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Stuttgart-Oberturkheim,
Kirchsteige 11
P
January 11, 1951 (Be/G)
Y
Dear Brother Denslow:
Our Grand Master, Brother Theodor Voegl, is at present in a
sanatorium. Orally and from a distance he has asked me to send you a telegram,
which you means/hile have probably received, but which I should like briefly to
confirm again.
(Here follows the telegram)
Brother Vogel requests me further to inform you by airmail of the
relationships and the previous history of the situation, in view of the fact that
he is himself handicapped at the moment. Without doubt he will later s end you
still further particulars to supplement my interim report.
At the present time we in Germany are extremely anxious to see
the bonds of friendship between our two nations cemented as closely as possible.
We Freemasons particularly are fighting toward this goal, although we often run
into very bitter condemnation because of this. One of these grounds for condem-
nation, which turns all of our honorable efforts to mockery and hurts us in an
infinite degree, is the (at least partially) unjust sentences of the U.S. Military
Courts during the years 1945 to 1946. Above all is the fact that, for example,
dozens of men have been confined for four years or more in the death cells of
Landsberg prison, and have suffered a thousandfold already the death sentences,
which, perhaps they deserved. From the standpoint of humanity and of divine
justice this situation is unbearable.
We German Freemasons are constantly being chided for the fact, that
we should not under any circumstances suffer such inhumanity in silence, that we,
on the contrary, would in any case have to life our voices in opposition, that we
should turn to our Bretheen, who, like ourselves, have obligated themselves in the
service of humanity. Fourhermore, it is well know that, above all, the President
of the United States, H. S. Truman, is not only a member of the Masonic fraternity,
but that he is actually a (Past) Grand Master, and that he occupies a position where
he is responsible for making decisions as to the commands of humanity.
In this situation we have regarded it as necessary and proper to lift
our voices, also to keep you informed, since you are a good and highly valued
friend of German Freemasonry; yes, even more, to ask for your assistance. We
know that among the condemned there must be many who may have rightfully
received the sentences of 1945. We know, too, that probably all of them, during
the period of the Third Reich were our enemies; that, through them, many of our
Bretheen probably lost their freedom and their lives. Nevertheless, and in spite
of all that, our consciences compel us to do as the Holy Book says: "Love your
enemies*****
Brother Vogel requests me to ask your fraternal understanding,
your assistance, and your friendship. To this request I add my own petition.
Fraternally and sincerely,
3.
/s/ Henry Bernhard, Grand Orator and Member of
RECORDS AND
the Grand Lodge Committee on Business Affairs,
SERVICE*
United Grand Lodge of German Freemasons.
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"ocrText": "(Translation)\nStuttgart-Oberturkheim,\nKirchsteige 11\nP\nJanuary 11, 1951 (Be/G)\nY\nDear Brother Denslow:\nOur Grand Master, Brother Theodor Voegl, is at present in a\nsanatorium. Orally and from a distance he has asked me to send you a telegram,\nwhich you means/hile have probably received, but which I should like briefly to\nconfirm again.\n(Here follows the telegram)\nBrother Vogel requests me further to inform you by airmail of the\nrelationships and the previous history of the situation, in view of the fact that\nhe is himself handicapped at the moment. Without doubt he will later s end you\nstill further particulars to supplement my interim report.\nAt the present time we in Germany are extremely anxious to see\nthe bonds of friendship between our two nations cemented as closely as possible.\nWe Freemasons particularly are fighting toward this goal, although we often run\ninto very bitter condemnation because of this. One of these grounds for condem-\nnation, which turns all of our honorable efforts to mockery and hurts us in an\ninfinite degree, is the (at least partially) unjust sentences of the U.S. Military\nCourts during the years 1945 to 1946. Above all is the fact that, for example,\ndozens of men have been confined for four years or more in the death cells of\nLandsberg prison, and have suffered a thousandfold already the death sentences,\nwhich, perhaps they deserved. From the standpoint of humanity and of divine\njustice this situation is unbearable.\nWe German Freemasons are constantly being chided for the fact, that\nwe should not under any circumstances suffer such inhumanity in silence, that we,\non the contrary, would in any case have to life our voices in opposition, that we\nshould turn to our Bretheen, who, like ourselves, have obligated themselves in the\nservice of humanity. Fourhermore, it is well know that, above all, the President\nof the United States, H. S. Truman, is not only a member of the Masonic fraternity,\nbut that he is actually a (Past) Grand Master, and that he occupies a position where\nhe is responsible for making decisions as to the commands of humanity.\nIn this situation we have regarded it as necessary and proper to lift\nour voices, also to keep you informed, since you are a good and highly valued\nfriend of German Freemasonry; yes, even more, to ask for your assistance. We\nknow that among the condemned there must be many who may have rightfully\nreceived the sentences of 1945. We know, too, that probably all of them, during\nthe period of the Third Reich were our enemies; that, through them, many of our\nBretheen probably lost their freedom and their lives. Nevertheless, and in spite\nof all that, our consciences compel us to do as the Holy Book says: \"Love your\nenemies*****\nBrother Vogel requests me to ask your fraternal understanding,\nyour assistance, and your friendship. To this request I add my own petition.\nFraternally and sincerely,\n3.\n/s/ Henry Bernhard, Grand Orator and Member of\nRECORDS AND\nthe Grand Lodge Committee on Business Affairs,\nSERVICE*\nUnited Grand Lodge of German Freemasons."
}