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On June 24, 1717, the first official Masonic lodge began its work in England - a mysterious society of freemasons who have their own secret rites and symbols.
A few decades later, Freemasonry came to Russia. Freemasons included such famous Russian historical figures as Pushkin, Kutuzov, Suvorov, Chaadaev and others.
The BBC Russian Service spoke with contemporary Russian Freemasons and researchers of these societies to find out what modern Freemasonry is like in Russia.
Russian Freemasonry - what is it?
According to legend, Freemasonry was brought to Russia by Peter I, who became a Freemason during his foreign trips. The first Russian emperor, according to legend, became the first Grand Master of the first Russian lodge. However, there is no documentary evidence for this.
The first official Grand Master in Russia - the head of the Supreme Masonic Lodge - was in 1731 the English General John Philips. At that time, most Freemasons in Russia were foreigners who worked or did business in the Russian Empire.
The first Russian Grand Master was Ivan Elagin, who organized cultural evenings at the court of Catherine II. In 1770, he created the first Grand Lodge of Russia, which then included 17 other Masonic lodges.
The current Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Russia, Andrey Bogdanov, calls Freemasonry "one of the oldest public organizations in the world."
Modern Freemasonry in Russia arose in 1995, when the Grand Lodge of France created four Masonic lodges in Russia, and on their basis the Grand Lodge arose.
"Someone calls Freemasonry a men's club, someone calls it an educational club or an interest club. For me, it's all taken together," says Bogdanov.
Three themes
Bogdanov himself is a well-known Russian political strategist, one of the founders of the "Democratic Party of Russia" and a candidate for the Russian presidency in the 2008 elections. However, as he says, Masons are forbidden to discuss politics - for this they can even be expelled from the lodge.
"Freemasonry never aspired to political influence and did not have it. Individual members of society had political influence, but they were engaged in politics as individuals," Bogdanov told the BBC Russian Service. According to him, taboo in Freemasonry are "three topics that quarrel men" - politics, religion and women.
Like many rules of the work of Masonic lodges, the prohibition for women to join the Masonic society is determined by the order of life in medieval England, where the first lodge of freemasons began its work in 1717.
"Masons accept men of free and good morals who believe in the one God," the charter of the organization says.
"Free" in 18th-century England were people who had no debts and could provide for themselves financially. Women at that time practically did not have their own income, therefore they could not be considered "free", and, therefore, could not join Masonic lodges. Until now, "traditional Freemasonry" does not accept women.
But there is also "non-traditional" - women can come there and discuss politics, but "classical" Masons do not recognize such societies.
"Just, let's say, 10 people gathered and decided that they would be Freemasons, they would accept women and discuss politics. They took zapons (special Masonic aprons). Masonic lodges are considered Masons," explains Bogdanov.
Image copyright ERIC FEFERBERG / Getty Image caption The secret symbols of Freemasonry are the tools of medieval builders and architects, who created the first lodges of freemasonsNavalny will notfreemason
The modern rite of initiation into Masons differs little from what it was 300 years ago. A layman (not a Mason) knocks (asks) to the box. Further, the masters of this lodge conduct conversations with him. The layman must receive two letters of recommendation from active Freemasons in order to be considered for consideration.
After the layman has collected recommendations, he will have to undergo an "interrogation under a bandage." A person is brought into the box blindfolded and asked questions about his life: "What is freedom?", "What is brotherhood?", "What have you done wrong in life, what are you ashamed of? What is good?" “They usually ask questions that a person does not ask himself and which he does not answer in front of himself,” says Bogdanov.
After that, the members of the lodge vote to accept the new "brother". The minimum number of lodges is seven people. If three Masonic brothers spoke out against it, then the profane is denied admission. If three Freemasons are against, then the person will no longer become a Freemason, regardless of whether there are seven members in the lodge or a thousand.
At the same time, a person who wants to become a Freemason should not have problems with the law and he should not be judged. "We will not accept Alexei Navalny, he has been convicted," Bogdanov notes.
Having passed the rite of initiation, the layman becomes a student - this is the first degree (level) of Freemasonry. Next, he needs to become an apprentice, and then a master. Having reached the third degree, a person becomes a Mason.
According to Bogdanov, in order to get a degree, you need to write some kind of architectural work, the theme of which is chosen by the lodge. The works are written on the topics of Masonic ritualism, perception and understanding of secret esoteric signs.
A Mason must attend the work of his lodge once a month and once a year attend the assembly (congress) of the Grand Lodge of his country. Also, a Mason can optionally receive additional degrees by choosing for himself the so-called charter: Scottish, York, French, or many others.
Now in Russia and the CIS countries there are 38 so-called venerable lodges in 17 cities of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Georgia. All of them are united by the Grand Lodge of Russia, which is headed by Bogdanov.
According to him, about a thousand people knock on Masons every year, but less than a hundred new members are admitted to Freemasons every year: “People who don’t know what Freemasonry is often knock on the door. And we want too."
“We never call anyone to us, they always knock on us. At the same time, we are not a secret organization, we are an organization with a secret. One of the main secrets of Freemasonry is who is a Freemason,” says Grand Master Bogdanov.
He refused to answer questions from the BBC about how many Freemasons occupy seats in the State Duma and the government, or which of the celebrities is a Freemason: "If I myself had not revealed my name, then none of the brothers would have betrayed me."
The tradition of hiding one's belonging to the society of freemasons also comes from England, where there were persecutions of non-members of secret societies. Freemasons also remember the Second World War, in which many freemasons died due to the ban on Freemasonry in the Third Reich.
Image copyright PA Image caption In England, in 1717, the first lodge of freemasons began its work.Modern Freemasonry in Russia
According to Bogdanov, about 1.2 thousand people are now in the Grand Lodge of Russia. Freemasons come from business, law enforcement and political structures, artists and the educated middle class.
The Grand Lodge of Russia has existed for 22 years, and the average age of its members is 35 years. The average age in Western lodges, according to Bogdanov, is 65 years. There are currently 12 Masonic lodges in Moscow, and in St. Petersburg and other large Russian cities - 2-3 lodges each.
“Masonry is the knowledge of oneself in this world. We do not discuss religion, but we discuss spiritual life and philosophy,” Bogdanov answers the question of what freemasons do after all. Assistant Grand Master Vyacheslav Smirnov (who also took part in the formation of the Democratic Party of Russia) says that Freemasonry helps to establish business connections and find new friends.
Modern Freemasons in Russia and other countries pay great attention to charity. Most often, Masons take care of orphanages or hospitals. Donations are paid from the "widow's cup" (a bag into which anyone can put any amount of money after the end of the lodge).
At the same time, according to Bogdanov, Russian freemasonry is not at all rich - freemasons in Russia still do not have their own building in Moscow. Freemasons rent halls in hotels for the work of lodges.
Each Freemason pays two installments: the first is annual, and the second is the introductory one, which is paid by the layman, knocking on the box, or the freemason moving into a new degree. The amount of contributions ranges from 6 to 18 thousand rubles. In Russia and the CIS countries, Masonic lodges are registered as NGOs.
