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UVOD

Brother George Weifert (1850-1937) is arguably the most distinguished promoter of Serbian Freemasonry. His Masonic career, spanning forty seven years (1890-1937), is the story of the beginnings of Serbian and Yugoslavian Freemasonry, of its growth and of the turbulent times in which it existed.

He was the first Master of one of the original Lodges in Serbia [1], Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Serbia [2], Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Serbs , Croats and Slovenians - Yugoslavia (Velika Loža Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca - Jugoslavija) [3] , from its founding in 1919 till 1933, and a Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Yugoslavia AASR from 1919 till 1937 [4].

At the time of Brother Weifert, the Balkan Peninsula was a hotbed of religious, ethnic, and political conflicts, as it still is today, and everybody seemed to be involved. Many members of the Craft held eminent positions in the political, economical and cultural life. Some of them often failed to distinguish between their professional obligations, patriotic duty and masonic activity. This made Freemasonry in Serbia an easy target for antimasonic propaganda. George Weifert recognized this problem early on. As a leader of Serbian Freemasons, he always insisted on keeping religion and politics away from the Craft and out of the lodge rooms. This proved to be an almost impossible task.

We will examine the history of this brother and see that George Weifert was a true builder, a man with a vision, an example of a Freemason ‘living what he taught’, and a real pillar of Freemasonry.

[1] George Weifert was the First Worshipful Master of the Lodge ‘Pobratim’ in Belgrade from 1891 till 1899.
[2] George Weifert was the Sovereign Commander of the Supreme Council of Serbia from 1912 to 1919.
[3] The Grand Lodge of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians - Yugoslavia, changed its name into the Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia in 1929.
[4] The Supreme Council of Serbia changed its name into the Supreme Council of Yugoslavia in 1919. At the same time Valleys were formed in many cities throughout Yugoslavia.

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DETINJSTVO I MLADOST

George was born in Pančevo on 15 June 1850. His father was Ignjat Weifert and his mother Ana. Both were Roman Catholic Germans and citizens of Hungary, which was at that time a part of Austro-Hungarian Empire[5]. Pančevo was a small Hungarian border town on the banks of the river Danube, populated with a mix of German, Hungarian and Serbian merchants and artisans. On the opposite bank of Danube was Belgrade, the commercial center and capital of the newly emerging kingdom of Serbia, that was at the time still formally a part of a dying Ottoman Empire[6].

Weifert’s grandfather moved to Pancevo in the beginning of the 19th century , trying his luck first as a wheat merchant and then as a beer brewer. In order to improve his business he sent his son Ignjat to Munich, where he spent some time working and studying beer production in the famous Spatenbrau Brewery. Upon his return home, Ignjat Weifert and his father built the largest brewery in Pancevo, which still exists today[7]. In 1865 they rented an existing brewery[8] in Belgrade, and started production there, in order to avoid the cost of transporting the beer from Pancevo to Belgrade.

Young George Weifert attended the German Elementary School and the Hungarian High School in Pancevo, after which his father sent him to Budapest, where in 1869 he graduated from Merchants Academy. In accordance with the family business needs, he then attended the Agricultural School in Weihenstofen, near Munich, where he particularly studied beer production technology. After graduation in 1872, he returned to Belgrade, in order to help with his father’s rapidly growing business. Together they built a new brewery in the Topcidersko Brdo district of Belgrade. In 1873 he married Maria Gisner. He was a bright young man on the threshold of an unusual and colorful career [9].

[5] The town of Pancevo is located on the River Danube , in Vojvodina , which is a southern part of the Pannonian Valley . Till 1919 , the province of Vojvodina was part of Hungary. After the First World War , it became part of Kingdom of Serbs , Croats and Slovenians- Yugoslavia
[6] The Kingdom of Serbia lost its independence after the battle of Kosovo in 1389 , and became part of Ottoman Empire . After rebellions against Turks in 1804 and 1813 , they gained partial autonomy. They finally achieved independence in 1867 , under King Michael Obrenovich .
[7] After The Second World War , the brewery ‘Pancevo’ was nationalized by the communist government. In spite of their mismanagement , ‘Pancevo ‘beer , as it is called today , is one of the most popular beers in Serbia.
[8] The German entrepreneur Wainhapel operated the brewery in Belgrade till 1865 , but then went out of business.
[9] This brewery was destroyed during the German bombing of Belgrade on 6 April 1941 .

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PREDUZETNIK I BANKAR


On his return to Belgrade, he noticed that one of the biggest problems for his father’s brewery was a dependence on expensive coal which the brewery used in large quantities. He started to search around Serbia, which is rich in coal sediments, for a place profitable for exploitation. After just one year, in 1873, he was given a concession to a coal mine in Kostolac, in Eastern Serbia on the river Danube. This was a great success : the mine was rich and he was able to transport the coal in barges up the Danube. This 'beginner's luck’ stirred in him a passion for mining , that remained with him throughout his life, and mining became his main occupation.

