15 June 2018
Castle exhibition tips in Austria: The culture of Freemasonry shown at Schloss Rosenau and tracks of the Middle Ages' Templars on view at Schloss Lockenhaus
Both organizations - the Templars of the Middle Ages (founded in the early 12th century by a French knight in Jerusalem) and the Freemasons (founded 300 years ago in the 18th century in England with origins which can be tracked back to the Middle Ages) are known for being worldwide leagues dedicated to the sake of society. Both have a long history and some secrets will never be revealed such as all the locations where they met (especially in the case of the Templars) or still arrange their meetings; never mind the full member lists.
 Now, the 'Freimaurer-Museum' (Freemasonry Museum) at the Renaissance to Baroque style converted Schloss Rosenau exhibits under the title 'Hoffnung - Vertreibung - Neubeginn' (could be transl. as 'Hope - Expulsion - Restart') 100 years of Freemasonry in Austria by showcasing objects of members of the organization such as Alfred Hermann Fried's Noble Prize for Peace medal (from 1911) and historical photos and film material. 'Hope - Expulsion - Restart' looks over a time span of 100 years back to the 8th December 1918 when the Grand Lodge was officially founded in Vienna after more than 120 years of persecution. The situation lasted only 20 years; Freemasons were persecuted again under National Socialism. Additionally, the lodge's financial assets were confiscated. After World War II in 1945, the Grand Lodge was restarted by following the principles of 'Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood'. Portraits and biographies of important forward thinking Freemasons give the secret society the face of a future-building organization. (The exhibition folder with images of some of the shown objects and portraits can be found at freimaurer-wiki.de.)
fig. above: View at Schloss Rosenau, located in Austria's federal state 'Lower Austria'. Photo: © Freimaurer-Museum Schloss Rosenau.
fig. below: Views at Schloss Lockenhaus and from the mountain castle and medieval fortress over the region in the east of Austria in the country's federal state 'Burgenland' (means transl. 'Castles Land').
It's not verified that the Templars resided ever at Schloss Lockenhaus. The castle's crypt could have been used by the Templars but it's also possible that it was a prison or cistern. However the case is discussed, the world of the medieval knights becomes alive through the exhibition in the old masonry (Roman, Gothic architecture) of Schloss Lockenhaus.
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