The Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany (GL BFG) is a Masonic Grand Lodge in Germany working in the English language and following English masonic traditions. It was founded as a District Lodge in 1957 and was recognized as Grand Lodge in 1959. This Grand Lodge is one of the five United Grand Lodges of Germany (VGLvD). It currently has members from more than 15 nations and in addition to the "resident members" in Germany, there are some "country members" represented all over the world. Currently 16 lodges work under the GL BFG, mainly in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony, but also in Hamburg, Munich, and Berlin.
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As with the other United Grand Lodges of Germany, the GL BFG is autonomous in matters of internal order and ritual. The Lodges of the GL BFG work in the English tradition with memorized English ritual texts. The GL BFG uses the common emulation ritual of England and it also supports separate Masonic orders (e.g. Mark, Royal Arch Chapter) of nearly all the rituals of English Freemasonry.
The GL BFG, like the American Canadian Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M, was originally a military Masonic organisation for members of the Allied Forces in West Germany and was established as a district of the Grand Lodge AF & AM in 1957.
In 1959, the District Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany was founded and was raised to a Provincial Grand Lodge under the GL AF & AM of Germany in 1962. It then became an autonomous Provincial Grand Lodge and equal partner within the United Grand Lodges of Germany in 1970 and one year later changed its name to Grand Land Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany. In 1980 the name was again changed to the current Grand Lodge of British Freemasonry in Germany.
As a member of the VGLvD, the GL BFG has ceded the sovereignty rights of representation to Freemasons outside of Germany and to the German public to the VGLvD and does not formally have direct relations with any masonic body outside Germany. The VGLvD is recognized as a "regular" Grand Lodge by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE).[1] Through the VGLvD, it recognizes the existence of the Women's Grand Lodge of Germany (FGLvD); however, other male masonic lodges that are not part of the VGLvD within Germany are not recognized.
The other four United Grand Lodges of Germany, which have widely varying traditions, are:
Past District Masters (British Lodge District)
Past Provincial Grand Masters (Provincial Grand Lodge)
Past Grand Masters (Grand Land Lodge)
Past Grand Masters (Grand Lodge)
Grand Master (present)