Image copyright Grand Lodge of Russia/Facebook Image caption First Assembly of the Grand Lodge of KazakhstanThe Grand Lodge of Russia is also engaged in bringing light (opening new lodges) to other countries and cities. In 2015, the Grand Lodge of Georgia was established, and in 2016, the Grand Lodge of Kazakhstan. This year, the Freemasons want to open the Grand Lodge of Belarus on the basis of the already existing three lodges.
They can be excluded from Masons. They are most often expelled for deceit, failure to pay dues, and dishonest behavior, such as when a Mason abandons his family. Some freemasons themselves become disillusioned with Freemasonry and leave the lodges.
In Russia, out of five who have joined Masons, 2-3 people remain in lodges after five years, says Vyacheslav Smirnov.
Secret Masonic Conspiracy
The myths around Freemasonry, according to Bogdanov, are connected with the peculiarities of "Soviet education, when young people were told about the world domination of the Jewish Masons."
“I used to think that Freemasons are not very sane people. They were nowhere to be seen, and there was such an impression. Freemasonry is reprehensible, because it is little known,” says Smirnov.
Many still become members of Masonic lodges in order to join the "worldwide conspiracy". “Someone comes and says: “Where are your ministers at the meeting? But did you come there? Maybe this lodge is not for ministers, because you yourself are not a minister either," Smirnov says.
Sergey Arzhanukhin, a researcher of Russian Freemasonry, believes that the state itself spread rumors about a Masonic conspiracy in the 18th-19th centuries due to opposition to secret societies.
"Russian Freemasonry arose in the process of forming a secular culture, it is one of the first institutions of civil society in Russia. It is clear that the accusations of a conspiracy came from the state. Because the state and civil society always have a conflict. But there is no document that would confirm the conspiratorial character of this organization," he says.
By decree of Emperor Alexander I in 1821 Freemasonry was banned in Russia as a secret society.
According to Bogdanov, Freemasons are law-abiding citizens and cannot organize their activities where they are forbidden by the authorities. Even among the Decembrists, according to him, there were almost no Masons - freemasons supported the tsar.
According to Arzhanukhin, Masons do not have political influence either in tsarist times or in modern Russia. Another researcher of freemasons, Andrey Serkov, also speaks about this. According to him, some former members of the State Duma are masons, but there are no masons in the ruling elite of Russia.
At the same time, Serkov draws attention to the personality of the Grand Master Andrei Bogdanov, who was actively involved in politics in the zero years.
"To build a 'Democratic Party', to renew the CPSU and lead Freemasonry... This is his next project," says the historian.
According to him, Bogdanov was elected to the post of Supreme Master at the moment when he ran for president in 2008.
"It was prestigious. But Freemasonry had no influence in modern Russia," he said.
SO, quite recently, it was published in the media: "Specialists from the University of Zurich conducted a mathematical analysis of the relationships of 43,000 transnational corporations and made a frightening conclusion: the world is ruled by one giant" supercorporation ".
It is she who "pulls the strings" of the global economy.
To model the image of the global corporate system, the experts processed a huge amount of data reflecting the ownership relations between the largest transnational corporations.
- The Role of Freemasons in World History (Hitler and Freemasons)
“Reality is so complex that we had to move away from dogmas, whether it be conspiracy theories or free market theories,” explained the author of the study, complex systems theorist James Glattfelder. “Our analysis is based on real data.”
Previous studies have shown that a relatively small group of companies and banks own the lion's share of the global "economic pie", from which everyone else is left with only crumbs. However, these studies have overlooked indirect relationships - the relationship of corporations with subsidiaries and affiliates.
After sorting through the 37 million companies and investors worldwide represented in the 2007 Orbis C database, the Zurich-based research team selected 43,060 companies owned by multinational corporations and identified their total assets.
A model was built for the distribution of the economic influence of TNCs through the control of some companies over others: ownership of funds, participation in profits, etc.
Scientists have found a core of 1,318 companies whose ties to others can hardly be called anything other than incestuous. Each of these 1,318 had the closest relationship with two or more other companies (average number of affiliates was 20).
While these corporations' official earnings barely exceed 20% of global operating revenue, through their satellite firms they actually own most of the world's companies operating in the "real" economy. Thus, about 60% of global income is concentrated in the tentacles of corporate monsters.
Continuing to unravel the vast web of ownership, the team found that the majority of financial chains are headed in the direction of a "superenclave" of 147 companies. Their assets intersect with each other, effectively being common property, which gives this unspoken financial conglomerate control of 40% of global corporate wealth.
Most of these "supercorporations" are financial institutions. So, the top 10 included:
1. Barclays plc
2. Capital Group Companies Inc.
3. FMR Corporation
4.AXA
5 State Street Corporation
6JP Morgan Chase & Co
7. Legal & General Group plc
8Vanguard Group Inc.
9.UBS AG
10 Merrill Lynch & Co Inc.
Analyze this list yourself, dear readers, and you will see that these are not ordinary companies, and not ordinary people work there. The analysis revealed the connection between the leaders of these super giants of the world economy and secret societies, namely Masonic lodges. Some of these companies were founded directly by people - members of Masonic organizations, and some with their participation.
LET'S GO TO THE RUSSIAN MASONS.
It is known that by the mid-50s of the 20th century, some Russian Freemasons had completely left Freemasonry: Bernstein, Niedermiller, Lebedev, Lomeyer, Zhdanov, Grunberg. Others went over to the French lodges, which by this time had begun to revive little by little, but their future was extremely doubtful.
An anonymous author reports: "New forces have been found." It can be assumed that these were brothers from the Vekhi and Free Russia lodges, who were accepted by Lotos, but for some reason they were still listed in the Obedience of the Great East: Jakeli, Dzhanshiev, Kadish, Kangisser, Aronsberg, Shamin (from the French lodge), G.G. Karganov (from the mixed lodge "France?Armenie").
In 1959 the fateful moment came: the Grand Lodge broke off relations with the Grand Orient. The last document in the Masonic archive is the last list of those present at the session of the lodge "Northern Star", February 25, 1965. This does not mean that this session was the last. They continued for another five or six years. It is characteristic that the Masons, who at one time left the United States and returned to France after the Second World War, apparently never returned to st. Kade. In this last list - all the surnames belong to the "third generation" of Russian Freemasonry, their average age was 60-65 years. Here is the list: M...R...., V. Grosser, A. Marshak, S. Grunberg, S. Der...sky, Gorbunov, A. Orlov, V. Marshak, A. Julius, A. Barlant, A. Shimunek (indecipherable - perhaps this is Shishunok), I. Fidder, T.S ...., A, Poznyak, G. Gazdanov, Petrovsky, S. Lutsky.
After the rupture of the two Rites in 1959, how to understand the presence of brothers from the Grand Lodge at the session of the Grand Orient? Maybe whoever wanted to came, and no one was asked where he came from, and whether he had the right to be present in the temple? If this is true, then not only the ability to compromise was lost, but also the sense of Masonic discipline.