In the following years he opened up numerous mines[10] in Serbia, but they largely proved to be financial disasters. By 1895, most of his business partners and investors had left him, and he had accumulated debts that neither his mine in Kostolac nor his father’s brewery could cover.
In 1895, he started to dig around Bor[11], and after initial disappointments his mining engineers struck lucky. This location proved to have the richest sediment of copper in Europe. In just a couple of years the small village of Bor became a large mining town and George Weifert, now the richest man in Serbia, was called ‘the father of the mining industry’.
The financial success enabled him to enlarge his beer brewing company. He opened up breweries in Sremska Mitrovica and Nis, and ‘Weifert’s beer’ became the most popular in Serbia.
In 1867, Serbia gained independence from Turkey. The new state was in need of commercial and financial institutions to support the industrialization of this impoverished country. George Weifert, who became a Serbian citizen in 1873, played a part in this endeavor. In 1880, he was one of the founders of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and its first president. In 1884, against the wishes of King Milan Obrenovich’s government, which favored foreign capital, George Weifert and a group of Serbian investors met the requirements for establishing the National Bank of Serbia , and was elected its first Governor. He was to hold this position till 1926. His efforts were instrumental in transforming the National Bank of Serbia into a National Bank of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians after unification in 1919, and in stabilizing the dinar as a currency in Europe. As an entrepreneur he was in many ways ahead of his time. Around his mines he would build worker’s housing, schools, hospitals, churches and mills. He was the first proprietor in Serbia to pay ‘sick days’ to workers and to financially support the families of disabled workers. He significantly improved the infrastructure in Serbia, by building roads and railroads connecting his mines to the major ports and commercial centers. In his own words, he was always :
‘ ... trying to establish a relationship between the employer and the employee as that of an extended family. [12]’

[10] Weifert opened up 11 mines in total. Among them were a mercury mine on Avala (mountain near Belgrade) in 1882, a lead mine in Ruplje, and a gold mine in Rucmalne.
[11] Bor is a town in the South-East of Serbia, close to the border with Bulgaria.
[12] Magazine ‘Shestar’ No.4 -6 , year 1937, page 93, article by Z. Nesic .
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PATRIOTA I FILANTROP

Arriving in Belgrade in 1872, young George Weifert took an active part in the public life of the newly established Kingdom of Serbia. In the year before the Serbian - Turkish war of 1876-78 broke out, he donated funds to purchase the first canons for the artillery battery of the Serbian army. During that war he volunteered and was enlisted into the cavalry. He distinguished himself by carrying messages between units on the front lines , under enemy fire. For his courage, he was awarded a ‘medal for bravery’. Upon his death in 193, in accordance with his will, of all the awards and jewels that this great man received in his lifetime, this medal was the only jewel placed in the coffin.

Not being a member of any political party in Serbia, he always served as a person of compromise and balance in the turbulent political life of the new state. Following the armed revolt against the King Milan Obrenovic in 1883, in The Timok region of Serbia, called ‘The Timok Rebellion' (or Timocka buna), a number of politicians were arrested for treason, and faced the death penalty. George Weifert, in a potentially dangerous audience with the King, pleaded for their lives, and convinced the temperamental king to commute their death penalty to a prison sentence, thus preventing further bloodshed in the 'flammable' region of Timok.

In 1893, he was one of the founders of ‘The King Stephan Dechanski’ (or Kralj Stevan Decanski ) Society for the education of deaf children, whose purpose was to provide home and schooling. Throughout his life he was one the major benefactors of this society and also its honorary president.

In 1903, when in the military coup against the Obrenovich Dynasty, King Aleksandar Obrenovich and his wife Draga Masin were brutally murdered, and a new Karageorgevich Dynasty (Karadjordjevic) came to power, George Weifert gave financial support to the families of the army officers killed during the coup. Years later, this action of his, caused some historians to classify him as a civilian supporter of the coup itself. Brother Weifert’s answer to those accusations was:

‘No, I just helped those poor families of soldiers who died for what they believed in’[13] .

During the First Balkan War of 1912, he paid for 60.000 loaves of bread, which were distributed from the Masonic Temple to the poor families in Belgrade during this time of privation. In this war Serbian army captured a big number of Turkish officers and soldiers. Some of war prisoners were Freemasons. George Weifert pleaded with Serbian authorities on their behalf, and as a result, Turkish Freemasons were released and sent home. Immediately after the war he established the’ St. George Fund’ to provide financial assistance to war veterans.

At the beginning of the First World War in 1915, Serbia was occupied by Germans. During the years of war George Weifert lived in the South of France, where he organized humanitarian help for the people of occupied Serbia. After the war he returned to Belgrade to help in rebuilding the country that had been destroyed by the fleeing German forces.

In 1929, George Weifert, together with the ‘Edinburgh Council of Scottish Women’, and ‘The London Council of Scottish Women’, funded the building of the ‘Hospital for Women and Children’ in Belgrade[14]. He also donated a piece of land for the construction of the headquarters of the ‘Belgrade Women’s Society’[15] (Beogradsko Žensko Drustvo). Among many other philanthropic endeavors, one might mention large financial donations towards the construction of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts.

Weifert was also a passionate antique and coin collector. In 1931, he donated his collection of antiques to the Museum of the City of Belgrade, and his valuable coin collection, consisting of 14,000 ancient Greek and Roman coins, to the Belgrade University. But the most impressive of his legacies was the building of two churches: 'St. Anna', a Roman Catholic church in his birth place of Pancevo, and ‘St. George’, an Orthodox Christian church in Bor. On his death in 1937, the Catholic Bishop of Pancevo denied him the right to be buried in the churchyard of the church he has built , because he was known to be a Freemason.

