Muž – slobodomurár. Hra alebo presvedčenie?
Man freemason. Nobleman’s issue or conviction?

Summary/Abstract: Since the 18th century, the Masonic movement had been perhaps the only secular association closed to women. Anchored in the fundamental Masonic documents, especially in the “Old Obligations of Freemasons”, masculinity of Freemasonry also governed the lodges in the Habsburg monarchy. The article provides an analysis of Masonic documents and aims at settling the question of whether Freemasonry was indeed an ideal association founded on charity, philantrophy and education, or it was “nobleman’s issue” or smugness even, which did not have much in common with the philosophy of Freemasonry. In the other part of my article, several interesting texts related to Masonic lodges of Habsburg monarchy from the second half of the 18th century are quoted. The memoirs of a Freemason and actor Josef Christ in particular are precious evidence on the situation within the lodges. So far unpublished Masonic book of the Košice lodge Haladas is quoted in relation with the initiation ceremony of a member to apprenticeship level. The book offers an interesting Masonic world rich in symbols, mysteries and various forms of “male” relationships.

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