THE SACK OF A TEMPLE.
The traditional 'gentle reader' might well be excused should he, after a casual
glance at the above title, jump to the conclusion that the following article is
a narrative drawn from very ancient history or at the latest from mediaeval
times for it has been generally considered that the sacking of Temples as
practiced by barbarians, - Huns, Goths, and Vandals-went out of fashion with the
advent of modern civilization some centuries ago and that the onwards march of
reason and manners had inculcated a respect for such buildings which ensured
them from wanton spoilation. But unfortunately the 'gentle reader' would be
mistaken on relying on these generally accepted principles, for the picture to
be drawn on the following pages is a plain record of events and hard facts that
happened in the month of January 1941 in a close home part of the British
Empire and which the writer, who was present on the spot, put on record at the
time to ensure their accurate narration and to prevent those inevitable
exaggerations which are bound to grow up when memory is the only guide. Before
proceeding with the record of the infamous deed it will be well to provide the
reader with a short description of the "Temple" and some of its contents.
The Masonic Temple in the Island of Jersey was erected in the years 1862 - 64 by a mere handful of enthusiastic and courageous Brethren when the whole Province comprised but 7 Lodges and 2 Royal Arch Chapters with a total roll of not more than 12o members of whom only some 20 were Past Masters. The financial arrangements made by these bold undertakers in order to pay for the erection of this pretentious structure were, judged by present day standards, fantastic, one might even say humorous; one means adopted was the holding of concerts and a bazaar in the building, while another was the issue of £1 currency notes (a quite legal operation under Jersey law at that time) some made payable on demand by the Khedive of Egypt and the Sultan of Turkey. One shudders to contemplate the horrid fate of a Christian who ventured to collect the cash for the building of a Masonic Temple from either of these potentates in the eighteen sixty’s. But notwithstanding the difficulties, these brave promoters managed to overcome all obstacles and to hand on to their successors a fine building which is acknowledged by both resident and visiting Brethren to be admirably suited for the present requirements of a Province which in 1940 numbered over 1000 members, working all the usual degrees.
Early in the present century, in order to simplify ownership and to comply with modern legal conditions the property was vested in a Limited Liability Company with a nominal capital of £10,000 which held it in trust for the whole body of Freemasons in the Province, and from time to time each successive generation of Brethren have added their quota to the amenities of the building, so that it fulfilled all modern requirements with central heating and ventilating, cooking, lighting, sanitation, &c. the latest addition being a two manual electrically controlled pipe organ.
On the main floor approached from the road by the portico is the Main Lodge Room 50 feet by 25 feet-capable 0f seating some 150 Brethren, after leaving space for a Provincial procession with its ante-room. On the same floor is the Library and Museum which was also used as a Committee Room. In this room was housed the collection of books, certificates, &c. and the Museum specimens, some of the cases containing them being shown in the illustration on the walls and on the floor. Notable among the exhibits must be mentioned the Vonberg collection of early Masonic silver approximately 150 years old and the collection 0f Charity and other jewels of the late Colonel Gardner Vatcher. Around the walls 0f this room can also be seen the lockers and desks allotted to the Secretaries of Lodges for the storage of books, and the drawers used by some of the members for the safe keeping of their private regalia. On the floor above is the specially fitted Royal Arch Chapter Room with its ante-room, and On the ground floor the Dining Room, capable of seating in comfort 100 Brethren, and the Kitchen and its appurtenances.
Such was the building at the outbreak of War in 1939 and such it remained until the occupation of the Channel Islands by the Germans On 1st July 1940. Of course from September 1939 to July 1940 nothing but the absolute business of the Craft and other degrees was carried on, but on the arrival of the Germans it was deemed advisable to suspend all meetings of every description, and the Provincial Grand Master on making enquiry was informed by the German Military authorities that such provision was quite satisfactory and that nothing would be done by them to interfere with the Craft as long as this condition was strictly fulfilled. This provision was of course honourably respected and with this assurance in mind not a single article in any of the rooms was removed, the furniture in the Lodge and Royal Arch rooms remaining in position, the Warrants hanging in their usual positions in the Ante room, the valuable Museum specimens exhibited in their cases, the library of upwards of 750 volumes in the book cases, the Lodge Books in the Secretaries' lockers, and the Brethren's personal regalia in their private drawers. Had further assurance been deemed necessary reliance might have been placed on the 8th paragraph of the Proclamation made by the Germans on the first day of their military occupation which was placarded on walls all over the Island and published on the whole front page of the local newspaper and which read:
“8 In case of peaceful surrender, the lives,
"property and liberty of peaceful inhabitants
are solemnly guaranteed".