In 1923, on the occasion of celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of his marriage , professional , and public work, he announced his retirement from all duties, with the exception of that as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge ‘Jugoslavia’. In 1933, under pressure from his brethren he relinquished this role. His will was executed while he was still alive in accordance with his wishes. His enormous wealth was left to his wife Maria, and to his oldest nephew Dr. Ferdinand Gramberg, who was the Chief Executive Officer of all Weifert’s business enterprises. When George Weifert died on the 12 January 1937, he owned nothing but a pocket watch on golden chain, decorated with Masonic symbols, and a diamond tie pin[16].

[13] Nenezic D. Zoran ‘Masoni u Jugoslaviji 1764-1999‘, Beograd 1999 , vol. 1, page 282.
[14] Lazarevich Jelena ‘British Women in Serbia’, Belgrade 1929, page 231-232. The Edinburgh Council of Scottish Women initiated work on construction of the hospital for women and children on the lot that belonged to the ‘Women Medical Association of Belgrade’, as a ‘monument to the friendship and love of British people for Serbian Nation‘. Because of the lack of funds they were joined in this project by ‘London Council of Scottish Women’, and George Weifert.
[15] Archives of the city of Belgrade, TD, Building dept. F-H-9-1930, file I -165-1942.
[16] Archives of the City of Belgrade, Credit information file, No. 16015; 1937.
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ĐORĐE VAJFERT SLOBODNI ZIDAR

Freemasonry in Serbia is believed to be very old . There is proof of Masonic activity in Belgrade in the late 18th century. In his book ‘Freemasonry-letters to the brother’, published in 1883 in Belgrade, Brother Sreta Stojkovic told us that a lodge was founded in Belgrade in the late 18th century by Vizier Mustapha Pasha , Representative of the Turkish Government in Serbia in that time , and a relative of the Turkish Sultan . Among the members of the Lodge were prominent Serbs , Petar Ichko , Janko Katich , and Pavle Popovich . In 1804 the members of this lodge took part in the First Serbian uprising against Turkish rule . For his liberal views and friendship with the Serbian people , Vizier Mustapha Pasha was assassinated by Janichari - conservative members of the elite unit of the Turkish army . Masonic scholars also mention a Lodge ‘ Ali Koch’[17], that was active in Belgrade around 1852, but the only record of that lodge’s existence is a report by an Austrian spy from Belgrade to his superiors in Vienna[18].The first recorded lodge in Serbia was founded in Belgrade in 1876, under the name ‘Light of Balkan’ (or Svetlost Balkana)[19], and was active till 1882. In 1881 another lodge was formed , named ‘Serbian Commune' (or Srpska Zadruga)[20], and it was very short-lived , surviving only a year. In 1883, the Lodge ‘Harmony, Work and Fortitude’ (or Sloga, Rad I Postojanstvo)[21] was founded mainly by the members of the first two lodges. All three Lodges were chartered and worked under the protection of the Grand Orient of Italy. In 1890 , two members of the Lodge ‘Harmony , Work and Fortitude’, Bro.Svetomir Nikolajevich and Bro.George Milovanovich , decided to demit from this Lodge and form a new one under the protection of Grand Lodge of Hungary, since they had been raised years earlier in the Lodge ‘Demokratia’ in Budapest , which was their mother lodge. In the summer of 1890 these two brothers interviewed a few candidates for possible membership. Among them was George Weifert.

On the morning of 4 October 1890 candidates Andra Georgevich (A University Professor), Tihomir Markovich ( An Attorney at law),Stevan Mokranjac (A Composer) and George Weifert were initiated Entered Apprentices into the Lodge ‘Demokratia’ in Budapest, in the presence of a number of Grand Line Officers and dignitaries of the Grand Lodge of Hungary. The same afternoon they were passed to the Degree of Fellowcraft , and raised to the Degree of Master Mason that evening. After the ceremonies , they all retired to the ‘Hercog-Stefan’ Hotel for dinner , where speeches were given in celebration of friendship and brotherhood between Serbian and Hungarian Freemasons.

On the 14 February 1891 in Belgrade , Light was brought into the new Lodge ‘Pobratim’, working with a Charter from and under protection of the Grand Lodge of Hungary. Meetings were held in the house of Dr.Vojislav Georgevich, in Gracanicka street , where space was rented and decorated for their purpose. On their first meeting , together with eleven founding members[22] , there were present guests from Hungarian Lodge ‘Demokratia’ , and a few members from the Lodge ‘Harmony, Work and Fortitude’ , together with representatives from the Grand Lodge of Hungary. During that first meeting , the Officers of the Lodge were installed. George Weifert was installed as Worshipful Master , which Office he held until 1899.

