The destruction of Freemasonry in Yugoslavia, and the impossibility of its recovery under present conditions, is a subject which has not yet been properly researched. Relevant documents which could shed more light on the subject are still not available. The devolution of Freemasonry in Yugoslavia started more than 50 years ago and continues to this day.
    After the breakdown of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the formation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians, three lodges from Croatia and Slovenia requested release from the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary to form their own Grand Lodge. The Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary approved this on November 2 1918 and in January 1919, those three lodges formed a provisional Yugoslav Grand Lodge that ceased to exist six months later when, together with another three lodges from Serbia (released by the Supreme Council of the Kingdom of Serbia), they formed the Grand Lodge of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians “Yugoslavia” as the only masonic authority over the first three degrees. (The Supreme Council of the Kingdom of Serbia operated from the First to the Thirty-Third Degree - the first 18 Degrees derived from the Supreme Council of Rumania and the remainder of the Scottish Rite from the Supreme Council of Greece). The United Grand Lodge of England recognised Grand Lodge “Yugoslavia” in 1930.
    In August 1940, under strong pressure from the German government, Belgian authorities decided to recommend that Grand Lodge “Yugoslavia” temporarily halt its activities. This followed an investigation by the Nazi Secret Service into Yugoslav Freemasons which had begun in 1938. The real reason for Berlin’s dissatisfaction lay primarily in its belief that Yugoslav Freemasonry was strongly influenced by British Freemasonry (the Royal family of Karadjordjevic, state policies &c.), as well as the existence of the Association for Slav Immigrants (ASI). That organisation, founded in Belgrade in 1937 by some of the most prominent Freemasons, helped, until 1941, several thousand refugees from Eastern Europe with accommodation and transfer to third countries. German authorities were suspicious that the ASI was also behind some diversions against their train convoys through Yugoslavia.
    In August 1940, Grand Lodge “Yugoslavia” decided to cease its activities and informed all country lodges that “under the pressure of present circumstances, we must decide to cease with work in all lodges under our protection.”

Under Nazi Rule

Serbia was the only state in the region under direct rule from Berlin (the Banat region, to the north of Serbia, was even annexed to the Third Reich). Shortly after the occupation of Serbia, new rulers demanded from all public servants that they answer a questionnaire about their masonic activities and return it personally in three days. Avoidance of the demand, as well as ‘confessing’ to being a mason, meant immediate sacking from one’s job. Some of the issues in that questionnaire, besides very detailed questions about masonic work, were also about personal wealth and professional position before becoming a Freemason.
    In the meantime, the Gestapo seized all the available documents from Grand Lodge “Yugoslavia” and began a thorough interrogation of Freemasons. Three were shot dead and more than 150 others were sent to a concentration camp in Belgrade. Propaganda against Freemasonry reached its peak in October 1941 with the Anti-Masonic Exhibition, the only one of its kind in Europe. The goal of this event was to connect communists, Jews and Freemasons and to expose their alleged conspiracy against Serbs as well as ‘world peace’. Many documents, paintings and objects (many stolen from the Grand Lodge “Yugoslavia”) were shown to the public. Also, the state post released four stamps with anti-masonic designs.

