THE STONEMASONS OF GERMANY.
to
him any wrongfully acquired
a hull promising indulgence to
Pope Innocent
goods.^
all
"who
IV.,
\-j-j
on the 21st
May
1248, issued
shall contribute to the restoration of the Cathedral
^
This does not quite amount to granting privileges
by fire."
It is, however, only fair to add, that
somewhat near it.
the stonemasons, but comes
this latter document no original appears to be extant, the only copy of it being in Gelen's
at Cologne, recently destroyed
to
of
manuscript, de admir. magnit. Coloniis, p. 231.^
The general conclusions to which we are led
briefly
1.
summarised
The cradle of German
by the foregoing inquiry may be thus
:
architectural skill
is
to
be found in the convents, and not in the
organisation of the Stcinmdz guild.
2.
This organisation had
3.
About the twelfth century the convent and the
its origin in
the craft guilds of the
craft
cities.
builders imperceptibly amal-
gamated and formed the guilds of the Stcinmdzcn.
4. These
guilds differed only from other guilds in never having
fraternities for masters and journeymen.
In 1459, they constituted
perpetual head at Strassburg.
5.
themselves
into
one
into
split
separate
all-embracing fraternity, with
its
The Steinmetzcn were not singular in possessing a general bond of union, although their
system of centralisation has received greater notice than those of other fraternities.
7. As in all other guilds there was in use a secret method of communication,
consisting of
a form of greeting.
6.
8.
It is possible that there
was a
grip, in the possession of
which the Stcinmetzen may
have differed slightly from the other crafts.
9. There is not the slightest proof or indication of a word, and the existence of a sign
very doubtful
12.
There was no initiation ceremony.
There was possibly, but not probably, a ceremony at affiliation.
The symbolism did not go further than that of other craft guilds.
13.
There
is
10.
11.
is
not the least trace of a speculative science.
The admission
members
very doubtful.
15. The independence of State control was attempted but never established.
16. The Ordinances of the Steinmetzcn, and their institution oi a, fraternity were designed
to prolong their corporate existence by bringing into play a machinery analogous to that of a
14.
of honorary
is
,
modern trades union.
The confirmations of the Emperors were fraudulently obtained.
Whether privileges were granted by the popes remains undecided.
19. Although the Steinmetzcn preserved a continuous existence until within living memory.
Freemasonry, on its introduction into Germany from England in the last century, was not recog17.
18.
nised as having any connection with them, although in outward forms there were many points
of resemblance between the usages of the German Stonemasons and of the English Freemasons}
'
^
*
Lacomblet, Urkundenbuch fur Gesehichte des Nieder Rheins, vol.
Ibid., Tol.
ii.
,
ii.,
p. 429.
''
Hid., vol.
ii.,
p. 173.
p. xviii.
The Abbe Grandidier
(a non-m.isoii) in l/TS, or the following yatxr, first broaclied the tlicoiy of there being
between the "Freemasons" and the " Steinmetzcn," although Freemasonry \n
had penetrated into Germany from England nearly half a century previonsly.
historical connection
Z
its
an
present form