(Signed) The Commander of the German
Air Forces in Normandie.
General.
In the light of previous and subsequent experience it is hardly necessary to remark that the Germans kept this "solemn guarantee" only as long as it suited their convenience - a matter of but a few days.
It came therefore as a very unpleasant surprise when at 5 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon 19th November 1940 Lieut. Johns, Chief of the German Field Police (the Gestapo) with a junior officer Taboski and a private arrived at the Temple and demanded the keys of the already locked up rooms and placed seals on the doors leading to the Lodge, Chapter and Dining Rooms and Library leaving free access however to the Kitchen and to the Caretaker's sitting and bed rooms.
The next move was a visit by six German officers and a German civilian who arrived in three motor cars at 5 o'clock in the afternoon of 2nd January 1941 to inspect the Temple. The senior officer who spoke English told me that he represented directly the Commandant of the Channel Islands Prince Waldorf but he was unaware that the rooms had been closed by the Gestapo, and, although acting for this high authority, he dared not break the seals in order to view the interiors of the rooms. It appeared in conversation that his inspection was made to ascertain the suitability of the Temple for use as a Soldier's Club or as he called it a 'casino'. After viewing the Kitchen and staircases, the only places open to inspection, he asked to be shown 'the Bar' and when I informed him with mild indignation that there was no such thing, and there were no facilities for drinking on the premises, the only drink consumed by the members being that served with meals, he received the information with considerable surprise; a surprise closely bordering on incredulity. After consultation with headquarters by means of our telephone he concluded that the Temple was not suitable for his purpose; thus the absence of 'the Bar' saved our meeting place from this desecrating indignity, but alas! worse was to come.
On Thursday, 23rd January 1941 special German S. A. troops arrived from France and made an inventory of the contents of the Temple and took photographs, and this visit appears to have been preparatory to the despatch of the special squad of professional wreckers who were sent here from Berlin direct, and who arrived and commenced the SACK on Monday the 27th January 1941.
At 8 o'clock on that morning the squad of 30 men in German uniform marched up Stopford Road in military formation, entered the building and commenced operations in the rooms. Details of their work inside cannot be given as they carried it on behind closed doors which were strictly guarded by armed military police, but the removal of the loot to the waiting lorries was observed and checked. Later in the day the original 30 were joined by a further detachment so that in the afternoon there were as many as 65 men on the premises; they were visited by many of the higher officers of the Headquarter Staff who came to see the 'sport' although it was remarked that the Commandant of Jersey Schumacher was not among their number (see the 'Sequel' below). The books and smaller articles were stowed into large packing cases in wood wool and three 3-ton lorry loads were thus despatched. Then came the furniture, &c.; loaded loosely into the lorries were the Master's Chair, the 2 Wardens' Chairs, the Secretary's Chair, the Pedestals, the I.P.M. and distinguished Visitors' Chairs, the Columns B & J, the Kneeling Stools, the Tracing Boards, the Banners, the Carpets, the Plush Curtains, a vacuum cleaner and the furniture and fittings from the Chapter Room and all the Warrants of the Lodges, Chapters and other bodies. The large portraits in the Lodge Room were left in situ as the ladder brought with the wreckers was not long enough to enable them to reach the hangers, but one of the decorative boards panelling the side walls on which was recorded the names of the Masters of individual lodges was wrenched down from its fastenings and left on the floor, but the War Memorial - a Brass Tablet honouring the names of those Brethren who went from this Temple and fell in the War of 1914 - 1918 was detached from its fastenings on the wall and taken away.