17 people attended the session in 1965, according to the last list above. It must be taken with caution, it is composed carelessly and does not inspire much confidence. But we don't have another. S.P. Theakston told me in Paris in 1960: "Some are paralyzed and confused by the consciousness of an approaching end that we are powerless to fight." Of these 17 people, half remained by 1970. And then something happened that was supposed to happen: five people came to one of the sessions. Who they were is unknown. Was there at least one Master among them - the All-Wise, the Venerable, or at least only the Secret? But the letter of the law since St. Tybalt demanded that there be seven of them in the temple. And the French Great East took away their premises from the Russian brothers, following the letter of the law. And that was the end of Russian Freemasonry in exile.
SOVIET MASONS.
"The program for the activities of agents of influence in the USSR was personally developed by the Freemason A. Dulles, the future director of the CIA. Having become a Freemason while still studying at Princeton, Dulles already in the mid-20s reaches the 33rd degree and other Masonic regalia. In 1927 he becomes one of the directors of the international Masonic coordinating center - the Council on Foreign Relations, in 1933 he receives the key post of secretary, and since 1946 - the president of this organization.
"The first contacts of the future leaders of the CPSU with Freemasonry date back to the sixties and seventies. M.S. Gorbachev had contact with Freemasonry, apparently, during his vacation in Italy, where Masonic lodges controlled by the CIA were then operating, which aimed to contain communism (in particular, the famous "Propaganda-2" lodge, headed by CIA agent L. Jelly). A. N. Yakovlev's contacts with Freemasonry date back to the time of his stay in the USA and Canada.
“Gorbachev’s accession to the Trilateral Commission should be attributed to January 1989. The meeting of the main architects of Soviet perestroika and the “brothers” who worked for the “good” of the “Architect of the Universe” and the “new world order” took place in Moscow. The Trilateral Commission was represented by its chairman David Rockefeller (also head of the Council on Foreign Relations), Henry Kissinger (head of B'nai B'rith), J. Bertoine, V. Giscard d'Estaing and J. Nakasone. A. Yakovlev, E. Shevardnadze, G. Arbatov, E. Primakov, V. Medvedev and some others. As a result of secret negotiations, agreements were developed on joint activities, the nature of which at that time was not clear to anyone. However, everything became clear in the end the same year, when, in the same composition of his associates as at the meeting with the delegation of the Trilateral Commission, M. Gorbachev met with President D. Bush on the island of Malta. It was in Malta, the capital of the Order of the Knights of Malta, whose cavaliers are members of the Trilateral Commission and the Bilderberg Club, as if symbolizing a new stage in relations between the world behind the scenes and the leadership of the CPSU.
"The year 1990 becomes fatal in the history of Russia. In a short time, the system of governing the country is changing. Taking advantage of the transition period, Gorbachev and his associates from the former Politburo (Yakovlev, Shevardnadze, Medvedev, Primakov), at which all the most important issues of domestic and foreign policy were decided ", in fact, they completely usurp power in the country. A conscious dismantling and destruction of many state structures is being carried out, and instead of them, shadow backstage authorities are being created, and above all Masonic lodges and organizations."
"It is characteristic that the first official Masonic structure that arose in the USSR was the international Jewish Masonic lodge B'nai B'rith. Permission to open it was received personally from Gorbachev at the request of one of the leaders of the order, H. Kissinger. L'Arche reported that a 21-member delegation from the French branch of B'nai B'rith, led by President Marc Aron, visited Moscow from December 23 to 29, 1988. The first lodge of this order was organized during the visit and by May it consisted of 63 members. By the same time, two more lodges were established in Vilnius and Riga, and later in St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Odessa, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk.
“Since 1989, the Masons have carried out a widespread and even in a sense open campaign to promote subversive Masonic ideas and recruit new members in Russia. In March 1991, the CIA-funded Radio Liberty calls on residents of the USSR to establish contact to join Masonic lodges. The host of the program, F. Salkazanova, gave the address where Soviet citizens could sign up for a Masonic lodge in Paris. attractive, they called it "Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin" (although the great Russian poet was not a Freemason).The "brothers" from this lodge who spoke in the program called for the moral and spiritual improvement of society, considering the United States as a model, which was based "from the very beginning Masonic principles.
"The Freemasons of France are striving to 'lay their stone in the construction of democracy in Eastern and Central Europe.'" Grand Master of the Masonic Grand Orient of France, J.R. East intend to this end to increase the necessary material and financial efforts.After a while, the Grand Master comes to Moscow, and later visits St. Petersburg to organize the correct Masonic work there.At the same time, the Grand National Lodge of France also operates.In April 1991, she dedicated two citizens of Russia who became the organizers of the Russian lodge "Northern Star".
- Illuminati, freemasons, dollar and owl. Especially for fans of the world conspiracy theory
"The day before the start of the August coup d'état in 1991, a member of the Pushkin lodge, already mentioned by me, arrived in Moscow from Paris, who emigrated from Odessa in 1922 (his name was kept secret). 8 more members of this lodge came to Moscow with him. Despite on disturbing events, this Masonic emissary opens on August 30, 1991 a new lodge "Novikov".
"As a result of the coup d'état in August-December 1991, the plans of the world behind the scenes were achieved. The world behind the scenes awards B.N. Yeltsin with the title that almost every member of the world Masonic government wears - Knight Commander of the Order of Malta. He receives it on November 16, 1991. No longer embarrassed, Yeltsin poses for reporters in the full garb of a knight-commander. In August 1992, Yeltsin signs Decree No. 827 "On the restoration of official relations with the Order of Malta."
"Relying on high support, Masonic lodges are growing like mushrooms in Russia. The first such organization in Russia was the Rotary International Masonic Club, which is widespread in Western countries, the opening of which was announced on June 6, 1990 in a report on the television program "Vremya." The "white masons" of the first call in this club are the heads of the administrations of Moscow and St. Petersburg Luzhkov and Sobchak, the banker Gusinsky, the well-known democratic functionaries M. Bocharov, A. Ananyev, Yu. "Cribble Institute and Similar Institutions".
“To match Rotary, the so-called International Russian Club (IRC), created in 1992. This club was headed by M. Bocharov and Yeltsin’s former press secretary P. Voshchanov. It included a number of famous people, for example, Minister of Justice I. Fedorov , international deputy E. Ambartsumov, member of the Masonic commission "Greater Europe", businessman Svyatoslav Fedorov, former head of state security V. Ivanenko, general K. Kobets, member of the Presidential Council A. Migranyan. According to the charter, the club consists of forty people, and each no more than a third can be added for a year, and each entrant is obliged to obtain three recommendations.
"Based on the model of one of the main organizations of the world behind the scenes - the Bilderberg Club - in 1992 its Russian counterpart, the Magisterium Club, was created, initially uniting about 60 "brothers" in spirit. The key figure in this Masonic underground was the already mentioned J. Soros, who placed the article "Big money makes history" in the first issue of the secret bulletin of this club. Other key figures of the club are the patriarchs of the Masonic movement in the former USSR A. Yakovlev and E. Shevardnadze. A. Sobchak, V. V. Ivanov are also represented in the "Magisterium" , S. Shatalin and others".
