Poland

Next, in Tarnowskie Góry, a UNESCO-listed town, the cultural heritage is enriched thanks to the town hall, which recovered objects from two Masonic lodges destroyed by the Nazi regime to create a museum. In this region rich in silver mines, Freemasonry was highly developed. In the same town, a beautifully reconstructed castle houses a Masonic museum and a temple with Masonic furniture, where the lodge of the Grand Lodge of France has been able to meet for its work. One can spend a few days there, as there is a hotel and a restaurant.

In the same region, near the Czech border in the small town of Ustron, Masonic symbols can be found on the facade of a house. This house contains a Masonic temple and a library of 2,000 books.

In the 18th century, as in most countries, Freemasonry developed rapidly in Poland thanks to the French language spoken by the Polish elite, who were captivated by Masonic ideas.

In 1742, the Marshal of Poland and Lithuania founded the Lodge of Saint John.

In 1744, the lodge in Warsaw “Three Brothers” was founded by the French.

In 1778, the first lodge of the Grand Orient of France appeared in Warsaw, and the Grand Orient of Poland was created in 1783.

In 1793, Poland disappeared from the map, partitioned by Russia, Prussia, and Austria. Many Freemasons hoped for the support of France to liberate Poland after the creation of the Duchy of Warsaw.

From this Napoleonic era dates the national anthem written by Freemason Jozef Wysocki, which says “March, March Dąbrowski (Freemason, Napoleon’s general) to free Poland.”

In 1918, Poland regained its freedom until the 1939 attack by Germany and subsequently the Soviet Union.

Polish Freemasonry has lived in freedom since 1989 thanks to SOLIDARITY (Solidarność).