Typical Masonic objects - such as hammers, squares and compasses or various pieces of lodge jewelry as well as typical clothing such as aprons and top hats - can also be seen in the exhibition and tell stories from the past and present.

Traditionally, Freemasons form male lodges, but today there are also female and mixed lodges, as Freemasons call their congregation. The idea of self-education to become a good person guides the members of different social, religious or denominational, national and professional backgrounds as well as different political orientations.

Secret signs and rituals

Their historical role models were medieval stonemasons who moved from building site to building site in Europe and carried out special work on cathedral buildings. They joined together to form brotherhoods. The members recognized each other through identifying marks and rituals known only to them. The Freemasons adopted this tradition in the 18th century.

To this day, Freemasons are influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment and define the "craft" as intellectual work for personal development in the spirit of humanity, tolerance and brotherhood. Equality under the law and freedom are the social prerequisites for this. With this understanding of values, the free spirits caused offense in earlier absolutist societies. And they are still persecuted and banned in autocratic and dictatorial states.

The exhibition was created in close cooperation with the Johannis-Freimaurerloge Carl zur siegenden Wahrheit Wolfsburg-Fallersleben. Admission is 3.50 euros, 3.00 euros for pensioners and senior citizens and 2.50 euros concessions (e.g. for pupils, trainees and students).

Varied accompanying program to the exhibition

Goethe, Lessing and Mozart were Freemasons, as were George Washington, Winston Churchill and Gustav Stresemann. Hofmann von Fallersleben himself was not a Freemason, but he was in contact with them through his social environment. In addition, the poet was also persecuted and banned for his demands for "unity and justice and freedom", written in the spirit of the Enlightenment. This is the starting point for the HvFM as a place of German democratic history to show this exhibition.

The special exhibition Humanity and Tolerance. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: Freemasonry in History and the Region is also accompanied by a varied program. On Thursday, July 11, 7 p.m., there will be an opportunity to talk to members of the Masonic Lodge Carl zur siegenden Wahrheit Wolfsburg-Fallersleben at the exhibition. Admission is 3.50 euros or 3.00 euros for pensioners and senior citizens and reduced admission is 2.50 euros.

The rest of the program:

• Thursday, August 15, 7 p.m.: Exhibition tour with members of the Masonic Lodge Carl zur siegenden Wahrheit Wolfsburg-Fallersleben
• Sunday, August 25, 4 p.m.: Nathan the Wise - staged reading with the team of mediators from the Hoffmann von Fallersleben Museum at M2K
• Thursday, September 12, 7 p.m.: Singing bowl meditation: Symbols in Freemasonry - with Mike Morris, Johannis-Freimaurerloge Carl zur siegenden Wahrheit Wolfsburg-Fallersleben