“A number of foundations and clubs of a lower rank are being created in Russia. The most typical example of such an organization is the Interaction reform club, which brings together entrepreneurs, heads of banking and stock exchange institutions, and major government officials. The club was headed by E. T. Gaidar, as well as A. B. Chubais, K. N. Borovoy, L. I. Abalkin, E. G. Yasin, A. P. Pochinok, E. F. Saburov, O. R. Latsis, etc. Among the members of the club were B. G. Fedorov, S. N. Krasavchenko, N. P. Shmelev, S. S. Shatalin Close to the Interaction club is the International Fund for Economic and Social Reforms, headed by S. S. Shatalin. L. I. Abalkin and V. V. Bakatin.
"In 1993, another Masonic-type organization was created - the Order of the Eagle. Among the main founders are a well-known financial swindler, the head of the Stolichny bank, previously convicted A. Smolensky, banker P. Nakhmanovich, entrepreneur V. Neverov, one of the leaders of the international Masonic movement M. Shakkum, as well as such chess players G. Kasparov, S. Solovyov, sculptor Z. Tsereteli".
MASONS OF MODERN RUSSIA
There are Masonic lodges in Russia, one of the Masons, Andrey Bogdanov, even ran for the presidential election in 2008. The official website of the Grand Lodge of Russia is quite open to readers and points out, without prejudice, to its leaders and its structure. Maybe these people know something, maybe they are initiated, but they do not open up. But IT IS VERY PROBABLE THAT all this is not what was once the essence of real Masonic processes.
Now a closed political process also exists: there are closed groups, societies, structures that make very serious decisions - financial, political and military. But I would not dare to call them Masons. Maybe they use the principles of closed secret societies, but it is unlikely that this is accompanied by paraphernalia and oaths, as before.
Platonov's book "Russia Under the Power of Freemasons" seriously states that during perestroika, a number of famous people were agents of the influence of US Freemasons. To what extent does this reflect reality? The former adviser to the chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, retired major general of militia, Doctor of Law Vladimir Ovchinsky answers:
Doesn't reflect, says Ovchinsky. “I think Platonov gives out wishful thinking as real. There, of course, there were some secret agreements between certain people. The same Alexander Yakovlev (whom the author refers to as Masons) in his memoirs, written before his death, says that all his life he wanted to break the back of the communist system, imperial statehood. In fact, a member of the Politburo, an ideologue of the CPSU, declares that he has worked all his life against what he serves. But to call him a Freemason?! We have no evidence for this."
IS PUTIN A MASON? The answer, to some disappointment, is no. "Here is Berberova's archive - these are genuine documents. (download)
They list the names of Freemasons from the beginning of the 20th century - people themselves talk about this, there are witnesses. This is reality. There are materials from the investigation into the case of the Decembrists, which was conducted by Benckendorff - he fought against Masons and secret societies. Everything is proven here. According to the French Revolution, there is also a lot of evidence of Masonic conspiracies. The influence of Freemasons on the formation of the United States is not just a fact, it is the national and cultural pride of America. As for accusing our political leaders of Freemasonry, one must have grounds for this, but there are none. There are proven facts, and there is the current reality. How strong the Masons are in Russia, now it is not known for sure."
OTHER FORCES ARE OPERATING IN MODERN RUSSIA, the basis of which are the special services and world capital. But are people working in the special services members of Masonic organizations? This is the next question, however, which can be answered quite positively. They are not only members of international Freemasonry, but are sometimes also in the service of foreign intelligence services.
The book of the former CIA officer L. Gonzalez-Mata "True Masters of the World" lists the powerful of this world belonging to Masonic organizations, including CIA founder Allen Dulles, Bilderberg Club Secretary General Joseph Retinger, former President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Jacques Attali, US Presidents Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and George Bush, head of the Trilateral Commission David Rockefeller and many others.
In Russia, these include dozens of politicians and businessmen who belong not only to regular lodges, but also to closed clubs that belong to the so-called "white Freemasonry".
What are they all after? In words - quite noble goals. The Grand Master of the Grand Orient of France, Jean-Rebert Ragache, at a meeting with journalists in 1991, said that the Freemasons of France are striving to "lay their stone in building democracy in Eastern and Central Europe." He was concerned about "the resurgence of separatist and irredentist sentiments in Eastern Europe" and "the desire of the Church to bring about a new evangelization."
To achieve this lodge, the Grand Orient of France allocated 1.2 million francs, the Grand Lodge of France - 300 thousand francs, the Grand National Lodge of France - a set of swords, aprons and orders.
The donation, frankly, is ridiculous compared to what was presented by the Order of Malta to Potanin and Ignatiev. Therefore, there are secret items of expenditure, and other secret goals. Which? Alas, there is no definitive answer.
It is known, for example, that the Order of Malta, represented in Russia by Jacques Masson, is vitally interested in the Russian military-industrial complex.
They, these organizations, are still closed to the uninitiated. And therefore, special services, builders of the new order and ordinary swindlers will work under their "roof" for a long time to come.
"A freemason in Russia is more than a freemason." First of all, he is the “sun of Russian poetry”, an invincible commander, a classic of Russian literature, the creator of the “History of the Russian State”, the head of the Provisional Government, and only in the second, and sometimes third, a freemason.
January 7, 1761 Suvorov was promoted to the Scottish masters of the Masonic lodge "To the Three Crowns". The first lodge of Freemasons was founded in London on June 24, 1717. Freemasonry spread from Great Britain to other countries, including Russia, where Masons enjoyed great influence in the 18th and first third of the 19th centuries. There was a tradition among Russian Masons that the first Masonic lodge in Russia was founded by Peter the Great. To many, the absence of social inequality between the brothers, the protection of the interests of the brothers by all members of the lodge seemed an attractive idea. At their meetings, the lodges discussed various theoretical and practical issues, played the role of political clubs and philosophical societies at the same time. Masons have traditions, symbols, Masons have come up with a new story for themselves, dating back to the construction of Solomon's temple. Russian Freemasonry set itself the task of "knowledge of the secrets of being" through Christian tolerance and the "obligation of conciliar work", which included self-improvement, spiritual creativity, and enlightenment. We decided to talk about the most famous Russian Freemasons.
SUVOROV
Suvorov was admitted to the Masonic Order in 1761. At that time, Freemasonry had not yet won wide sympathy, so Suvorov joined the Brotherhood not on the wave of fashion, but out of deep spiritual necessity, and was one of the first Russian freemasons. At the same time, he not only joined the Brotherhood, but went through several stages: Suvorov was initiated and promoted to the third degree of a master in St. Petersburg. And although only a few documents speak of his belonging to the order - in particular, in the list of the Königsberg Lodge dated March 16, 1761, recently discovered in the archive of the Grand National Lodge of Three Globes in Berlin, Ober-Lieutenant Alexander von Suvorov is listed at number 6 - well-known circumstances his life: religiosity, asceticism, the struggle with passions, especially characteristic of Freemasonry of that period, testify to this.