The senseless savagery of the wrecking squad is however more fully exemplified by their work of wanton destruction in the Library and Museum Room. There, not only were the whole contents of the numerous show cases shown in the illustration taken away, but some of the mahogany cases themselves were smashed up and with the broken picture frames from which the paintings had been cut out, thrown on to a rubbish heap in the garden. These oil paintings, many of which were displayed on the walls of the Dining Room, were portraits of deceased local Masonic Worthies who in their day did much for the benefit of the Craft in Jersey 60 to 80 years ago and, although remembered with affection by the Masons of the present day, are quite unknown and unrecognisable and therefore entirely valueless outside the Island.
Among the articles looted from the Library and Museum, in addition to the books, were the Vonberg Collection of old silver jewels (for a description of which see the Masonic Record of Sept. 1927), the Gardner Vatcher Collection of Charity and other modern jewels, no less than 33 original silver collar jewels bearing the mark of Thomas Harper and dated in the first decade of the 19th century, some hundreds of other jewels, a particularly full collection of Masonic Sunderland pottery, Masonic glass, a number of early aprons printed by Cole and others and some artistically embroidered, - a valuable collection of early Certificates and other documents, as well as a great number of sundry objects of Masonic interest which had been gathered over a long period of years and carefully preserved and arranged; some of the articles it should be noted only on loan from private individuals. The lockers, desks and drawers visible in the illustration, which contained the Lodge Minute Books and records, and the regalia and belongings of individual members, were prized open, the only implement used to judge from the marks left on the woodwork, being a burglar's "jemmy" and the contents when not taken away scattered about the building and garden.
During the time the Sack was in progress a huge bonfire was kept alight in the garden of the Temple and fed with papers and other matter, but it is quite impossible to ascertain what documents and records were thus destroyed. Outside the Island of Jersey the intrinsic or commercial value of the articles stolen and destroyed would not of course be great, although there were several gold and many silver articles in the collections, but in the hands of their rightful owners, the inhabitants not the Masons only of Jersey and in their proper surroundings they held a sentimental and historical value that it is impossible to estimate in terms of money as they are irreplaceable and their loss is irreparable.
I would hesitate to ask any reader of the twentieth century to accept as literal truth this record of such wanton and spiteful destruction on my uncorroborated testimony, but venture to hope that a glance at Plate 9 (image not available - Ed.) which is a reproduction of the actual photograph taken at the time of some of the fragments of the mahogany cases in which the Gardner Vatcher and other jewels were displayed, and which were rescued from the rubbish heap in the garden the same day, will afford convincing proof that this act of brutal barbarism was actually perpetrated by the Official Germans in Jersey in January 1941.
The work of destruction occupied the gang two whole days and the proceeds of their labour was taken by lorries down to St. Helier Harbour and shipped aboard the S.S. Holland whence it found its way to Berlin, for we find in the VOLKISCHER BEOBACHTER No.71 dated 12th March 1941 an article by "H. R." describing an exhibition of the articles secured from the English Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey and a further article in the BRUSSELER ZEITUNG No. 74 dated at Brussels 15th March 1941. These articles are illustrated with a photo of the interior of the Jersey Temple Lodge Room and with pictures of some of the spoil taken away, and translations of them are given in the Appendices A and B. A perusal of this 'stuff' - may be 'stuffing' would be a more appropriate word will give the reader some idea of the propaganda on which the German public is being daily fed and the hatred that is being artificially fostered against Freemasons and Jews. They are only a sample of the campaign matter, for other articles of a similar nature have appeared in the Brusseler Zeitung No.32 on 1st February 1941, in the Berliner Illustrierte Zeitung No.45, and in the Jersey Evening Post while in German hands. One has only to read the articles here given to appreciate the utter absurdity of the arguments advanced and it is difficult to decide whether 'H. R.' is a victim of mental aberration or is a deliberate falsifier of the truth in his efforts to invent propaganda matter for the Nazi party.
