Freemasonry in Serbia is believed to be very old. There is proof of Masonic activity in Belgrade in the late 18th century.  In his book ‘Freemasonry-letters to the brother’, published in 1883 in Belgrade, Brother Sreta Stojkovic told us that a  lodge was founded in Belgrade  in the late 18th century by  Vizier  Mustapha Pasha, Representative of the Turkish Government in Serbia in that time, and a   relative of the Turkish Sultan. Among the members of the Lodge were prominent Serbs, Petar Ichko, Janko Katich, and Pavle Popovich. In 1804 the members of this lodge took part in the First Serbian uprising against Turkish  rule. For his liberal views and friendship with the Serbian people, Vizier Mustapha Pasha  was assassinated  by  Janichari - conservative members of the elite unit of the Turkish army. Masonic scholars also mention a Lodge ‘ Ali Koch’^[17], that was active in Belgrade around 1852, but the only record of that lodge’s existence is  a report by an Austrian spy from Belgrade to his superiors in Vienna^[18]. The first recorded lodge in Serbia was founded in Belgrade in 1876, under the name ‘Light of Balkan’ (or Svetlost Balkana)^[19], and was active till 1882. In 1881 another lodge was formed, named ‘Serbian Commune' (or Srpska Zadruga)^[20], and it was very short-lived, surviving only a year. In 1883, the Lodge ‘Harmony, Work and Fortitude’ (or Sloga, Rad I Postojanstvo)^[21] was founded mainly by the members of the first two lodges. All  three Lodges were chartered and worked under the protection of the Grand Orient of Italy. In 1890, two members of the Lodge ‘Harmony, Work and Fortitude’, Bro. Svetomir Nikolajevich and Bro. George Milovanovich, decided to demit from this Lodge and form a  new one under the protection of Grand Lodge of Hungary, since they had been  raised years earlier in the Lodge ‘Demokratia’ in Budapest,  which was their mother lodge. In the summer of 1890  these two brothers interviewed a few candidates for possible membership. Among them was George Weifert.

On  the morning of 4 October 1890  candidates Andra Georgevich (A University Professor), Tihomir Markovich ( An Attorney at law), Stevan Mokranjac (A Composer) and George Weifert  were initiated Entered Apprentices into  the Lodge ‘Demokratia’  in Budapest, in the presence of a number of Grand Line Officers and dignitaries of the Grand Lodge of Hungary. The same afternoon  they were passed to the Degree of Fellowcraft, and raised to the Degree of Master Mason that  evening. After the ceremonies, they all retired to the ‘Hercog-Stefan’ Hotel for dinner, where speeches were given in celebration of friendship and brotherhood between Serbian and Hungarian Freemasons.

On the 14 February  1891 in Belgrade, Light was brought into the new Lodge ‘Pobratim’,  working with a Charter from and under protection of the Grand Lodge of Hungary.  Meetings were held in the house of  Dr. Vojislav Georgevich,  in Gracanicka street, where space was rented and decorated for their purpose. On their first meeting, together with eleven founding members^[22], there were present guests from Hungarian Lodge ‘Demokratia’ , and a few members  from the Lodge ‘Harmony, Work and Fortitude’, together with  representatives from  the Grand Lodge of Hungary. During that first meeting, the Officers of the Lodge were installed. George Weifert was installed  as  Worshipful  Master, which Office he held  until 1899.

During his Mastership the Lodge  flourished , and a significant  number of new Master Masons were raised. By 1899  the Lodge had almost 90 members. A close relationship was established with  Freemasons from Croatia which was at that time,  part of Austro- Hungarian  Monarchy.  On 14 September 1892, with a  Charter from the Grand Lodge of Hungary, the Lodge ‘Croatian Fairy’ (or Hrvatska Vila^[23]), was founded in Zagreb, Croatia. The members of the Lodge ‘Pobratim’ were present at the ceremony of  Consecration. Visitations, and mutual help in ritual work would continue for many years. A particularly  strong bond was formed between George Weifert and Adolf Mihalich, who was a  Secretary of the Lodge ‘Croatian Fairy’, and one of the leaders of Croatian Freemasonry.

In 1892 , the second  year of Bro.Weifert’s  Mastership, a  few brothers from Nish (a town in Southern Serbia), were raised Master  Masons. With the help of the Master and Brethren of their Mother Lodge, and with the Charter from the Grand Lodge of Hungary, they formed the Lodge ‘Nemanja’^[24] in Nish, that same year.