KUTUZOV
In 1779, the commander Kutuzov joined the lodge "To the Three Keys" in Regensburg. He came to seek in the brotherhood "the strength to fight the passions and the keys to the mysteries of the world." Traveling around Europe, he also entered the lodges of Frankfurt and Berlin, Moscow and St. Petersburg. Among historians, there is a version that it was Suvorov who recommended Kutuzov's Masonic brothers, who became for him not only a military man, but also a spiritual mentor. Kutuzov rose to high ranks and was one of the most influential members of the fraternity, linking his name to the lodge for more than 30 years. Upon initiation into the 7th degree of Swedish Freemasonry, Kutuzov received an order name - the Greening Laurel, and the motto - "Glorify yourself with victories", which became prophetic. Some historians of Freemasonry believe that it was the Masonic society that contributed to the appointment of Kutuzov as the leader of the forces in the fight against Napoleon, who seemed to the Masons of the early 19th century the embodiment of evil, love of power and violence. Masons considered it their duty to resist this evil.
PUSHKIN
In his diary, Pushkin made an entry in 1821: "On May 4, I was admitted to the Freemasons." He received initiation in the Ovid lodge in Chisinau, it was never recognized as official, and in November of the same year was forced to stop working. In addition, on August 1, 1822, Alexander I signed a decree banning Masonic lodges and all secret societies in general. Thus, Pushkin's initiation into Freemasonry was, as it were, unofficial, although it took place in compliance with all the subtleties of the ritual. Nevertheless, most historians are sure that Pushkin simply could not help but be a Freemason: the environment from which the poet came out was saturated with Masonic ideas. His father Sergei Lvovich and uncle Vasily Lvovich were members of the brotherhood, in the house they constantly read the magazines of the Masons N. Novikov and I. Lopukhin, the publications of A. Labzin and P. Beketov. Many pupils of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, where Pushkin studied, the poet's inner circle, people with whom he either saw often or, later, corresponded, became brothers of the St. Petersburg lodges. Exiled to the south, Pushkin met with many Masons: Raevsky, Pestel, S. Volkonsky and others. Perhaps, without formally participating in the work of any of the lodges, he was constantly in the company of Masons, participated in their conversations, so the symbolism of the lodge and the Masonic ritual was as clear to him as to those around him. Researchers of his work have repeatedly found the symbolism of masons in his poems and stories. In addition, before the funeral, Prince Vyazemsky put a glove into the poet's coffin as a sign of recognition of his brother in the bed.
CHAADAEV
Chaadaev was one of the brightest characters among the Masons. Few people could compare with him in terms of erudition, brilliant erudition, excellent memory and intellectual level. Pushkin called him the smartest man in Russia and recognized him as his teacher. The formation of Chaadaev's philosophical outlook was greatly influenced by the works of his relative, Prince M. M. Shcherbatov, who at one time was a very famous Freemason. Chaadaev himself was admitted to the Masonic lodge in 1814 in Krakow and reached one of the highest degrees of initiation into the order - the eighth degree of the "Secret White Brothers of John's Lodge" out of nine possible. However, being a man of very independent judgments, not recognizing any doctrines, in 1821 Chaadaev became disillusioned with Freemasonry and left the lodge. The reasons that prompted to move away from Freemasonry, Chaadaev outlined in a letter. It seemed to him that the rituals of the masons were empty, and the brothers preferred talking about intentions instead of actions.
Kerensky
Alexander Kerensky is considered one of the most prominent representatives of Freemasonry of the 20th century. At the end of 1912, he was accepted as a member of the Great East of the Peoples of Russia Masonic lodge, which was not recognized by others as a Masonic organization, since it set political activity as a priority for itself. Radicals were strong in the organization, who advocated a republican structure of the state. Among the three hundred members of this Masonic lodge were representatives of almost all political parties and deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Empire, who could quite successfully influence Russian politics of that time. Four years later, in 1916, Kerensky was elected general secretary of the Masonic Lodge. Historians believe that Kerensky's rapid political career, which began in 1917, is due to his influence and authority in the Masonic organization. After the February Revolution, Kerensky found himself simultaneously in two opposing bodies of power: in the first composition of the Provisional Government as Minister of Justice, and in the first composition of the Petrograd Soviet as deputy chairman. Then there was the post of military and naval minister of the Provisional Government, which was the peak of Kerensky's political career. After the Bolsheviks came to power, Kerensky emigrated from Russia.
It was not enough for the diplomat and writer Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov to be a member of the most numerous Masonic lodge of St. Petersburg "United Friends". He wanted to improve it, his letters and notes have been preserved about this. To be called, according to the project of Griboedov, this lodge was supposed to be “Good”. Instead of the official French language, the language of all its affairs was to be Russian, despite the fact that there were many foreigners in it. And this goal - the goal of enlightening Russia, spreading Russian letters - the members of the lodge should have seen as their first task. Griboedov was convinced that the forces expended on the pomp and gloomy solemnity of meetings, on ritualism, could be used with great intelligence. Griboyedov's projects show the seriousness of his attitude towards membership in the Masonic organization and, of course, his ambition and some idealism. By the way, he was not the only Freemason-diplomat, and connections among Freemasons contributed a lot to his diplomatic career. Unlike Karamzin or Chaadaev, Griboyedov never left the Masonic lodge - at least not with papers and a manifesto.
Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilyov is a member of the "Shop of Poets", an acmeist, which in itself is already associated with the ideas and symbols of Freemasonry, because the word "acme" contains the image of a stone, as well as "Cadmus" - a reference to Adam, "the first freemason". The "shop of poets" was conceived as a "poetic lodge" headed by the "perfect master" Gumilyov. Many of Gumilyov's works (the play "Akteon", the collection "Quiver", "Gondla", the cycle "To the Blue Star" and, especially, "Pillar of Fire") contain Masonic motifs. It is assumed that in 1917 or 1918 Gumilyov was admitted to the "mystical lodge of English freemasons", but this is not known for certain. Although in one of the poet’s poems we meet: “Do you remember how before us / There was a temple, blackening in darkness, / Above the gloomy altars / Fire signs were burning. / Solemn, granite-winged / He guarded our sleepy city, / They sang in it hammers and saws, / Freemasons worked in the night ... ".
All about one of the most secret and powerful associations in the world
Masons are the most closed society in the world. There are rumors about the amazing wealth of Freemasons, about their powerful influence on world politics, about their involvement in the overthrow of monarchs and revolutions ... In a word, there are more than enough myths around "freemasons". Which of them are true?
Where did they come from
The exact date of the origin of the Masonic organization is known - June 24, 1717. On this day, the first lodge of "freemasons" began its work in England. The four societies that were at that time in London were called in the same way as the taverns in which their participants used to gather: “Goose and a baking sheet”, “Crown”, “Apple”, “Grape brush”. On June 24, they solemnly united and became the Grand Lodge of London. This day is still celebrated as the main holiday of the Masons.
Later, representatives of the nobility, the intelligentsia, and businessmen began to join the society of Masons. Belonging to a secret brotherhood has become fashionable. In addition, the intellectuals liked the ideas of equality and brotherhood, the desire for spiritual perfection, preached by the Masons. Freemasons have developed their own rites and secret symbols that are still in effect today.
What are the goals
Why are Masonic lodges needed at all, what do they discuss when they get together, what tasks do they set for themselves?
As the Freemasons themselves explain, their first goal is to improve themselves and the world around them. Everyone who joins the lodge tirelessly works on himself, helping the other to become better: more educated, tolerant, understanding.