But we must pick up our narrative and relate what happened at the Temple after the lorries had driven away with its principal contents in January 1941. The Gestapo closed and locked all doors, excepting as before, the Caretaker's private apartments, and replaced the seals, and for the next few months paid frequent visits to make sure that they remained intact. Inside the rooms there still remained a certain quantity of domestic furnishings such as ordinary chairs, dining tables, a piano, cutlery and glass and table linen and nothing was done about these articles until Lieut. Foringher with a party of uniformed men, one of them drunk, drove up in a car and collected some dining room chairs, table cloths, glasses and silverware as a first instalment. After these were loaded into a lorry and despatched, Bro. F. Le Sueur, the Caretaker, noticed that his safety razor was missing from its accustomed place in the lavatory so he dashed out into the road and was just in time to stop the officer's car as it was starting away. He reported his loss and requested that a search of the car be made, when in it he found not only his razor but a toothbrush and his wife's shoes. Next day he complained to German Headquarters and was surprised, as well as pleased, at the return during the following week of some of his dress shirts, some aprons and other small articles which had been abstracted from his private rooms during his. absence. It is hardly surprising that when a nation, such as Germany, sets up an elaborate machine for robbery on the colossal scale we have so recently observed, that obscure individual members of that machine should be unable to recognise as a crime the petty theft of such articles as razors, shirts and shoes. During the month of November 1941 the remaining chairs, tables and small ware were taken away by Lieut. Zastre but the piano was apparently overlooked until November 1944 when it, the last remaining piece o£ portable property in the Temple was removed.
By Tuesday 9th December 1941 the building was practically empty and the seals were removed in order to allow of an inspection at which were present the Provincial Grand Master R.W.Bro., Charles E. Malet de Carteret; the Crown Solicitor W.Bro. J. Vivian Bailhache; the Attorney-General of Jersey, C. W. Duret Aubin, Esq. and an officer from F.K. 515 the German Headquarters in France Sonderficher Miehle. After the inspection the doors were locked but the seals were not replaced and the next act in the spoilation commenced, under an order made by the Military Commander of the German Forces in France that "the property of the Freemason's Lodge is to be liquidated". Under this compulsory order the States (the Jersey Parliament) passed an Act to enable the property, both real and personal, to be transferred to themselves, but this transfer was in reality simply a farce, as the Germans were in actual possession of the Temple building, the real estate and all the personalty - the furniture and fittings - had been taken away, the only exception to this latter being the small sums of money remaining in the hands of the Treasurers of the different bodies including the Provincial Grand Lodge, the Provincial Charity Association, the Library Committee and the private lodges, chapters &c. So this was now collected from 19 different accounts, the total amount being some £2,600 and handed over, and all that remained to be done was to wind up the Masonic Temple Co. Ltd. and when this was accomplished on 17th December 1941 nothing was left of "the Freemasons' Lodge" as the Germans persisted in calling it, notwithstanding that they were in possession of a complete set of the local Masonic Calendars giving full details of the Provincial Grand Lodge, Provincial Grand Chapter, 9 Lodges, 3 Chapters, and 1 each Mark, Rose Croix and Knights Templar.
The Germans have remained in possession of the Temple until the present date (December 1944) and have used the building as a warehouse, it being in the earlier days full up from floors to ceilings with thousands of cases of Brandy and Champagne and it is a glowing tribute to the skill of the architect and builders that the structure has withstood that heavy strain, for at the time of its erection the use of iron girder construction had not been introduced into Jersey, and they could hardly have anticipated that their floors would have been called upon to carry this immense weight. The floors have however been relieved of the greater part of their burden for now all they have to sustain is the weight of some 40,000 empty bottles which completely fill the Lodge Room.
Although this concludes the tale of "The Sack of a Temple" it might be of interest to add that the following bodies, termed by them ‘secret societies' suffered compulsory liquidation by the Germans:-
The Oddfellows
The Buffaloes
The Rechabites.
The Salvation Army.
The Boy Scouts
and Girl Guides.
The A.R.P. (and to forestall incredulity I must explain that these initials really do stand for Air Raid Precaution!)
The Rotarians and others.
The Foresters however escaped a like fate as it was considered by Headquarters FK 515 that they were rendering an essential service in an Island, where the community was in desperate need of wood fuel, by felling trees.
George Stodart Knocker.
London. 1947.