The turn of the century was marked by fierce political  fighting  between the different political  parties in Serbia. Brothers from the Lodge ‘Pobratim’, themselves members of  opposing  political parties, were bringing their frustrations into the Lodge, which in 1903 resulted in the  suspension  of  regular work of the Lodge, which lasted until 1905 when with the permission of the Grand Lodge of Hungary, the work of the  Lodge was resumed. During these turbulent years (1900-1903), George Weifert , who was not a member of any  political party, distanced himself  from  Lodge meetings  as they have come to resemble a political debate society rather than a Masonic meeting.  This was the time of the first attacks on Freemasonry in Serbia. The Lodge ‘Pobratim’ and its connection  with  the Grand Lodge of Hungary  provoked some newspapers to attack Freemasons as ‘advocates of Austrian, pro-Catholic incursion  into Serbia’.  Membership in the Fraternity consisted of many eminent representatives of public life in Serbia, like Bro. George Weifert  whose impeccable character and patriotism were beyond any  doubt.    This prevented stronger and more persistent anti-Masonic charges.

In  1908, the political relationship between Austro-Hungarian empire and the Kingdom of Serbia  worsened as a result  of the Austrian annexing of Bosnia-Herzegovina^[25]. At this time, nationalistic sentiments in Serbia were running  high. Serbian Freemasons , disappointed with their Hungarian  Brethren who refused to condemn the actions  of their government, cut all ties with the Grand Lodge of Hungary. In the following years, Serbian Freemasons  explored  different means to legalize their status, and  Brother George Weifert  had an active role in that work. Contact was  made with the Grand Lodge of Hamburg , the Grand Orient of France, the Grand Lodge of Romania, the Supreme Council of Turkey, the Supreme Council of Greece and a number of other jurisdictions. Some  Serbian Masons even proposed the establishment of a ‘ Grand Lodge of Serbia ‘, with   King Peter Karageorgevich  or his son Prince Aleksandar as the Grand Master. It is believed that King Peter and his son were both Freemasons^[26].

In 1909, the Lodge ‘Unity’ (or Ujedinjenje) started its  work in Belgrade, under the protection of the Grand Orient of France. The following year, the Lodge ‘Shumadia’ (or Sumadija) was established in Belgrade , with a  Charter from the Grand Lodge of Hamburg. But the opinion of  George Weifert and the  majority of brethren from the Lodge ‘Pobratim’ was that they should no longer  seek protection of foreign jurisdictions .

On  11  May  1911, the members of the Lodge ‘Pobratim’, under the Worshipful Master Jovan Aleksijevich, laid  the foundation  stone of  the first Masonic Hall in Serbia , and in April 1912, Light was brought into the new Masonic Temple,   built on the historic site of the old ‘Vrachar’^[27] in Belgrade. Most of the money to purchase the lot and for  the construction   came from Bro. George Weifert. The architect was Bro. Pavle Horstig, who did the  work without charge. Interior decorations were done and furniture and windows donated by Bro. Benjamin Fleisher.

On  22  April 1909  a Chapter of Rose-Croix   AASR, was established in Belgrade,  under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council of Romania, for the work of Scottish Rite degrees (up to the 18th degree). Representatives of other Supreme Councils  frequently visited Belgrade Lodges, offering  help to form  the Supreme Council of Serbia.

Finally, under the sponsorship of the Supreme Council of Greece, on 9  May 1912 the Supreme Council of Serbia AASR  was founded. Brother J.S.E.Cefalas, a special representative of the Sovereign Commander of the Supreme Council of Greece, conferred the honorary 33rd degree  on  Brothers: Svetomir Nikolajevich ,  Milutin Perishich, Manojlo Klidis , Petar Pashich, Dimitrije Mijalkovich  , Jovan Aleksijevich, Dimitrije Jankovich, Petar Sreplovich, Pavle Horstig  and George Weifert. The next day, at  their second session, a patent from the Grand Council  AASR of Greece was read, and George Weifert was elected and installed as Sovereign  Grand Commander of the Supreme Council AASR of Serbia. In the same year, at the International Conference of the Supreme Councils, held in Washington DC from 7  to 12  October, the Supreme Council of Serbia was admitted and recognized as a regular, active body. Later, after the unification of  Serbs, Croats, and Slovenians  into one state  in December  1918, the Supreme Council  changed its name to the ‘ Supreme Council of Yugoslavia’.  George Weifert  held the office of  Sovereign Grand  Commander until his death in 1937.

On 10  May 1912 , at a  joint meeting of  Lodges ‘Pobratim’ and ‘Sumadija’, it was decided that the Lodge ‘Sumadija’ would return its Charter to the Grand Lodge of Hamburg, and that these two Lodges would  come under the protection of the Supreme Council AASR of Serbia. It was also decided that the first three Degrees, from that time on, would  be done according to the Scottish  Rite  ritual. In the year  before the First World War , the Lodge ‘Harmony, Work and Fortitude’ (or ‘Sloga Rad i Postojanstvo’), came under the protection of the Supreme Council of Serbia.

In June 1914 Serbian nationalists murdered Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir of the Austrian throne. At this , Europe exploded into a great war.  At the end of 1915 , George Weifert, together with King Petar and the whole Serbian government, had to leave Serbia in the face  of advancing German  forces. That didn’t prevent him from  organizing  and financing  a soup kitchen in the Masonic Hall in Belgrade, to provide  food for poor citizens under German occupation.