The second important goal of Freemasons is charity. In some states, Masonic lodges include hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom are very wealthy, they open hospitals in the Third World countries, provide assistance to the sick, and finance the work of educational institutions.
What is behind their rituals
Masons are sometimes called almost a religious sect. These thoughts are prompted by intriguing rumors about the mysterious, beautiful, and deeply meaningful rites of the Masonic lodge. For example, the head of the Lodge is called “Venerable Master”, they call each other “brothers”, it is impossible for an uninitiated person to get to the meeting - the place and time are kept in such a secret. And yet it is not a sect. Moreover, Freemasons avoid talking about religion. And the mechanisms developed over the centuries do not allow the Order of Freemasons to turn into a religious sect. For example, the leaders of the lodge are constantly changing - the Venerable Master cannot remain so for more than three years.
Their secrets
Neither Freemasonry as a whole, nor its individual lodges hide the very fact of their own existence. In addition, any member of the Lodge has the right to declare his affiliation to the Freemasons quite openly.
But he has no right to say the same about other Freemasons - disclosure is under the strictest ban.
It is supposed to keep secret words and signs by which Masons recognize each other, special rituals.
They and politics
Masons are believed to rule the world. Most likely, this is a strong exaggeration caused by long-standing rumors about the "Jewish Masonic conspiracy." Yes, in many countries very influential people are members of the brotherhood. However, Masons are not involved in politics - they have other goals. By tradition, almost all US presidents were Freemasons: it is not for nothing that even dollar bills have a Masonic sign.
In Russia, quite different connections are valued today. Of course, domestic Freemasons would like prominent politicians, oligarchs, and big businessmen to belong to their order. But do politicians and oligarchs need old romantic rites and philosophical conversations? Do they have time for this? And do they want their names to be mentioned in connection with some secret meetings and projects? Very doubtful.
How to get there
As already mentioned, Masons have the right to speak openly about their belonging to the order. If anyone who wants to join knows about it, he must take the initiative, no one will invite him, because campaigning is prohibited.
If a person really wants to join the order, but he doesn’t have a single freemason he knows, it doesn’t matter: today you can find information about lodges on the Internet and apply by e-mail. She will be considered. The candidate ("profane") will need 2-3 guarantors, and he will also have to go through an ancient rite of passage, described in detail in the novel L. Tolstoy"War and Peace". At present, the rituals have not changed much. The members of the lodge vote, and three votes "against" are enough for the candidate to be forever closed this way.
If it becomes clear that a person, striving for the Lodge, is pursuing material gain or wants to achieve social benefits, the road there is blocked for him. Real Masons strive for one thing: to reveal their spiritual potential and help others.
Men's Privilege
Ladies are not allowed to enter Masonic lodges. This is how it happened historically. Although today in some countries “mixed lodges” are beginning to be practiced, where women are allowed.
Which celebrity was a Freemason?
This can only be said with some degree of probability, given the strict secrecy of such data. In Russia, it is customary to refer to Masons, for example, A.S. Pushkin, A.V. Suvorova, N.M. Karamzin, A.S. Griboyedov, A.F. Kerensky, N.S. Gumilyov.
By the way: One of the legends says that Mozart in his opera The Magic Flute, he spoke about the secrets of the Masonic lodge, for which he was killed. To this day, Masons treat this work with special reverence. When Mozart's The Magic Flute, in particular, the Master's aria, once again sounds at the Vienna Opera, several dozen listeners stand up in the hall, as if by agreement. These are Masons.
“I was ordered to go for it”: the secret side of Russian Freemasonry
A tall man in a black coat leads along the winding streets of the night capital. "I once lodged for the scientific interest, so to speak," he snaps, without looking back. Now he does not stop communicating with other members of the fraternity, but he does not name the reason for his departure.
“They enter the lodge for various reasons. Some think, and seriously, that they will decide the fate of the world, others believe that they will gain secret knowledge. his life in the lodge. - Approx. ed.)," my interlocutor Pavel remarks.
Masonic Leader's Desk
If at the time of Pushkin and Griboyedov (Masons consider them "theirs." - Approx. Ed.) The principle was in effect: "to be a Mason, ask a Mason about it" and it was necessary to make as many acquaintances as possible with members of the lodge, then in the 21st century the opportunity "steer" the fate of the world can take advantage of almost everyone.
"There are millions of Freemasons in the United States. There are also quite a few in Europe. And we have a continuous turnover. There are few permanent members of the lodge," Pavel complains. He said it's all about enough expensive "entrance ticket" - from 10-20 thousand rubles. Therefore, the budget of Russian Freemasonry - in contrast to foreign secret societies - is not as large as is commonly believed.
“A few years ago, one of the major lodges in France kicked out its great master with a scandal. Do you know why? He bought a personal helicopter with the money of the brotherhood,” he shares.
We approach a small door in an old building next to Tverskoy-Yamskoy(st. Tverskaya, 21 Revolution Museum, former English Club. Prim Ruan), followed by steps leading down. In the basement is not a bar, not a club. “Usually, meetings of various secret societies are held in such an entourage. Although in the best of times, the Grand Lodge of Russia (the only Masonic organization recognized abroad in the Russian Federation. - Ed.) held its meetings in the Metropol, near the Kremlin. Martinists who practice the occult - they have something like Christian cabalism," says my interlocutor.
Are there many Masons in Russia
Freemasonry does not have a single centralized organization, but at the same time it is quite hierarchical. Various Masonic lodges of about 10 people (maximum of 20) can be combined into "great". The first such united lodge appeared in England exactly 300 years ago (1917 anniversary, 2017 anniversary approx. RuAN) and has since been considered the most authoritative. In 1740, her adept, a general in the Russian service James (Jacob) Keith, appointed Grand Master of Russia. And by the end of the 18th century, the entire Russian nobility "fell ill" with Freemasonry: well-known statesmen, poets, artists, and architects became members of the lodge. This continued until the grandson of Catherine II, Emperor Alexander I, in 1822, unexpectedly for everyone, outlawed Freemasonry. It got to the point that the officials gave special receipts about their "non-membership of the lodges."
Only briefly did Freemasonry revive after 1905 ( They lie and don't even blush. Note. RuAN). But in the very first decade of Soviet power, the Masonic lodges were "cleaned up". There is a story that the Masons tried to cooperate personally with Stalin, but he, having familiarized himself with their proposal, immediately requested the nominal lists of all members of the Russian lodge. And in the post-war years, when the campaign to "fight against Zionism" unfolded, the idea of the Freemasons as a "secret world government" finally takes root in the public mind.
Once again, Russian Freemasonry rose to 1995 year with the advent Grand Lodge of Russia (VLR), recognized by more than 90 Masonic organizations around the world. Its members call themselves "a club of men who believe in God and want to bring the light of knowledge into society". This organization considers itself the only one that has received an official right to exist from foreign lodges. Continuity is an important concept for Freemasons, because they believe that they have been storing and transmitting "secret knowledge" for more than one millennium.
VLR today includes 50 lodges, mostly Moscow. However, in Russia there are other Masonic organizations with different statutes. But they, unlike VLR, do not have official status"Grand Lodge" and are, in fact, representatives of foreign Masonic assemblies.
