After it became known that the former castle actor Florian Teichtmeister had built a “temple of general philanthropy” on his private property, the Austrian Freemasons now spoke for themselves: “Yes, Florian Teichtmeister was a member of us for many years,” explains the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Austria on request at krone.tv. “We were just as misled by Mr. Teichtmeister as the ORF, the Burgtheater and the whole audience…”
“As soon as the indictment was announced, Teichtmeister was immediately expelled from the Grand Lodge. I can still remember it being a Friday,” says krone.tv. On Friday, January 13, it became widely known in the media that the actor was accused of possessing large amounts of child pornography files. The Grand Lodge responded immediately and consistently. “What Teichtmeister did is to be deeply condemned and we don’t want to defend it with a word.”
Florian Teichtmeister had built a kind of temple on private property in Langenlois (Lower Austria), which he shares with two family members – so we reported. The engravings that can be read on it raise questions: “Memento mori” – in English – remember, you must die. And: “Recognize yourself, master yourself and ennoble yourself.” Statements – which, according to the art historian, can be attributed to Freemasonry.
“Temple” Built: “It Annoyed Me”
“The concept of general philanthropy that Mr. Teichtmeister used is somewhat cumbersome and historical in nature,” explains the grandmaster. “In modern language, it just goes back to the concept of humanity.” The “scribbled sayings” and the “temple”, if it can be called that, would have nothing to do with Freemasonry. “It annoyed me. Each of the members is also forbidden to do pseudo-ritual things in their free time. That’s why we have our premises, in which this is institutionalized.”
The Freemasons are not a secret society. “We just want it to remain discreet.” And: “For us, it’s all about the intellectual exploration of humanity and tolerance.”
“We are anything but a self-help group”
The alliance was unable to rebuild when Florian Teichtmeister joined the Freemasons. Only so much: “He came to the Grand Lodge as an aspiring actor and contacted us.” Freemasonry is personality training, can be read on the homepage of the Grand Lodge. Whether Florian Teichtmeister – who is due to appear in court in September – wanted to become a better person by becoming a member, can be guessed. “One thing I’ve learned is how to relate to the people I interact with. The individual areas of life are often split off and things are suppressed.” But it’s very clear: “We can’t offer him a self-help group. We’re anything but that.”
Freemasonry today is represented almost worldwide, but divided into different systems and groups. In Austria there are currently 78 lodges with about 3500 members. Big names can be found in the list of former and active Freemasons. Many high-ranking politicians in Austria are and were members.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