During his Mastership the Lodge flourished , and a significant number of new Master Masons were raised. By 1899 the Lodge had almost 90 members. A close relationship was established with Freemasons from Croatia which was at that time, part of Austro- Hungarian Monarchy. On 14 September 1892 , with a Charter from the Grand Lodge of Hungary , the Lodge ‘Croatian Fairy’ (or Hrvatska Vila[23]), was founded in Zagreb, Croatia. The members of the Lodge ‘Pobratim’ were present at the ceremony of Consecration. Visitations , and mutual help in ritual work would continue for many years. A particularly strong bond was formed between George Weifert and Adolf Mihalich , who was a Secretary of the Lodge ‘Croatian Fairy’, and one of the leaders of Croatian Freemasonry.

In 1892 , the second year of Bro.Weifert’s Mastership , a few brothers from Nish ( a town in Southern Serbia), were raised Master Masons. With the help of the Master and Brethren of their Mother Lodge, and with the Charter from the Grand Lodge of Hungary, they formed the Lodge ‘Nemanja’[24] in Nish, that same year.

The turn of the century was marked by fierce political fighting between the different political parties in Serbia. Brothers from the Lodge ‘Pobratim’, themselves members of opposing political parties, were bringing their frustrations into the Lodge , which in 1903 resulted in the suspension of regular work of the Lodge , which lasted until 1905 when with the permission of the Grand Lodge of Hungary, the work of the Lodge was resumed . During these turbulent years (1900-1903), George Weifert , who was not a member of any political party , distanced himself from Lodge meetings as they have come to resemble a political debate society rather than a Masonic meeting . This was the time of the first attacks on Freemasonry in Serbia. The Lodge ‘Pobratim’ and its connection with the Grand Lodge of Hungary provoked some newspapers to attack Freemasons as ‘advocates of Austrian , pro-Catholic incursion into Serbia’. Membership in the Fraternity consisted of many eminent representatives of public life in Serbia , like Bro.George Weifert whose impeccable character and patriotism were beyond any doubt . This prevented stronger and more persistent anti-Masonic charges.

In 1908, the political relationship between Austro-Hungarian empire and the Kingdom of Serbia worsened as a result of the Austrian annexing of Bosnia-Herzegovina[25]. At this time , nationalistic sentiments in Serbia were running high . Serbian Freemasons , disappointed with their Hungarian Brethren who refused to condemn the actions of their government, cut all ties with the Grand Lodge of Hungary. In the following years , Serbian Freemasons explored different means to legalize their status , and Brother George Weifert had an active role in that work. Contact was made with the Grand Lodge of Hamburg , the Grand Orient of France , the Grand Lodge of Romania , the Supreme Council of Turkey, the Supreme Council of Greece and a number of other jurisdictions . Some Serbian Masons even proposed the establishment of a ‘ Grand Lodge of Serbia ‘, with King Peter Karageorgevich or his son Prince Aleksandar as the Grand Master. It is believed that King Peter and his son were both Freemasons[26].

In 1909, the Lodge ‘Unity’ (or Ujedinjenje) started its work in Belgrade , under the protection of the Grand Orient of France. The following year, the Lodge ‘Shumadia’ (or Sumadija) was established in Belgrade , with a Charter from the Grand Lodge of Hamburg. But the opinion of George Weifert and the majority of brethren from the Lodge ‘Pobratim’ was that they should no longer seek protection of foreign jurisdictions .

On 11 May 1911 , the members of the Lodge ‘Pobratim’ , under the Worshipful Master Jovan Aleksijevich , laid the foundation stone of the first Masonic Hall in Serbia , and in April 1912 , Light was brought into the new Masonic Temple , built on the historic site of the old ‘Vrachar’[27] in Belgrade. Most of the money to purchase the lot and for the construction came from Bro.George Weifert. The architect was Bro. Pavle Horstig, who did the work without charge. Interior decorations were done and furniture and windows donated by Bro.Benjamin Fleisher.

On 22 April 1909 a Chapter of Rose-Croix AASR, was established in Belgrade , under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council of Romania, for the work of Scottish Rite degrees (up to the 18th degree). Representatives of other Supreme Councils frequently visited Belgrade Lodges, offering help to form the Supreme Council of Serbia.

Finally, under the sponsorship of the Supreme Council of Greece, on 9 May 1912 the Supreme Council of Serbia AASR was founded. Brother J.S.E.Cefalas, a special representative of the Sovereign Commander of the Supreme Council of Greece, conferred the honorary 33rd degree on Brothers: Svetomir Nikolajevich , Milutin Perishich, Manojlo Klidis , Petar Pashic h, Dimitrije Mijalkovich , Jovan Aleksijevich, Dimitrije Jankovich , Petar Sreplovich, Pavle Horstig and George Weifert . The next day, at their second session, a patent from the Grand Council AASR of Greece was read , and George Weifert was elected and installed as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council AASR of Serbia. In the same year, at the International Conference of the Supreme Councils, held in Washington DC from 7 to 12 October , the Supreme Council of Serbia was admitted and recognized as a regular , active body . Later, after the unification of Serbs , Croats, and Slovenians into one state in December 1918 , the Supreme Council changed its name to the ‘ Supreme Council of Yugoslavia’. George Weifert held the office of Sovereign Grand Commander until his death in 1937.