After the War

A considerable number of pre-war Freemasons had, during the Nazi occupation, either been killed or had died as a result of harsh living conditions and advanced age. A small number of Freemasons left Yugoslavia just before the start of World War Two, and some further brethren left in 1945, prior to the establishment of communist rule. The end of the war stirred their hopes of restoration and an awakening of the Grand Lodge after five years of pause. They were very disappointed when they realised that the West was giving carte blanche to Tito so that he and his communist party could do whatever he intended in Yugoslavia.
    One of Tito’s biggest concerns after the war was the question of how to prevent unrest around the issue of a return of the King of Yugoslavia to the country. The biggest obstacle to communist rule was the existence of Serbs in Serbia who did not accept communist ideology (for unlike Croatia and Slovenia, Serbia only got its communist party after 1945). For that reason, Tito cracked down on what were left of Royal forces in Serbia and Bosnia, capturing General Draza Mihajlovich (honoured by the USA as a war hero), in the process.
    The first six months after the ‘liberation’ of the country were marked by mass arrests and executions of people around Serbia, branded by communist rulers as traitors, collaborators and war-profiteers. The victims were mainly pre-war capitalists (whose houses were stolen and occupied by leading members of the new communist government), as well as prominent intellectuals, pro-monarchists and members of civic society. The exact numbers of executed people are not available, although some estimate figures between 100,000 and 130,000. Among those victims of communist terror were Freemasons.
    Very impressive I think is the destiny of Dr Djuro Djurovic (a prominent Freemason who was close to Royal forces in Yugoslavia during the war). In 1945, he was sentenced to twenty years hard-labour in prison. He was released 17 years later, having spent five of those years in complete isolation. Brethren in the USA asked him to write down his memoirs. Unfortunately, after having written his account, he was sentenced to a further five years in prison. While imprisoned, brethren supported his wife with food and clothing - as well, of course as supporting other brethren in dire straits.
    After World War Two, there were uncoordinated efforts to revive the Craft in Yugoslavia. In 1947 one group of Serbian Freemasons founded the Grand Lodge Yugoslavia and Supreme Council in Exile, with lodges in Paris, Alexandria, Rome and Cairo. Another group also tried (unsuccessfully) to revive the Craft from abroad. A third group in Yugoslavia continued with informal meetings and mutual support and protection. This third group was subject to constant and thorough surveillance by Yugoslav secret police, the State Interior Police (UDB).
    During their meetings, Serbian Freemasons discussed the political and economic state of the country, as well as masonic subjects. The UDB took a particularly hostile view of their activities since they had the temerity to pass their thoughts and attitudes on to young people, mostly the sons of pre-war masons. Considering the harsh methods used by the communist government against their presumed opponents, the gatherings remained informal.
    Only after 1953 did their meetings become more frequent, and consequently attracted more UDB attention. In 1953, the UDB recognised the existence of two Freemasonic groups: the so-called “Belgrade Lodge” and the less active “Yugoslav Lodge”. Although described as ‘lodges’, none of the members performed ritual work, and belonging to one or other ‘lodge’ was determined merely by age or personal masonic ties rather than ‘ideological programmes’.
    Serbian Freemasons gathered at flats or restaurants. They discussed the measures enforced by the communist establishment (many Freemasons held, during their professional careers, very important posts in the governments of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia). For the political establishment of Tito’s Yugoslavia, such gatherings represented dangerous political activities, particularly after the UDB discovered that Serbian Freemasons sent four reports abroad: about the political situation; about human rights; about the economy - and a list of Serbian Freemasons executed by the communist government.
    Obviously, Freemasons did not accept such a totalitarian regime as Tito’s in Yugoslavia, but that did not mean that they took any active role in opposing it. In those days, with very strict censorship, their reports on politics and human rights were very important for Serbian emigration. They also tried to inform Freemasons abroad about their suffering (many of them were left with neither income nor accommodation). Freemasons abroad helped their brothers in Yugoslavia by sending them clothing and food through the humanitarian organisation, CARE (Freemasons from the USA and Switzerland also sent some money).
    The turning-point for the development of Freemasonry in Yugoslavia was the suicide of a Freemason from the countryside. He was found hanged in his flat on 10 June 1957. The event caused real shock to already scared Freemasons. The real motive for the suicide was unknown, although brethren believed he had been murdered by the UDB. The truth is still not known. However, it is intriguing to note that in one UDB document (following that suicide), their department in the town where it took place had to temporarily halt their investigation of Freemasons because it was threatening the whole process on the larger scale.
    After a decade of UDB surveillance, the fate of Freemasonry in Yugoslavia was sealed when the state secret police concluded, after thorough and detailed investigations, that the group was an illegal organisation. The reasons given were as follows :

1. All members of the group are enemies of the socialist system and anti-communists, as confirmed by their biographies and activities.
2. The group is very active in the revival of Freemasonry in the country.
3. The group has a fund built of membership fees, donations and help from abroad.
4. That fund has been used to help poor Freemasons and their families in the country.
5. The group is trying to establish contacts with the conservative part of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
6. The group has made contacts with prominent personalities from pre-war civic parties.
7. The group has contacts with Yugoslav political emigration abroad.
8. The group has direct contact with the leadership of Swiss and American Freemasonry.
9. The group has received moral and material help (money, food, clothing &c) from Swiss and American Freemasons.
10. The group has good contacts with personnel from the British, French and American embassies.
11. The group studies very carefully the whole political situation in the country and abroad, and they are completely opposed to the policies and intentions of the government of FNRY (Yugoslavia). Their information is gathered from different sources: personal contacts, foreign press and radio stations.