Ernst and Falk

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Ernst and Falk. Conversations for Freemasons (1778) is the work of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing . The work is divided into five conversations and contains a dialogue about Freemasonry . The preposition “for” in the title makes it clear that Lessing wanted to give the Freemasons living in the 18th century an orientation for their actions.

Creation and publication

The genesis of Ernst and Falk spans a period of eleven years between 1767 and 1778. The context of its origins is Lessing's application and admission to the Masonic Lodge founded in Hamburg in 1770, which was accompanied by an intensive discussion of the Freemasons' statutes and program . At the same time, Ernst and Falk develop points of view that Lessing had already confronted the public with in the fragments dispute.

It is assumed that Lessing intensified the work on the manuscript on Ernst and Falk , especially between the years 1774 and 1775 , whereby he initially dealt with the etymology of the word Freemasonry . A further elaboration of the text followed in the years 1775 and 1776, in which primarily historical aspects of Freemasonry were integrated. The Ernst and Falk manuscript . Conversations for Freemasons were ready at the end of 1777 in the form of the five conversations. Lessing sent it together with an accompanying letter at the end of July 1778 to his sovereign and patron, Duke Ferdinand of Braunschweig . Its benevolent reception led to the conversations being transcribed. It remains unclear what prompted Lessing to publish the first three conversations.

The first edition by Ernst and Falk was published anonymously by Johann Christian Dieterich in Göttingen in 1778 and initially comprised the first three conversations. In a letter of October 19, 1778 to Duke Ferdinand, Lessing apologized for having dedicated the book to him publicly without asking for his prior permission. In the late autumn of 1780, "the only pure copy" of the fourth and fifth conversations in Frankfurt am Main appeared in print without Lessing's knowledge .

Christian Friedrich Voss

The genesis of Lessing's Ernst and Falk. Conversations for Freemasons is linked to Lessing's relationship with the Freemasons' Association. Lessing came into contact with Freemasonry for the first time through his publisher Christian Friedrich Voss , whereupon he himself made the decision to become a Freemason. Presumably the wish arose from the "Masonic secret", about which he mocked himself in a poem written in 1771.

Johann Joachim Christoph Bode

From the acquaintance with Johann Joachim Christoph Bode , who also worked as a Freemason, Lessing hoped to get closer to the source of the “Masonic ideas”. This gave him the opportunity to read into various Masonic scriptures. However, Lessing's attempt in 1767 to allow Bode to smuggle himself into a Masonic lodge failed. According to Bode's report, which he published seven years after Lessing's death, Lessing's first conceptual draft on the “secret of Freemasonry” was created as early as 1767. Lessing formulated his draft in writing (beginning of 1771) after taking up the service as librarian for Duke Karl I of Braunschweig . In the Duke's library, Lessing found extensive literature on the subject of Freemasonry, with which he became familiar. Based on Lessing's remarks on the etymological discussion of the term “Freemason Society” in the sketches of 1771, it is assumed that Lessing already knew the German translation of a pamphlet published in London in 1768, either in the English original or in the German translation. At the end of August 1771 Lessing undertook a trip to Hamburg , where he decided to enter a Masonic lodge.

Georg Johann Freiherr von Rosenberg

The lodge relevant for Lessing was founded by Johann Georg Rosenberg in January 1770 in Hamburg and was named Zu den drei [golden] roses , which at that time demanded very high lodge fees and high membership fees, through which the founder of the lodge financed his living. At the end of 1770, Rosenberg's lodge was "ratified" by subordinating it to the young lodge named by Johann Wilhelm Ellenberger von Zinnendorf and thus the Great State Lodge of Germany. In September 1771, Rosenberg learned of Lessing's manuscript and wrote in a letter dated September 7th to his state grand master Zinnendorf in Berlin that it would be good to have “our famous Lessing in the order”. When Lessing's application for Bode to join the lodge was again rejected, he traveled to Berlin on September 17 with the Knorre couple . Because of this, the assumption is that the mint master Otto Heinrich Knorre was Rosenberg's mediator and persuaded Lessing to join the Rosenberg order .