On 10 May 1912 , at a joint meeting of Lodges ‘Pobratim’ and ‘Sumadija’ , it was decided that the Lodge ‘Sumadija’ would return its Charter to the Grand Lodge of Hamburg , and that these two Lodges would come under the protection of the Supreme Council AASR of Serbia . It was also decided that the first three Degrees , from that time on , would be done according to the Scottish Rite ritual . In the year before the First World War , the Lodge ‘Harmony, Work and Fortitude’ (or ‘Sloga Rad I Postojanstvo’) , came under the protection of the Supreme Council of Serbia .

In June 1914 Serbian nationalists murdered Archduke Francis Ferdinand , the heir of the Austrian throne . At this , Europe exploded into a great war. At the end of 1915 , George Weifert, together with King Petar and the whole Serbian government, had to leave Serbia in the face of advancing German forces. That didn’t prevent him from organizing and financing a soup kitchen in the Masonic Hall in Belgrade, to provide food for poor citizens under German occupation.

On leaving the country, he went to Marseilles, where he organized the work of the Supreme Council AASR of Serbia in exile. The major focus of their activities was organizing humanitarian help to the Serbian people , and material support to Serbian Freemasons who remained in the occupied homeland. A number of members of the Supreme Council were very active in promoting the idea of a unified country of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians. This provoked the comments, particularly among the enemies of Freemasonry , that Freemasons were responsible for the establishment of the state of Yugoslavia . George Weifert, who was German, Roman Catholic, and a citizen of Serbia , carried the idea of a unified country deep in his heart. He cherished that idea and as a Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council AASR approved the actions of his Brethren , but was watchful never to cross the line of appropriate Masonic conduct , and never personally took part in any action that could be viewed as clandenstine Freemasonic diplomacy on behalf of the Serbian Government to the Allies.

The fact is that many Freemasons in Serbia and Croatia supported the idea of the unification of the South Slavic tribes into one state. Many of them perceived Serbs , Croats and Slovenians , as one nation with three names. However , this idealistic approach was to be shattered , particularly among Croatian Freemasons , in the complex political reality of the new Kingdom of Yugoslavia after the end of the First World War.

At the start of February 1919, the members of the Supreme Council , at their first meeting in liberated Serbia held in the ‘Grand Hotel’ in Belgrade , decided to contact brothers from Croatia , regarding the formation of a Grand Lodge for the newly united state of Yugoslavia[29]. On 9 June 1919, in Zagreb, after the consultation with Croatian Freemasons, a founding conference of the Grand Lodge was held, under the name ‘Grand Lodge of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians - Yugoslavia’ . (In 1929, the name was changed into the ‘Grand Lodge Yugoslavia’).

The Grand Lodge consisted of 3 lodges from Serbia (Lodges: ‘Sloga, Rad I Postojanstvo’, ‘Pobratim’, ‘Sumadija’), and 3 lodges from the Croatian Grand Lodge ‘Ljubav Bliznjega’ (Lodges: ‘Maksimilian Vrhovec’, ‘Ivan grof Drashkovich’ , ‘Budnost’) .The first Grand Master elected was Bro.George Weifert , and the Deputy Grand Master was Dr.Adolf Mihalich , from Zagreb. After the First World War , during which most of the Masonic Temples had been looted and destroyed , the Freemasons of Yugoslavia started to rebuild the existing Temples , and open new ones, forming more Lodges. George Weifert financed the renovation of the Temple in Belgrade and also funded the purchase of furniture for new lodges throughout the jurisdiction of the new Grand Lodge of Serbs , Croats and Slovenians ‘Yugoslavia’ . There is an anecdote regarding the large financial support which Bro. Weifert gave to Serbian Masons:

‘At the first Annual Session of the Grand Lodge Yugoslavia in 1919 , the Grand Secretary Jovan Aleksich was asked to write a proposal for the annual budget .Surprised Bro. Aleksich said:’Budget , what budget? We don’t need one .We have money , and when we spend it I will go to Weifert .He will give us whatever we need ’[29]

In the years between the two World Wars , the number of Lodges in Yugoslavia grew to 30 , with a total of over 2,000 members. Between the two wars The Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia was recognized by most of the jurisdictions throughout the world , and was a member of the International Masonic Association . In June 1940 , by order of the Yugoslavian Government who wanted to please the German and Italian dictators, all Masonic activity on the territory of Yugoslavia was forbidden , and the Lodges closed. After the Second World War , in communist Yugoslavia , Masonic activities were outlawed . It was to remain thus until 1991.

At the time of his election to the office of Grand Master of the Grand Lodge 'Yugoslavia', Bro.George Weifert was sixty nine years old. In spite of his age, he worked diligently on promoting Freemasonry in Yugoslavia . He knew that men of good character and high moral standards would be a key to the survival of the new state , which did not have a long tradition of parliamentary democracy to learn from . He asked Lodges to focus on the education of members in accordance with the principles of Freemasonry , to perfect the ritual work , and to practice brotherly love among Masons regardless of their ethnic , religious or political creed . He insisted on the importance of keeping politics and religion outside of the Lodge rooms. However , social , economic , ethnic and political problems surrounded the members of the Fraternity, and many did not have the strength to put these aside when they entered the Lodge. In May 1927 , eventually the situation resulted in the breakaway of a part of Croatian Freemasonry to form an independent Croatian Grand Lodge , under the name ‘Libertas’ . This Grand Lodge had three Lodges under its protection : ’The Neighbor’s Love’ , ’Prometheus’ and ‘Amititia’.