On  leaving the country, he went  to Marseilles,  where he organized the work of the Supreme Council AASR  of Serbia in exile. The major  focus of their activities was organizing humanitarian help to the  Serbian people, and material support to Serbian Freemasons who remained in the  occupied homeland. A number of members of the Supreme Council were very active  in promoting the idea of a  unified country of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians. This provoked the comments,  particularly among the enemies of Freemasonry, that Freemasons were responsible for the establishment of the state of Yugoslavia.  George Weifert, who was  German, Roman Catholic, and a citizen of Serbia, carried the idea of a unified country deep in his heart. He cherished that idea  and as a Sovereign Grand  Commander of the Supreme Council AASR approved the actions of his Brethren, but was watchful never to cross the line of appropriate  Masonic conduct, and never personally took part in any action that could be viewed as clandestine  Freemasonic  diplomacy   on behalf of the Serbian Government to  the Allies.

The fact is that many Freemasons in Serbia and Croatia supported the idea of the  unification of the  South Slavic tribes into one state. Many of them perceived Serbs, Croats and Slovenians, as one nation with three names. However, this idealistic approach was to be shattered, particularly among Croatian Freemasons, in the complex political reality of the new Kingdom of Yugoslavia  after the end of the First World War.

At the start of February 1919, the members of the Supreme Council, at their first meeting in liberated Serbia  held in the ‘Grand Hotel’  in Belgrade, decided to contact brothers from Croatia, regarding the formation of a  Grand Lodge for the newly  united state  of Yugoslavia^[28]. On  9  June 1919, in Zagreb, after the consultation with Croatian Freemasons, a founding conference of the Grand Lodge was  held, under the name ‘Grand Lodge of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians - Yugoslavia’. (In 1929, the name was changed into the ‘Grand Lodge Yugoslavia’).

The Grand Lodge consisted of  3  lodges from Serbia  (Lodges: ‘Sloga, Rad i Postojanstvo’, ‘Pobratim’, ‘Sumadija’), and 3 lodges from the Croatian Grand Lodge ‘Ljubav Bliznjega’ (Lodges: ‘Maksimilian Vrhovec’, ‘Ivan grof Drashkovich’ , ‘Budnost’). The first Grand Master   elected was Bro. George Weifert, and the Deputy Grand Master was Dr. Adolf Mihalich, from Zagreb. After the First World War, during which most of the Masonic Temples had been  looted and destroyed, the  Freemasons of Yugoslavia started to  rebuild the  existing Temples, and open  new ones,  forming more Lodges. George Weifert financed the renovation of the Temple in Belgrade and also funded the purchase of  furniture for new lodges throughout the jurisdiction of the new Grand Lodge of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians ‘Yugoslavia’. There is an anecdote regarding the large financial support which Bro. Weifert gave to Serbian Masons:  

‘At the first Annual Session of the Grand Lodge Yugoslavia in 1919, the Grand Secretary Jovan Aleksich was asked to write a proposal for the annual budget. Surprised Bro. Aleksich  said: ’Budget, what budget? We don’t need one. We have money, and when we spend it I will go to Weifert. He will give us whatever we need’.^[29]

In the years between the two World Wars, the number of  Lodges in Yugoslavia grew to 30, with a  total of over 2,000 members. Between the two wars The Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia  was recognized by most of  the jurisdictions throughout the world, and was a member of the International Masonic Association. In June 1940, by  order of the  Yugoslavian Government who wanted to please the German and Italian dictators, all  Masonic activity  on the territory of Yugoslavia was  forbidden, and the Lodges closed. After the Second World War, in  communist Yugoslavia, Masonic activities were outlawed. It was to remain thus  until 1991.

At the time of his election to  the office of Grand Master of the Grand Lodge 'Yugoslavia', Bro. George Weifert was sixty nine years old. In spite of his age, he worked diligently on  promoting   Freemasonry in Yugoslavia. He knew that men of  good character and high moral standards would be a  key to the survival of the new state, which did not  have a long tradition of parliamentary democracy to learn from. He asked  Lodges to focus  on the education of members  in accordance with the principles of  Freemasonry, to  perfect the ritual work, and to practice brotherly love among Masons  regardless of  their ethnic, religious or political creed. He insisted on the importance of  keeping politics and religion  outside of the  Lodge rooms.

However,  social, economic, ethnic and political problems surrounded the  members of the Fraternity, and many did not  have the  strength to put these aside when they entered   the Lodge. In May 1927, eventually  the  situation resulted in the  breakaway of a part of  Croatian  Freemasonry to   form an  independent Croatian Grand Lodge, under the name ‘Libertas’. This Grand Lodge had three  Lodges under its  protection: ’The Neighbor’s Love’, ’Prometheus’ and ‘Amititia’.