On October 14, 1771, Lessing was accepted into the order in Rosenberg's apartment in the presence of Zinnendorf and Knorr. This was followed by a doctorate to become a journeyman and master, which is actually inadmissible according to the Masonic laws. Furthermore, the lodge was not legally represented that evening because neither the overseers nor the other officials were on site. On the following day Lessing was given a “lodge pass” in which his membership and doctorate are documented. Rosenberg wrote a letter to his state grandmaster Zinnendorf and told him about Lessing's successful acceptance. He assures Zinnendorf that Lessing will send him his essay on Freemasonry as soon as he arrives in Braunschweig . On October 19, 1771, in his letter to Lessing, Zinnendorf expresses a "reminder to be prudent and a warning to be careful about the publication of slightly misunderstood views."

Johann Carl Brönner

In light of this, the question arises why the remaining two interviews were printed. It can be assumed that Lessing initially worked more intensively on the rest of the text. In the summer of 1779, "the only pure copy" fell into the hands of a few friends on loan, from whom he did not get it back for a long time. Since the fourth and fifth dialogues were published in the late autumn of 1780, it is assumed that HL Brönner in Frankfurt am Main, referred to as the “commission agent”, is probably also the editor of these conversations. Since he died as the founder of the company in 1769, his son, the bookseller and Senator Johann Carl Brönner, took over the company and thus became the publisher of the font. This was also a Freemason and belonged to the Strict Observance , which would explain an explanation for the three stars in the text instead of the word " Lord Templar ".

structure

The dedication of the conversations by Ernst and Falk , which the lodge member “Sr. Serene Highness the Duke Ferdinand Most Serene Duke ” , contains with the cryptic formulation: “ I too was at the source of truth and draw. How deep I have scooped can only be judged by someone from whom I expect permission to scoop even deeper. The people have been longing for a long time and are dying of thirst ”is an indication of the socio-political relevance of Masonic action. The “Preface by a third party”, probably written by Lessing himself, justifies the thematization of Freemasonry with the fact that there has been no systematic discussion of the fundamentals and goals of the lodge system so far.

First conversation

The first three discussions take place on the occasion of Ernst's visit to his friend Falk in Bad Pyrmont , where he is taking a water cure . At this encounter, the younger Ernst wants to learn something from the lodge member Falk on the subject of Freemasonry. Falk only answers Ernst's questions indirectly because he is personally not convinced of the Masons 'lodge work, but only of the actual principles of the Freemasons' idea. Not the lodge membership, but the mental attitude of a person provides information about whether one is a Freemason. That is why many Freemasons, despite their membership in a lodge, do not know what the “essence” of Freemasonry actually means.

" FALK. I believe I am a Freemason; not so well because I was accepted into a legal lodge by older masons: but because I see and recognize what and why Freemasonry is, when and where it has been, how and by what means it is promoted or hindered. "

The human being in his being should become a Freemason in himself and through his reason and not because it is stated in the instructions for joining a Masonic lodge. The apparent contradiction between the idea of reason and the secret society consists in the fact that the decisive terms to describe the idea of ​​Freemasonry have not yet been found. Ernst asks how the lodges themselves could expand their influence if they were unable to put their idea into words.

" FALK. By doing. - They let good men and young men, whom they appreciate their approach, guess, guess their deeds, - see as far as they can be seen; they taste it, and do similar deeds. [...] I can and may only tell you this much: the true deeds of the Freemasons are so great, so far-looking that entire centuries can pass before one can say: they did that! Nevertheless they have done everything good that is still in the world - notice well: in the world! - And continue to work on all that is good, what will still be in the world, - notice well, in the world. "

But not the recognition of good deeds by society is the goal of the Masonic idea, but “to make unnecessary what is commonly called good deeds”. The actions of an individual in society should not be the exception in the form of a “good” deed, but should become a rule in the form of a “true” deed, and thus make a contribution to improving society.

Second conversation

The subject of the second conversation is the interrelationship between people and society. The interlocutors agree in Rousseau 's sense that the state must be there for people and not the other way around: FALK. [...] The states unite people so that through this and in this union every single person can enjoy his part of happiness the better and more safely. - The total of the individual bliss of all members is the bliss of the state. Apart from this there are none. Every other bliss of the state, in which no matter how few individual members suffer and have to suffer, is a cloak of tyranny.