Such developments in Yugoslavian Freemasonry broke the heart of the old Grand Master, George Weifert . Already in poor health , he withdrew more and more into himself , appearing only at formal Masonic functions. He increasingly delegated his regular Masonic duties to the Deputy Grand Master Dushan Milichevic . This prompted many members of the Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia to push for the idea of change , and at the annual session of Grand Lodge in 1933 , Brother Dushan Milichevich was elected as the new Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia[30]. For his enormous contributions to Freemasonry, Bro.George Weifert was given the title of ‘Honorary Grand Master’.

Brother George Weifert died in the eighty seventh year of his life , on 12 January 1937, in his mansion in Belgrade at Vojvode Putnika street No.5. Witnessed by many grateful citizens , his body went in public procession through the streets of Belgrade to the banks of the River Danube , and transported to his birth place Pancevo on a river boat called ‘St. George’. A Roman Catholic memorial service was performed in the church ‘St.Anna’ in Pancevo. After that , his remains were taken to the German cemetery in Pancevo where, after a Masonic funeral service , he was laid to rest in the family crypt. Among the many speakers at the funeral ceremonies, there were an Christian Orthodox Bishop , an Evangelical German priest , a Hungarian official from Pancevo , Brother Shokorac , representing the Lodge ‘Pobratim’, and the Grand Master Dushan Milichevich , representing the Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia. On his death , the Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia received numerous letters of condolence from jurisdictions all over the world. Among them were letters from the United Grand Lodge of England and Wales and the Grand Orient of France[31].
17. The meaning of this name is not known to me , however ‘Koch’ in Turkish means ‘Ram’.
18. Newspaper ‘Times’ (or Vreme ) , year 10 , No.3196 , Thursday , 20 November 1930 . Front page. Ivic Dr. Aleksa ‘Establishment and work of the first masonic lodge in Belgrade eighty years ago’ .In this article a report was quoted from ‘Dr. Lewis’ from Belgrade to the Austrian Ministry of the Interior , stating that in Belgrade existed a Freemasonic Lodge , whose members are prominent Turks , Serbs , few French and Italian ‘ adventurers’ ; that they meet in secret at night , and that during the meetings an armed guard was posted in front of the building where they meet.

[19] The Lodge ‘Light of Balkan’ ( or Svetlost Balkana) , started its work on 20 October 1876 , with a Charter from the Grand Orient of Italy. The first Master was Dr. Marko Polak . This Lodge was founded with a help of Luiggi Joanini , an Italian Consul in Belgrade. The members of this Lodge were prominent lawyers , bankers , doctors , merchants and university professors . This Lodge stopped its work in 1883 at the time of the turbulent political situation in Serbia.
[20] The Lodge ‘Serbian Commune ‘ ( or Srpska Zadruga) was founded on 5 October 1881 , with a Charter of the Grand Orient of Italy. The first Master was Emilian Josimovic , University professor . This Lodge stopped its work in 1883 for the same reasons as the Lodge ‘Light of Balkan’.
[21] This Lodge was founded on 3 January 1883 , by 12 members of the Lodge ‘Light of Balkan’ , with a Charter from the Grand Orient of Italy. The first Master was Bro. Michael Valtrovic. This Lodge existed continuously until 1940.
[22] The founding members of the Lodge ‘Pobratim’ were : Svetomir Nikolajevic , George Milovanovic , Maks Antonijevic , Andra Georgevic , George Weifert , Tihomir Markovic , Stevan Mokranjac , Dimitrije Biba , Sreta Stojkovic , Milorad Terzibasic and Branko Boskovic .
[23] The Lodge ‘Croatian Fairy’ (or Hrvatska Vila) , was the first Masonic Lodge in Croatia to do the ritual work in the Croatian language.
[24] On 9 March 1892 , Brothers Atili Okolicani , Karl Matern , Petar Arangelovic , Stevan Sremac , Kosta Tasic and Lazar Petrovic formed the Lodge ‘Nemanja’ after demitting from the Lodge ‘Pobratim’.
[25] By the decision of the Congress in Berlin in 1878 , Bosnia and Herzegovina , which were at that time a part of Ottoman Empire, was occupied by Austria . By the decision of Austrian Government in 1908 , it became officially part of Hapsburgh monarchy. This territory was populated by Christian Orthodox Serbs , Catholic Croats and Muslims of Serbian and Croat origin.
[26] There is no firm proof that King Peter Karageorgevic or his son Aleksandar were Freemasons. However a number of Serbian Masonic writers claim that King Peter and King Aleksandar became Masons in Switzerland and were probably raised Master Masons in one of the Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge Alpina.
[27] ‘Vracar’ is a historic site in Belgrade , known as a place where the remains of the Serbian Saint Archbishop Sava Nemanjic were burned by Turks. The Masonic Temple on this site was destroyed during the German bombing of Belgrade on 6 April 1941. Today , it is the site of the biggest Christian Orthodox Cathedral in the world.
[28] The Kingdom of Serbs , Croats and Slovenians , was established in December 1918 . The name was changed into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1921.
[29] Magazine ‘Shestar’ , No.4-6 ,year 1937 ,page 66.
[30] Magazine ‘Sestar’ , No. 4-6 , year 1937 , page 67. From the speech given by Bro.Dragutin Shkorich during the memorial service held for George Weifert at the joint meeting of lodges in Zagreb on 12 February 1927 : ‘Before I end my speech , it would be dishonest not to mention that there were conflicts among brothers during last two elections regarding George Weifert’s nomination for the office of Grand Master. New generations are always in conflict with old ones . Many younger brothers were against his nomination for Grand Master’s ofiice. I am not ashamed to admit that I was one of them. We knew that Weifert did more for Yugoslavia and Yugoslavian Freemasonry than all of us together , but we believed that the change was needed and that we need a new dynamic leader.’
[31] Magazine ‘Shestar’ , No.4-6 , year 1937 , page 71-72.

