The Freemasons’ Treasures That Never Were

The Financial Flexibility of Hungarian Masonic Lodges (1895–1916)

Abstract

There are still many myths about Freemasonry. One such – mistaken – assumption about the federation is that their influence stems in part from their fabulous wealth. However, the financial possibilities of Freemasonry in Hungary were severely limited. The main source of income for lodges came from membership fees. The personal incomes of most of the staff were able, in more fortunate cases, to provide a decent middle-class living for their families. However, they were almost incapable of doing anything beyond that. The budgets of the free education institutions set up by Freemasonry were low and unprofitable. It was difficult for the lodges to support the radical student and teacher societies financially. The maintenance of the war hospital in the capital, established by the Grand Lodge in 1914, was also beyond the financial capacity of the federation. It can be stated, therefore, that Hungarian Masonic lodges did not have considerable wealth and their activities were limited to modest projects with a narrow margin of manoeuvre.