Meeting of the Grand Lodge of Russia
“Now in Russia there are about one and a half thousand Masons. more than a thousand of them are regular, that is, they are members of the Grand Lodge of Russia," says religious scholar Dmitry Pedenko.
Most of the lodges operating in Russia require their candidates to believe in God and the immortality of the soul. However, this does not mean that there are no atheist Masons. "A distinctive feature of a number of so-called irregular Masonic organizations is precisely the fact that they accept not only believers, but also atheists. However, the number of such lodges in Russia is insignificant and there are very few participants in them. In this regard, a situation is common when members of two irregular organizations are the same persons," the expert emphasizes.
"Ordered to become a Freemason"
"Masonry is, first of all, an ancient club of respectable people," assures ( lies and does not blush. Note. RuAN) political scientist Vyacheslav Smirnov Member of the Grand Lodge of Russia. When asked what prompted him to become a Freemason, he evasively answers: "The Motherland ordered."
In each lodge there are three degrees (degrees. - Approx. ed.) of initiation - an apprentice, an apprentice, a master mason. In addition, there are many different degrees, however, according to the lodges, there is no highest degree of initiation, After all, a Mason is a brother to a Mason.
The rite of initiation itself into a degree complex and symbolic. So, a candidate for "disciples" before the beginning of the initiation is half-naked, blindfolded and left for half an hour in the "reflection room". After that, he is led to the "temple", where a number of different symbolic actions are performed: for example, the future Freemason solemnly swears on the holy book of his religion (most often it is the Bible. - Approx. ed.).
"Often the initiation ceremony is accompanied by musical accompaniment, which enhances the impression of the candidate," - say in one of the Masonic forums.
At the end of the ceremony, the master mason calls on the members of the lodge to help the newcomer in difficulties, being sure that he will help them in difficult times. It is helping one's neighbor, brotherly love and adherence to the truth that are the main principles of Freemasonry ( and a Mason's neighbor is a brother Mason. Brotherly love. Note. RuAN). Masons themselves formulate their calling as follows: "to make a good person better." At the same time, Masons themselves often cannot answer how intricate rituals, together with the requirement to understand a huge number of abstract terms, really contribute to this.
Masonic initiation ritual
In turn, Paul argues that the higher the degree, the more you have to pay for initiation. In addition, according to the already official information on the VLR website, Masons make annual contributions.
For some reason, it is commonly believed that Masons have sex during their rituals. Masons are often confused with Thelemites. These are the real outcasts, they initiate through sex. A Thelemite friend of mine told me that some master from the USA even came to their ceremonies in Moscow,” says Pavel. Thelemites are followers of the teachings of the famous English mystic Aleister Crowley, which is expressed in principle: “do what you will, let then by law" (in they are all scumbags. Note. RuAN).
"We do not give out our own"
Masonic lodges have several rules of anonymity. So, any member of the fraternity can declare their belonging to Freemasonry without prior agreement with the brothers. But you can't give others away.
“When meeting with a Russian member of the brotherhood, it makes no sense to give signs - everyone already knows each other, at least they know me for sure. If I don’t know someone, acquaintances will introduce. And for foreign brothers there are letters of recommendation with seals or emails from their jurisdictions with a photo and a recommendation for communication," explains Vyacheslav Smirnov.
However, in the early 2010s, Russian Freemasonry was nevertheless shaken by a "revealing" scandal: someone published lists of full members of the lodge on the Web. This gave new food to various kinds of conspiracy theories that the Freemasons first destroyed the USSR, and then firmly settled in the Kremlin. “The culprit was quickly found and everything was forced to be removed. There (in the list. - Approx. ed.) There were even some officials and managers of well-known companies,” says Pavel.
However, in recent years, the Masonic ranks, according to him, are thinning. "Let's just say that expectations do not match reality: many people see that it is rather boring to be a Mason. And we don't like them", he concludes But this is the absolute truth. Note. RuAN).
Masons and the February Revolution
"In the bowels of world Freemasonry the question of the world war was decided and war became inevitable. The center of the terrible intrigue that led to the world massacre was located in England. From here came directives and instructions to all the English continental lodges.
Masonic lodges carried out propaganda against Germany, put pressure on their own and foreign governments and contributed to the diplomatic and military encirclement of Germany. England, France, Italy and America, whose governments were in the hands of the Masons, created internal unity from socialists to monarchists, created an alarming mood and propagated the inevitability of taking preventive measures against "attacking imperialist Germany". Russian diplomacy, captured by the Masons, worked for the allies.
Freemasons Sazonov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Imperial Government, Russian ambassadors - Izvolsky in Paris, Shtrandman in Serbia - were mere pawns in the hands of the Anglo-French Masons-politicians. The Russian ambassador in Paris, Izvolsky, upon receiving news of the outbreak of war, with the air of a victor, said:
"This is my war!" The assassination in 1914 in Sarajevo of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which served as a pretext for a world war, was carried out by Freemasons.
The plan for his assassination was drawn up over several years by the "Grand Orient de France". Lord Balfour at the beginning of the war declared that the war would end in 1918 before the feast of the Nativity of Christ. On January 13, 1919, the Jewish newspaper "Peyevishe Wordle" wrote:
"International Jewry forced Europe to accept war in order to start a new Jewish era all over the world." German General Ludendorff said: “Now it has become clear to me that the German soldier ended up hidden behind the scenes of the dark forces. We cannot but admit now that the German sword cleared the way for these forces that enslaved Russia. This could only happen because most of us were still unaware of the hidden springs that pushed us.
The world conspiracy not only provided for the defeat of the Central Powers, but also the defeat of Russia, the Russian revolution and world chaos, which was supposed to lead to the realization of the age-old Masonic dream - the creation of a Masonic superstate(World Government, approx. RuAN).
The revolution in Russia, as it is now established, was prepared and orchestrated by the Freemasons.
The intensified and systematic work of the Masons in Russia was especially intensified after the murder in 1911 of P.A. Stolypin. With the assistance of the "Grand Orient of France", already in 1911, Masonic lodges were founded everywhere in Russia, members of which were representatives of different segments of the population, including the military.
Freemasonry captured various political currents - from liberals to the Bolsheviks, inclusive. All the leaders of the socialists and communists belonged to the Masons: Savinkov, Avksentiev, Kerensky, Burtsev, Apfelbaum (Zinoviev), Radek-Sobelson, Sverdlov, Tchaikovsky, Lenin, Trotsky and others.
By the time of the revolution of 1917 were organized and military lodges gathered in the palace of Count Orlov-Davydov. Among the Masons were Generals Polivanov, Ruza, Polovtsev, Prince Vyazemsky. For example, the commander of the Finnish Regiment Teplov was accepted into the Masonic Lodge. When one of the brothers asked him about the Tsar, Teplov replied: "I'll kill you if I'm told to."
One of the highest members of the “Great Orient of France”, Baron Sencholl, who was instructed to organize Freemasonry in Russia, exclaimed: “If the Tsar had seen the list of Russian Freemasons, he would have found in it the names of persons standing very close to him.” The conspiracy was led by a conspiratorial center that arose back in 1915.