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ZAKLJUČAK
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‘NON OMNIS MORIAR’[32] - the words of a Roman poet are maybe the best epitaph to George Weifert ‘s life and works . He performed his various duties with modesty , humility and temperance , and he worked persistently to educate Serbian and Yugoslavian Freemasons to live and act in accordance with the tenets and principles of our gentle Craft . The legacy of his love and kindness toward his Brothers , his neighbors, his Nation and the whole human race reach far beyond the material sphere . Bro .George Weifert lives on in the hearts of all good Yugoslavian men and Masons who are like him , trying to learn what it means to live life as a Freemason.
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Sadly , posterity has not done justice to his legacy. In today’s Serbia , many of the roads , hospitals , buildings , mines and breweries created by him still exist; but very few people know the name of George Weifert and the role he played in those endeavors .The Yugoslavia that he believed in , and the united Yugoslavian Masonry of his vision are now just memories . But Freemasonry in that part of the Balkan peninsula is not dead . With the break up of Communist Yugoslavia in 1991 , a number of new Lodges were established . Today , there is a Regular Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) with seven active Lodges , a Grand Lodge of Croatia with five Lodges , and for the first time ever , a Grand Lodge of Slovenia with three Lodges. The first Lodge on the register of Regular Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia is named ‘Pobratim No.1’
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Brother George Weifert’s life was not in vain . His life gives a lesson to all Freemasons, wherever dispersed throughout the valleys and mountains of the Balkans : the lesson of brotherly love , relief and truth ; and an example of how to practice those great Masonic virtues of justice ,tolerance , charity , integrity and fidelity. He was neither a Masonic scholar , nor did he venture into esoteric masonic traditions. He lived the life of a simple Godfearing man to the best of his abilities and agreeably to his understanding of moral principles. By his simple life and conduct he rose to the heights of Masonic enlightenment where ‘that which is lost’ is no longer a secret to true Freemasons. Let us end with the words of Brother George Weifert , given in a speech when Grand Master:
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‘ I deeply believe that all my Brothers strive to work on their personal improvement , and by doing that , improve our society. That effort , that God- given capacity to build our own character is a force that I believe in... I hope you will accept these my words with the same warmth and Brotherly love with which I have spoken them... I have asked myself many times: what are the reasons that I was blessed with so many good things throughout my life? I am certain now that a prime reason for all these blessings is that I always lived and worked in accordance with the principles of Freemasonry ’[33] .
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[32] In English : ‘All of me will not die ‘.
[33] Magazine ‘Shestar’ ,No. 4-6 , year 1937 , page 81 .

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UVOD


Brother George Weifert (1850-1937) is arguably the most distinguished promoter of Serbian Freemasonry. His Masonic career, spanning forty seven years (1890-1937), is the story of the beginnings of Serbian and Yugoslavian Freemasonry, of its growth and of the turbulent times in which it existed.


He was the first Master of one of the original Lodges in Serbia [1], Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Serbia [2], Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Serbs , Croats and Slovenians - Yugoslavia (Velika Loža Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca - Jugoslavija) [3] , from its founding in 1919 till 1933, and a Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Yugoslavia AASR from 1919 till 1937 [4].


At the time of Brother Weifert, the Balkan Peninsula was a hotbed of religious, ethnic, and political conflicts, as it still is today, and everybody seemed to be involved. Many members of the Craft held eminent positions in the political, economical and cultural life. Some of them often failed to distinguish between their professional obligations, patriotic duty and masonic activity. This made Freemasonry in Serbia an easy target for antimasonic propaganda. George Weifert recognized this problem early on. As a leader of Serbian Freemasons, he always insisted on keeping religion and politics away from the Craft and out of the lodge rooms. This proved to be an almost impossible task.


We will examine the history of this brother and see that George Weifert was a true builder, a man with a vision, an example of a Freemason ‘living what he taught’, and a real pillar of Freemasonry.


[1] George Weifert was the First Worshipful Master of the Lodge ‘Pobratim’ in Belgrade from 1891 till 1899.
[2] George Weifert was the Sovereign Commander of the Supreme Council of Serbia from 1912 to 1919.
[3] The Grand Lodge of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians - Yugoslavia, changed its name into the Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia in 1929.
[4] The Supreme Council of Serbia changed its name into the Supreme Council of Yugoslavia in 1919. At the same time Valleys were formed in many cities throughout Yugoslavia.

