Loża. Polityka. Państwo

Abstrakt

Lodge.Politics. State Based on sources unknown to Polish historians, stored in the archives of the Great United Lodge of England in London—Library and Museum of Freemasonry. Charitable Trust of the United Grand Lodge of England (LMF UGLE) — the author reconstructs the process of building in Poland during the reign of Stanisław August Poniatowski, after the first partition (1778–1784), the Freemasonry based on the English system. The mainrole wasplayed by theambitionsof Polish leaders of theFreemasonry with IgnacyPotockiandKarlHeykingfromCourland,tobuildasovereignobedience“inthe VistulaandNemanvalleys,”whichcouldserveasamodelforthenon-sovereignPolish-Lithuanianstate.Thepathtothedestinationled fromWarsawthroughthelodgesin St.PetersburgandBerlintoLondon,thecradleof theworldmovementof the“royalart” ofFreemasonry.However,inorderforthepoliticalandsystemicchangesintheRepublic of Poland, at the mercy of the Russian neighbor and diligently guarded by Prussia, to take place, a broader international agreement of the liberal forces had to be built. Until the adoption of new laws of the National Grand Orient of Poland and LithuaniainFebruary1784,themightyGreatLodgeof Englandclearlyfavoredthese intentions. Later, the paths of native Freemasonry and its English protector diverged, asdiscussedindetailinthefinalpartof thearticle.Lookingattheprocessesdescribed fromtheperspectiveof Warsaw,wewillbeabletosaythatattheturnof theeighthand ninth decades of the 18th century, the capital of the Crown of Poland was promoted first to the center of the entire Freemasonry of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and secondly became the axis of the great international system of the great lodges of the English rite, which included London, Berlin, St. Petersburg and Warsaw.