It was the famous Masonic "five", consisting of Efremov, Kerensky, Konovalov, Tereshchenko and Nekrasov. A provisional government headed by Prince Lvov was planned as early as April 1916. From England there was propaganda that the Russian court was ready to conclude a separate peace and betray the national interests of Russia and the interests of the allies.
The leaders of British politics, having used Russia to crush Germany, welcomed the coup d'état in Russia, because " England does not need a strong Russia”, as he later quite openly told the whole world about it Lloyd George.
The representative of England, Buchanan, tells our conspirators that it would be much better for Russia if the revolution "came from above." The Italian minister, Niti, stated in no uncertain terms that " Russia's victory in the world war would be the greatest misfortune for civilization". In a word, all our "faithful allies" were in solidarity and inspired by one desire: that Russia, for the incalculable sacrifices made, should be defeated - if not at the front, then with the help of the revolution. By the end of 1916, when the issue of the victory of the Allies over Germany was clarified, an order was given from England: to take action. In Masonic circles, the idea of the need to remove the Tsar from the throne was born. Thought about it Prince Lvov from the first days of the war at a meeting with Konovalov.
From that moment on, the question of a palace coup was raised in Masonic conspiracy meetings. The question is raised about the elimination of the "German", that is, the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. In this spirit, Prince Lvov conducted his intimate negotiations with General Alekseev. The persuasion worked, and by the autumn of 1916, an agreement on actions had been established. The plan was to arrest the Tsaritsa, exile her to the Crimea, and force the Tsar to agree to a "ministry of public trust".
This plan was scheduled for November 30 (November 3, 9), but collapsed by itself: Alekseev had an acute attack of an old illness, and the chief of staff was forced to go to the Crimea for a long treatment, where he remained until the 20th of February 1917. After this failure, on December 9, a secret meeting was held at the apartment of Prince Lvov. The prince developed the idea of a palace coup with the aim of overthrowing Nicholas II from the throne and replacing him with Nikolai Nikolaevich.
Khatisov was authorized to enter into negotiations with Nikolai Nikolayevich, familiarizing him with the project of a palace coup and finding out how the Grand Duke would react to this project and whether it was possible to count on his assistance.
Lvov said that he had a statement from General Manikovsky that the army would support the coup. This plan was supposed The king is arrested and taken into exile, and to imprison the Queen in a monastery, they talked about exile, and the thought of murder was not rejected. In Tiflis, during the New Year's reception, Khatisov outlined to Nikolai Nikolaevich "Lvov's plan." After 2 days, Khatisov again met with Nikolai Nikolaevich and learned from him that the Grand Duke decided to evade participation in the conspiracy, motivating his refusal with the opinion of General Yanushkevich that the army was monarchist and would not go against the Tsar.
The idea of the forced abdication of the Tsar was stubbornly pursued in Petrograd in late 1916 and early 1917. Palaiologos (French ambassador), who was a member of the house of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, writes that the Grand Dukes, among whom are the sons of Maria Pavlovna, intended to capture Tsarskoe Selo at night with the help of four guards regiments (Pavlovsky, Preobrazhensky, Izmailovsky and Personal convoy) and force the Emperor to abdicate. The empress was supposed to be imprisoned in a monastery and the heir to be proclaimed Tsar under the regency of Nikolai Nikolaevich.
The question of the forced removal of the Sovereign from the throne was also raised at a dinner with the Grand Duke Gabriel Konstantinovich. It was attended by Putilov and Ozerov who belonged to the Freemasons and were in connection with the conspirators. General Krymov was involved in organizing the coup. Admiral Kolchak not only sympathized with the coup, but also took an active part in it. The commanding staff of the Russian army, thus, by that time had been sufficiently propagandized, prepared for the revolution, and when traffic began in Petrograd at the end of February, he did not take any measures to suppress the rebellion, but, on the contrary, all the front commanders recommended the Emperor to abdicate from the throne.
The army - the support of the throne - has become a force hostile to the throne. November 1, 1916Freemason Milyukov from the rostrum of the State Duma he delivers a speech on the topic: "Stupidity or treason?" national treason. This vile speech of one of the most infamous people in Russia had absolutely no proof - everything from beginning to end was a deliberate lie.
This was later clarified by a commission set up by the Provisional Government, which, despite its prejudice against the leaders of the "old regime", revealed with complete clarity that not only the Empress, but also Sturmer, Shcheglovitov, Protopopov and Sukhomlinov himself were in no way guilty of any treason, neither in negotiations with Germany, nor in search of a separate peace.
In the Duma, deputies make speeches against Rasputin. Mason Maklakov persuades Yusupov to kill Rasputin. Participation in the murder of Rasputin, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich and Prince Yusupov, further convinced that Rasputin was a traitor and the destroyer of Russia. In January 1917, an allied commission from representatives of England, France and Italy arrived in Petrograd. After a meeting with brother Guchkov, then chairman of the Military Industrial Committee, prince, brother Lvov, Chairman of the State Duma, brother Rodzianko, general, brother Polivanov, brother Sazonov, English Ambassador, Brother Buchanan, brother Milyukov and other persons, this mission submitted to the Sovereign demands of the following kind:
1) introduction to the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of allied representatives with the right of a decisive vote:
2) renewal of the command staff of all armies on the instructions of the powers of the Entente;
3) the introduction of a constitution with a responsible ministry.
The Sovereign put the following resolutions on these demands: "On the first point: It is superfluous to introduce allied representatives, for I do not propose to introduce my representatives into the allied armies with the right of a decisive vote." “On the second point: Also redundant. My armies fight with greater success than the armies of My allies." "On the third point: The act of internal government is subject to the discretion of the Monarch and does not require the indication of allies."
As soon as the Sovereign's answer became known in the British Embassy, an emergency meeting was held with the participation of the same persons; on it it was decided abandon the legal path and embark on the path of revolution».
“We knew,” said brother P. N. Milyukov after the revolution, “that in the spring the victories of the Russian army were coming. In such a case, the prestige and charm of the Tsar among the people would again become so strong and tenacious that all our efforts to undermine and topple the throne of the Autocrat would be in vain. That is why it was necessary to resort to the speediest revolutionary explosion in order to avert this danger. At the end of February Freemasonry releases destructive forces. Other people's gold appears. February 23 a skillful hand drives the crowds into the streets of Petrograd.
The mob is frightened by the coming famine. Clashes begin with the police and troops. On February 26, a decree on the dissolution of the Duma follows, to which it is not subject.
March 19, 1917 Jacob Schiff, who, according to French intelligence, gave the Russian revolutionaries twelve million dollars, sent Milyukov telegram: “Allow me, as an irreconcilable enemy of the tyrannical autocracy, which mercilessly pursued our co-religionists through you, congratulate the Russian people on the deed that they have just brilliantly accomplished, and wish your comrades in the new government and you personally complete success in the great work that you have begun with such patriotism.
Igor Froyanov. "The February Revolution was unleashed not by the Bolsheviks, but by the Freemasons."
Rolefreemasonsinrevolution
Occultism in Russia. The first Soviet Masonic lodge is a single labor fraternity. Live theme
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