Eberhard Desch, Sovereign Grand Commander

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Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (AASR) in Germany


The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is the most widespread system of advanced and promoting degrees in the world. It is an international community and a worldwide brotherhood grown in more than 200 years. The German division is represented by the Supreme Council for Germany. This is an independent Masonic obedience and has territorial sovereignty. Supreme Councils are found in more than 60 countries. The Supreme Council for Germany maintains amicable relations with most of them as well as with the Orders of Freemasonry in the Scandinavian states. There are agreements of mutual visits with the Grand National Mother Lodge "To the Three Globes" (founded 1740) and the “Grosse Landesloge der Freimaurer von Deutschland – Freimaurerorden” with respect to the adequate advanced degrees.

The Supreme Councils has been embedded in their international relations from the very beginning as is laid down in the Grand Constitutions of 1786. The sovereignty for the own country is complemented by fraternal connections to the Supreme Councils of other countries. This is of high value especially in times of globalisation and international mobility of our Brethren. Right from the beginning, the Supreme Councils have targeted at promoting of mutual understanding by international contacts and thus serve for freedom and peace. This very fact led to the ban of the AASR and partly the prosecution of its members during the National Socialist regime in Germany.

The Scottish Rite desires to consolidate the Masonic ideas of its Brethren. The degrees impart ethical principles that have proven to provide good for mankind in history and therefore have obtained significance and validity. The Rite stimulates its members to take up the cultural developments of our time, as well as take up results from science and art and to make use of visions gained not only for the benefit of the brethren but also for mankind in general. Each of the brethren is to the best of his ability encouraged to contribute to a better shape of society and to a peaceful tolerance. A concern of the Rite is to re-establish justice picking up the traditional Templar legend.

The Scottish Rite recruits its members from Master Masons coming from regular Lodges, in particular from the Grand Lodge of the Ancient and Accepted Masons of Germany, but not from Grand Lodges having an own system of advanced degrees. New members are basically appointed, they cannot apply for membership.

The AASR does not work in the first three degrees. Following an Agreement of 1963 these degrees are left to the Grand Lodge of the Ancient and Accepted Masons. In Germany only the following degrees are worked on: 4, 13/14, 18, 29/30, 31/32 and 33; the others are conferred. The Lodges of the AASR are named Ateliers. The Supreme Council for Germany headed by the Sovereign Grand Commander has jurisdiction for 112 Ateliers (in 2008) with 1.800 Brethren. It runs a Masonic Academy and edits bimonthly the publication ELEUSIS (circulation: 2.300).

On behalf of the Supreme Council for Germany I wish you all the best,

Yours Eberhard Desch, Sovereign Grand Commander