Defining “Freemason”: Compromise, Pragmatism, and German Lodge Members in the NSDAP

The Nazi persecution of Freemasons presented a conundrum; Freemasonry was condemned by party ideology, but individual Freemasons possessed skills as professionals that were essential to the success of the regime. What would have otherwise been a mutually beneficial relationship sought after by both parties was prevented solely by the fact that these professionals were Freemasons. The process of negotiation and accommodation as the party continually redefined what it meant to be a Freemason, in an attempt to find a way to balance ideological purity and practical necessity, reveals the ad hoc nature of the Nazi government.