Open Lectures on Freemasonry
What is Open Lectures on Freemasonry?
In this era where the printed and manuscript word becomes ever more available through digital technology, new wider panoramas for the curious can open. OpenLFM, through its online lecture series on Freemasonry given by prominent scholars, will aim to demonstrate a range of new perspectives for academics, Freemasons or simply the curious.
Lectures are audible, within technical limits, to those who are interested in the topic to be presented. Participation requires prior registration. Registration is free of charge. Registered users will be invited to OpenLFM Googlegroups and will be informed about forthcoming activities. OpenLFM beholds the right to reject any registration with no further explanation.
Next Lecture
Books More Worth than People
Helge Bjørn Horrisland
November 27, 2022 6 PM GMT
During its history european freemasonry has had a remarkable tendency to survive and even get strength from the after effects of war. Until World War II which became a nightmare for the movement. Even though the actual fatality figures of freemasons were limited, lodges and individual member were the victims of cultural looting unparalelled in history. One of the culprits, the german security police, brought 1,5 million looted masonic books from lodge libraries and private collections to Berlin, stored them in the confiscated largest masonic building in the german capital with the intention to do scientific research on freemasonry as one of nazism’s defined enemied. A group of male jews worked in the SS-library as slave laborers and escaped deportation to the camps for almost two years. One of the last eyewitness to the well kept secrets around this operation was a five year old jewish girl that indirectly postponed the dissoution of the group of slave laborers and saved her family from deportation in an environment where masonic books were more important than human lives.
Chair Jacob Sadilek
Helge Bjorn Horrisland (born 1950) is a Norwegian Masonic historian, specialising in Masonic history in the twentieth century and repatriation of Masonic belongings after World War II. He is working as International Repatriation Coordinator for The Association of Masonic Museums, Libraries and Archives (AMMLA), Brussels, is a member of the Masonic Library and Museum Organisation (MLMA), Washington DC, and is being used as consultant by governmental and Masonic institutions in repatriation matters. He was initiated in Lodge Orion No 6, Kristiansand, Norway (1984) and was Master of Chapter Lodge Sorlandet Kapitel Broderforening (2003–06), held various positions in the Grand Lodge of Norway, such as Grand Lodge Historian (2014–16), founder of the Grand Lodge Historical Archive (2013) and Member of The General Purposes Committee. He was Deputy Master of the Norwegian Lodge of Research Niels Treschow, Oslo (2009–16), is a member of research lodges in various European countries, and is frequently used as speaker in international forums. Horrisland has been awarded the highest honour of Norwegian Freemasonry – The Grand Lodge Honorary Shield (2012). He is a retired ship’s agent living with his wife in Kristiansand, Norway and Palm Beach Gardens/Florida.
Only registered users could get an invitation which will be sent before the lecture date. Please note that the size of the audience is limited by technical capacities.
Helge Bjørn Horrisland
Jacob Sadilek