Sack of the Temple – Sequel
It was on the 8th May 1945 that the German Army occupying Jersey surrendered to the British Army of Liberation and the Freemasons promptly took steps to regain possession of their Temple and to resuscitate their ceremonial. Negotiations with the Military and Civil Authorities were lengthy and complicated but by 16th July I gained access to the building and was enabled to take stock of conditions : empty and broken picture frames littered every part of every room, broken glass, splintered wood, waste paper, cut up regalia, broken and cut wands, empty bottles, show cases deliberately smashed, lockers and desks broken open, bare floors and dirt were the first impressions gained, and later inspections confirmed, and then more dirt and more destruction.
The very first task was to obtain photographs of the actual scene, but this presented serious difficulty as there was not a particle of flash powder or ribbon in the whole Island nor was there any prospect of obtaining any in the near future and the work of cleaning and tidying was urgent: however the operator had to make the best of it and without flash powder produced pictures by means of daylight and electric light from which the Plates 5, 6 and 7 were eventually made. Then heroic efforts on the part of a squad of cleaners soon showed results and on 16th August a Communication of Provincial Grand Lodge was held under conditions graphically portrayed by W. Bro. V. J. B. in an article printed in the "Masonic Record" of October 1945.
Next an extensive search for missing effects commenced in the several stores of furniture collected from the German billets and fortifications, but the results were disappointing and only 19 chairs out of the zoo looted were recovered and they were all broken. The search however was not entire waste of time and effort for it uncovered a little secret of some interest and gave an insight into the mentality of Germany's higher officialdom. It has already been noted in the foregoing narrative that the Commandant of the Island Col. Schumacher did not appear on the scene during the actual sacking of the Temple (Major Dimmler his Adjutant apparently directed the operation) but during our search positive evidence was forthcoming that the whole of the loot was not taken down to the Harbour for shipment overseas, for six packing cases and a black and white square carpet were delivered to the private billet of the Commandant. The cases were stored inside the house and the carpet in the garage and when opportunity served the cases were overhauled and all valuables, from a German point of view, were repacked and sent away while the remainder comprising regalia, documents, books, photos, &c. were burnt in the garden by the British gardener of the house under the compulsion of armed soldiers. The carpet was rolled up and left Jersey tied on the top of the Colonel's private motor car in the April of that year (1941.)
By the month of September 1945 all the Craft Lodges in the Province were holding regular meetings, by virtue of a Dispensation from Grand Lodge enabling them to work in the absence of their time -honoured original Warrants and active steps were taken to provide funds for the purchase of new furniture and fittings and at the time of writing there is a bright prospect that in the near future the Brethren will be able to look forward with confidence to the day when the Temple will be refitted with the comforts and conveniences that one knew in the " good old days ". The older members will however always remember with regret and sorrow the unique articles bequeathed to them by their Masonic ancestors, in which they took such pride before the barbarian hordes descended 0n innocent little Jersey in 1940 and sacked the Temple.
G. S. K.
January 1946.
A FURTHER SEQUEL.
During the Spring of 1946 there was discovered at the Offenbach Archival Depot in the American zone of Occupation in Germany a hoard of Loot among which were found 18 packing cases containing articles identified as Masonic property belonging to Jersey. After considerable negotiations and valuable help from the authorities, 15 cases arrived in Jersey on 6th March 1947; 3 cases having been stolen from the railway truck during transit in Germany. An examination of the contents of the 15 cases took five weeks and disclosed a miscellaneous collection of books and documents evidently acquired by the Germans from many sources, for we found not only some zoo volumes belonging to the Jersey Masonic Library, and many invaluable Minute Books and records belonging to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Jersey and to the private lodges and other Masonic bodies in the Province, but many cwts. of papers, etc. having no connection with Jersey or with Freemasonry. It must be noted that no jewels or metal objects nor any Masonic regalia was found in the cases that arrived.
It is of special interest however to record that in most of the cases was a large printed card indicating that the consents had been seized by Einsatzstab Reichsleiter A. Rosenberg who it will be recalled was one of the War Criminals condemned to death by the Nuremberg Tribunal and duly executed.
G.S.K.
Written
May 1947.
More to follow...