individual Freemasons rather than through the organization itself.