However, the idea of ​​the ideal state harbors the danger that it does the opposite of what it should actually do : FALK. Well, then, it is also true that the means which unite people in order to secure their happiness through this union simultaneously divides people . Therefore, no state constitution in the world is able to prevent the division of society into different nations, classes and religions: FALK. [...] It cannot unite people without separating them; do not separate without fixing gaps between them, without drawing dividing walls through them .

At this point the idea of ​​the Freemasons becomes effective, because it is their task and nature to "draw the separations, which make people so strange to one another, as close as possible to one another". The ultimate goal of the Masonic idea and their “real deeds” is to create a socio-political balance within societies, in which their “secret” lies. Specifically, Falk expresses his hope that there will be more people who see other people as “mere people” and not primarily “such people” (i.e. people with a different ethnic origin or nationality, religion or class). This hope culminates in three expressions of wishes by Falk, each of which, liturgical as it were , is confirmed by Ernst with the stereotypical words: "Very much to wish!":

  • [...] To be very wishing that there would be men in every state who would be beyond the prejudices of the people and would know exactly where patriotism ceases to be a virtue. [...]
  • To be very wishing that there would be men in every state who are not subject to the prejudice of their innate religion; did not believe that everything must necessarily be good and true what they recognize to be good and true. [...]
  • Very much to wish that in every state there would be men who do not blind civil highness and who do not disgust civil insignificance; in whose company the tall one likes to condescend and the low one rises boldly.

According to Falk, these people are Freemasons as far as their principles are concerned, regardless of how Freemasons behave in practice. Ulrich Kronauer interprets Lessing's Rousseau reception with the words: "It is not inequality that precedes civil society, but the true Freemasons try to maintain the attraction of the precedent 'same nature' in the social state of inequality."

Third conversation

Consequently, the implementation of the intentions of the Freemasons is best guaranteed when critical spirits become members of the Lodge: "The spark had ignited: Ernst went and became a Freemason."

Fourth conversation

On the occasion of Ernst's accession to the Freemasons, the fourth conversation deals with the criticism of the current institution of the lodges. SERIOUS. [...] One wants to make gold, the other wants to conjure up spirits, the third wants to restore the [Temple Lords] ... [...] But what gnaws me is that: I see nothing everywhere, hear nothing everywhere but these childish things, that nobody wants to know anything about him whose expectation you aroused in me. I like to set this tone as often as I want, against whom I want; nobody wants to join in, always and everywhere the deepest silence. Lodge work is just a cloak under which wealthy, powerful men try to become even more wealthy and powerful. Since these men also largely passed the laws of the state, it was foreseeable that the same laws would be aligned with their needs and thus no longer have any influence on them. However, Falk states that this leads to a regression of the essence of the Masonic idea. Ideas are ephemeral too, so it could be that now, i. H. at the end of the 18th century, the end of the Freemasonry era. Falk takes up Ernst's institutional criticism and explains that "[...] Lodge behaves to Freemasonry, like the church to faith."

According to Hans-Hermann Höhmann , the Freemason-critical writer Lessing comes in here, offering stimulating but also uncomfortable reading on the question of how far the concrete historical Freemasonry can deviate from the "essence" Freemasonry and how far Freemasonry can, so to speak, move away from itself. Falk (Lessing) not only criticizes the “concrete scheme of Freemasonry” that was implemented at the time, he also questions the approach of institutionalized Freemasonry in general, since Freemasonry is “basically not based on external connections that so easily degenerate into bourgeois arrangements ", But rather on the" common feeling of sympathetic spirits ". Freemasonry is therefore a friendship alliance for Falk . Incidentally, according to Falk, it is not possible to get to the “secret” of the Freemasons through lodge work, because “ [the] secret of Freemasonry [...] is what the Freemason cannot bring to his lips when it is it is also possible that he wanted it. "