Povratak na web site: Đorđe Vajfert Regularna Velika Loža Srbije Hramovi Jerusalima


Tuesday, August 14, 2007

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PATRIOTA I FILANTROP

Arriving in Belgrade in 1872, young George Weifert took an active part in the public life of the newly established Kingdom of Serbia. In the year before the Serbian - Turkish war of 1876-78 broke out, he donated funds to purchase the first canons for the artillery battery of the Serbian army. During that war he volunteered and was enlisted into the cavalry. He distinguished himself by carrying messages between units on the front lines , under enemy fire. For his courage, he was awarded a ‘medal for bravery’. Upon his death in 193, in accordance with his will, of all the awards and jewels that this great man received in his lifetime, this medal was the only jewel placed in the coffin.

Not being a member of any political party in Serbia, he always served as a person of compromise and balance in the turbulent political life of the new state. Following the armed revolt against the King Milan Obrenovic in 1883, in The Timok region of Serbia, called ‘The Timok Rebellion' (or Timocka buna), a number of politicians were arrested for treason, and faced the death penalty. George Weifert, in a potentially dangerous audience with the King, pleaded for their lives, and convinced the temperamental king to commute their death penalty to a prison sentence, thus preventing further bloodshed in the 'flammable' region of Timok.

In 1893, he was one of the founders of ‘The King Stephan Dechanski’ (or Kralj Stevan Decanski ) Society for the education of deaf children, whose purpose was to provide home and schooling. Throughout his life he was one the major benefactors of this society and also its honorary president.

In 1903, when in the military coup against the Obrenovich Dynasty, King Aleksandar Obrenovich and his wife Draga Masin were brutally murdered, and a new Karageorgevich Dynasty (Karadjordjevic) came to power, George Weifert gave financial support to the families of the army officers killed during the coup. Years later, this action of his, caused some historians to classify him as a civilian supporter of the coup itself. Brother Weifert’s answer to those accusations was:

‘No, I just helped those poor families of soldiers who died for what they believed in’[13] .

During the First Balkan War of 1912, he paid for 60.000 loaves of bread, which were distributed from the Masonic Temple to the poor families in Belgrade during this time of privation. In this war Serbian army captured a big number of Turkish officers and soldiers. Some of war prisoners were Freemasons. George Weifert pleaded with Serbian authorities on their behalf, and as a result, Turkish Freemasons were released and sent home. Immediately after the war he established the’ St. George Fund’ to provide financial assistance to war veterans.

At the beginning of the First World War in 1915, Serbia was occupied by Germans. During the years of war George Weifert lived in the South of France, where he organized humanitarian help for the people of occupied Serbia. After the war he returned to Belgrade to help in rebuilding the country that had been destroyed by the fleeing German forces.

In 1929, George Weifert, together with the ‘Edinburgh Council of Scottish Women’, and ‘The London Council of Scottish Women’, funded the building of the ‘Hospital for Women and Children’ in Belgrade[14]. He also donated a piece of land for the construction of the headquarters of the ‘Belgrade Women’s Society’[15] (Beogradsko Žensko Drustvo). Among many other philanthropic endeavors, one might mention large financial donations towards the construction of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts.

Weifert was also a passionate antique and coin collector. In 1931, he donated his collection of antiques to the Museum of the City of Belgrade, and his valuable coin collection, consisting of 14,000 ancient Greek and Roman coins, to the Belgrade University. But the most impressive of his legacies was the building of two churches: 'St. Anna', a Roman Catholic church in his birth place of Pancevo, and ‘St. George’, an Orthodox Christian church in Bor. On his death in 1937, the Catholic Bishop of Pancevo denied him the right to be buried in the churchyard of the church he has built , because he was known to be a Freemason.

In 1923, on the occasion of celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of his marriage , professional , and public work, he announced his retirement from all duties, with the exception of that as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge ‘Jugoslavia’. In 1933, under pressure from his brethren he relinquished this role. His will was executed while he was still alive in accordance with his wishes. His enormous wealth was left to his wife Maria, and to his oldest nephew Dr. Ferdinand Gramberg, who was the Chief Executive Officer of all Weifert’s business enterprises. When George Weifert died on the 12 January 1937, he owned nothing but a pocket watch on golden chain, decorated with Masonic symbols, and a diamond tie pin[16].

[13] Nenezic D. Zoran ‘Masoni u Jugoslaviji 1764-1999‘, Beograd 1999 , vol. 1, page 282.
[14] Lazarevich Jelena ‘British Women in Serbia’, Belgrade 1929, page 231-232. The Edinburgh Council of Scottish Women initiated work on construction of the hospital for women and children on the lot that belonged to the ‘Women Medical Association of Belgrade’, as a ‘monument to the friendship and love of British people for Serbian Nation‘. Because of the lack of funds they were joined in this project by ‘London Council of Scottish Women’, and George Weifert.
[15] Archives of the city of Belgrade, TD, Building dept. F-H-9-1930, file I -165-1942.
[16] Archives of the City of Belgrade, Credit information file, No. 16015; 1937.
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