freemasonry banned in spain by general franco
by Wor. Bro. Juan Carlos Alvarez
In 1940, General Franco, the Spanish dictator issued
a decree banning Freemasonry, Communism and other secret societies on the
grounds that Freemasonry was the cause of the fall of the Spanish Empire
in the 19th century, and in modern times, the cause of the Spanish Civil
War in conjunction with the communists. There were several articles in
this decree.
Article No 1: Constitutes a felony to be a communist,
or to belong to a masonic lodge or any other secret
society.
Article No 2: As these organizations are now banned
by the effects of this decree, all monies and properties are to be
confiscated immediately.
Article No 3: Any advertisement to exhort the
principles or pretended benefits of masonry or communism, or anything
against the Religion or the Motherland, will be penalised according to
this law.
Article No 4: To be considered a mason, will be those
who had been initiated into masonry and had not been expelled from the
Order, or not broken altogether their relationship with the organisation.
It would also be considered a mason those expelled from the Order with the
apparent reason to protect the member from the objects of this
law.
Article No 5: From the date of this publication,
masons and communists, as defined in article No 4 above, will be liable to
be imprisoned with a "minor jail offense", a minimum of 12 years and one
day, but this situation could be aggravated by the "Aggravated
Circumstances" as explained in Article No 6.
Article No 6: "Aggravated Circumstances" is to have
obtained any of the Degrees from the 18th to the 33rd inclusive, having
taken part in any Annual Communications or being part of any Committee or
Board of the Grand Orient of Spain, which would indicate the great
confidence of the Order entrusted upon the member.
Article No 7: Any mason or communist, who belongs to
either organisation, must notify the Government of his affiliation within
two months of the date of this law.
Article No 8: Without prejudice to other penalties as
per article No 5, and those who have not a reasonable excuse to be
absolved, will be separated immediately and indefinitely from Government
jobs, Public or Official Corporations, managerial and advisory positions
in private enterprise companies, as well as any other job in which any
kind of confidence is entrusted upon them. This law will cover this
employment situation in perpetuity. It will be considered a attenuating
circumstances providing information to the authorities about the persons
who had performed the initiation into masonry, their superiors, or any
other person involved in masonry or any other item of information that
will be of benefit in the carrying of this law.
Signed General Francisco Franco
March, 1940.
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