Fifth conversation

Using the etymology of the word “Freemasonry”, which Lessing traces back to “German peoples” through King Arthur 's round table , Lessing lets Falk illustrate their idea again . The architect of St. Paul's Cathedral in London , Christoph Wren , had Lessing ascribed the idea of ​​a Masonic lodge through Falk :

“He had previously helped to draft the plan for a society of sciences, which should make speculative truths more beneficial and civil life more beneficial. Suddenly he saw the opposite of a society that rose from the practice of bourgeois life. '' There, 'he thought,' would be investigated what is useful under the true; and here what would be true under the useful. What if I made some principles of Masonei exoteric? What if I hide what cannot be done exoterically under the hieroglyphs and symbols of the same craft [...]? "

Position of "Ernst and Falk" in Lessing's complete works

According to Wilfried Barner , Ernst and Falk , Nathan the Wise and The Upbringing of the Human race “are not only genetically related (§§ 1-53 of“ Education ”appeared anonymously in 1777 together with Reimarus fragments, the whole thing not until 1780), but are each other also complementary as meaning models. "

"Nathan the wise"

In Lessing's drama Nathan the Wise , published in 1779, the Jew Nathan, Lessing's mouthpiece in the drama, gives the young templar his ideal of human coexistence:

"[...] We have to, have to be friends! - Despise / my people as much as you will. We both / ourselves did not choose our people. Are / we our people? What does people mean? / Are Christian and Jew more likely to be Christian and Jew / As a human being? Ah! if I had found someone else in you who is content to be called a person! "

At this point Lessing repeats his plea in the second conversation in "Ernst and Falk" that one should see in other people above all "mere people" and make friends with them. The passage anticipates the “general hugs” at the end of the drama.

Reception and criticism

Lessing's “Conversations for Freemasons” were and are positively received by some Freemasons and Masonic lodges as a guide for their actions. One example of this is the Munich Freemason Lodge “Lessing zum Flammenden Stern”, which prefixes the wishes of the two dialogue partners about the ideal society in the second conversation in Ernst and Falk as the motto of their work. In general, Hans-Hermann Höhmann states: “Attempts were made again and again to use Lessing in general and Ernst and Falk in particular for concrete Masonic justification needs. Quoting scriptures in lectures, temple drawings, and articles has always been widespread. "

The charge was made against Lessing that he was indiscreet. In an irresponsible way, he “chatted off the sewing box”, thereby revealing “secrets” of the Freemasons to the public and thus damaging the covenant. A “BH” said in 1841: “Even Lessing would have better left his Ernst and Falk , Nicolai his history of Freemasonry unpublished; for both sought to establish a different historical system for each, and both only managed to get intelligent people to notice that even men are not at all clear about this point, and they are rightly trusted to have the deepest knowledge and the most active research spirit. It had to be noticed that the soiled laundry was washed in front of everyone's eyes, the torn laundry hung up in front of everyone's eyes. "

Some interpreters even suggest that Lessing's early death could have been caused intentionally by Freemasons through a creeping poison, who would not have forgiven him for betraying their subversive plans (their real secret). Such conspiracy theories , however , are firmly rejected by Lessing biographer Hugh Barr Nisbet : there is now a consensus that Lessing's conversations are unsuitable for a revolutionary interpretation. Ultimately, the two interlocutors agreed that the state and civil society, despite their evils and inequalities, were far to be preferred to the state of nature and that no attempt should be made to completely eliminate such evils, “because the state itself would be destroyed with them “(Which Lessing apparently does not want).

Editions (recent selection)

  • Ernst and Falk. Conversations for Freemasons . With an introduction and explanations by Wolfgang Kelsch. Studienverlag, Innsbruck 2010, ISBN 978-3-7065-4818-2
  • Ernst & Falk. Conversations for Masons 1-5 . Modernized language version by Evert Kornmayer with two further, previously lost conversations for Freemasons. Kornmayer, [Rödermark] 2011, ISBN 978-3-942051-20-0

