Toronto Society for Masonic Research (TSMR)
UGLoG -- United Grand Lodges of Germany -- Fraternity of Freemasons
VGLvD -- Vereinigte Großlogen von Deutschland -- Bruderschaft der Freimaurer
"Uniquely, German Masonry is made up of a combination of five distinct and largely independent Grand Lodges, under the umbrella of the United Grand Lodges of Germany."
-- Freemasonry Universal, Henderson & Pope, Vol.2 (2000), p.199 (Source)
The following information is from the UGLoG (VGLvD) web site: http://www.freimaurer.org/
Organization and Constitution of the UGLoG are regulated by a treaty of the member Grand Lodges, the so-called German Masonic Magna Charta of 1958.
The five (largely independent) member Grand Lodges, each with their own Grand Master are:
AFAM 260 lodges 9800 Großloge der Alten Freien und Angenommenen Maurer von Deutschland
GLL 108 lodges 3700 Große Landesloge der Freimaurer von Deutschland - Freimaurerorden
GNML 40 lodges 800 Große National-Mutterloge „Zu den drei Weltkugeln“
ACGL 33 lodges American Canadian Grand Lodge
BFG 16 lodges Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany
Total 461 lodges 14000 members (member data from 1988, lodges 2007)
2 ordinary lodges and one research lodge are warranted directly by the UGLoG
The UGLoG is the sole, sovereign representation of Freemasonry in Germany towards foreign freemasonic organizations, and towards the public. It is the carrier of recognition of German freemasonry by world-freemasonry. It is charged with fraternal cooperation and research. The member Grand Lodges are autonomous in questions of internal order and the arrangement of their ritual.
At the head of the UGLoG are the Grand Master and his deputy. They are nominated by the Senate and elected for a 3 year term by the Convention. The Grand Master appoints the Grand Secretary, the Grand Treasurer, as well as Committees for external affairs and public relations. These must be confirmed by the Senate.
The Senate is the executive organ of the UGLoG. It consists of 11 members:
5 AFAM
3 GLL
1 GNML
1 ACGL
1 BFG
It decides with 4/5th, chaired by the Grand Master, without vote.
The Convention is the representation of the lodges. It deliberates the proposed legislation and decisions of the Senate. It can propose, decide, petition, and advise.
Eligible members are the Masters of the lodges, with one vote each. The Convention convenes every 3 years (usually) in Berlin. It elects the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master, as recommended by the Senate.
The High Court decides independently in matters of masonic order, when all means of legislature and the Senate are exhausted.
The UGLoG publishes annually the "UGLoG Yearbook", edited by the Grand Master's office. A special information circular is published for the Conventions.
The UGLoG was established 1958-04-27 as a historically unique construct, insofar as the five constituent Grand Lodges only renounced two of their Sovereignty Rights, namely the representation of all German Freemasons towards foreign masonic organizations, and towards the profane world.
[One of the member Grand Lodges, the ACGL, is also a member Grand Lodge of the CONFERENCE OF GRAND MASTERS in North America.]
Henderson & Pope (2000) (p.212) report 62 Prince Hall lodges in 37 locations under 6 Prince Hall (Affiliated) jurisdictions, namely GA IL MD OK TX WA . Pantagraph (2005) indicates that the UGLoG recognize only the (3) Prince Hall (Affiliated) Grand Lodges of MA, CT, and CO. The UGLE recognizes 29 (of 47).
The UGLG Grand Master wears a white lambskin apron. The AF&AM Grand Master does as well, but the two foreign Grand Masters in the UGLG do not. The three German(-speaking) member Grand Lodges "work" differently, with 3 distinct religious characteristics.
-- Compiled and translated by PR 2008-03-09 (This ends the English text.)
...
Die drei deutschen Großlogen haben folgende Glaubensschwellen (bitte berichtigen):
GLL - Christlich (Persönlicher Glaube an Jesus Christus-- auch ohne Religionsgemeinschaft)
GNML - Religiös (Wie UGLE, 1989: Bibel, Gebet, Jenseits, Vater, Gott, Himmel) +ACGL +BFG
AFAM - Humanitär (Höchstes Wesen - Auch als Prinzip)
Cf: Vereinigte Großlogen von Deutschland - Freimaurerei und Religion FAQ
Leitgedanken (AFAM)