literature

  • Dana Janetta Dogaru: From what is said to what is meant. Reflections on Lessing's “Ernst and Falk” . In: Christian Braun (Ed.): Language and Secret. Special language research in the field of tension between the arcane and the profane . Akademie-Verlag, Berlin 2012, pp. 77–88.
  • Joseph Gabriel Findel: Lessing's views on Freemasonry. A study on "Ernst and Falk" . Printed and published by JG Findel, Leipzig 1881.
  • Karl Siegfried Guthke: Lessing's “Sixth Freemason Conversation” . In: Journal for German Philology 85. 1966, pp. 576–597.
  • Oskar Posner, Eugen Lenhoff: International Freemasons Lexicon . T. VI. Zurich, Leipzig / Vienna 1932.
  • Heinrich Schneider : Lessing. Twelve biographical studies. The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950.
  • Johann Friedrich Ludwig Theodor Merzdorf: Ernst and Falk. Conversations for Freemasons. Historically and critically explained . Rümpler, Hanover 1855.
  • Werner Henning : Ernst and Falk - Conversations for Freemasons. Dissertation, Halle (Saale) 1985. DNB 860999882

Web links

credentials

  1. ↑ Freemason Lodge Hamburg on the three roses: Freemasonry ( Memento from May 4, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ^ Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 183
  3. ^ Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 185.
  4. ^ Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 187
  5. ^ Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 188
  6. ^ Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 194
  7. ↑ Gotthold Ephraim Lessing: The secret
  8. ^ Oskar Posner: International Freemasons Lexicon . Part VI. Zurich, Leipzig and Vienna 1932, p. 6 ff.
  9. ^ Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 167
  10. ^ A b Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 168
  11. ^ A b Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 169 f.
  12. ^ Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 174
  13. ^ A b Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 175
  14. ^ Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 176
  15. ^ A b Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 177
  16. ^ Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 179 f.
  17. ^ Heinrich Schneider: Lessing. Twelve biographical studies . The Bergland-Buch Verlag, Salzburg 1950, p. 194.
  18. ^ A b Gotthold Ephraim Lessing: Ernst and Falk. Conversations for Freemasons . In: Insel Collection. Frankfurt a. Main 1968, p. 9
  19. ^ Gotthold Ephraim Lessing: Ernst and Falk. Conversations for Freemasons . In: Insel Collection. Frankfurt a. Main 1968, p. 94f.
  20. ↑ Ulrich Kronauer: The bold worldly way. Lessing as a reader of Rousseau . In: Herbert Jausmann (Ed.): Rousseau in Deutschland , de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1994, p. 40
  21. ^ Gotthold Ephraim Lessing: Ernst and Falk. Conversations for Freemasons . In: Insel Collection. Frankfurt a. Main 1968, p. 13 f.
  22. ↑ Ulrich Kronauer: The bold worldly way. Lessing as a reader of Rousseau . In: Herbert Jausmann (Ed.): Rousseau in Deutschland , de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1994, p. 42
  23. ^ Gotthold Ephraim Lessing: Ernst and Falk. Conversations for Freemasons . In: Insel Collection. Frankfurt a. Main 1968, p. 101
  24. ↑ Hans-Hermann Höhmann: Freemasons - Analyzes, Considerations, Perspectives ( Memento of March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 3.6 MB). Bremen, Edition Temmen 2011 (first print: 1991), p. 273
  25. ^ Gotthold Ephraim Lessing: Ernst and Falk. Conversations for Freemasons . In: Insel Collection. Frankfurt a. Main 1968, p. 54; on the dubious etymological derivation see ibid. pp. 113f.
  26. ^ Wilfried Barner:  Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 14, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1985, ISBN 3-428-00195-8 , pp. 339-346 ( digitized version ).
  27. ↑ Gotthold Ephraim Lessing: Nathan the Wise. A dramatic poem in five acts , v. 1306–1313
  28. ↑ Freemason Lodge Lessing on the Flaming Star: Model of the Freemason Lodge Lessing on the Flaming Star
  29. ↑ Hans-Hermann Höhmann: Freemasons - Analyzes, Considerations, Perspectives ( Memento of March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 3.6 MB). Bremen, Edition Temmen 2011 (first print: 1991), p. 270
  30. ↑ Position of Freemasonry on the main questions of our time . German quarterly journal, issue 1/1841, p. 123f.
  31. ^ Hugh Barr Nisbet: Lessing. A biography . CH Beck, Munich 2008, p. 773