Conclusion
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‘NON OMNIS
MORIAR’[32]
- the words of a Roman poet are maybe the best epitaph to George Weifert
‘s life and works. He performed his various duties with modesty, humility
and temperance, and he worked persistently to educate Serbian and
Yugoslavian Freemasons to live and act in accordance with the tenets and
principles of our gentle Craft. The legacy of his love and kindness toward
his Brothers, his neighbors, his Nation and the whole human race reach
far beyond the material sphere. Bro. George
Weifert lives on in the hearts of all good Yugoslavian men and Masons who
are like him, trying to learn what it means to live life as a Freemason.
Sadly, posterity has not done justice to his legacy. In today’s
Serbia, many of the roads, hospitals, buildings, mines and breweries
created by him still exist; but very few people know the name of George Weifert
and the role he played in those endeavors.The Yugoslavia that he believed in,
and the united Yugoslavian Masonry of his vision are now just memories. But
Freemasonry in that part of the Balkan peninsula is not dead. With the break
up of Communist Yugoslavia in 1991, a number of new Lodges were established.
Today, there is a Regular Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)
with seven active Lodges, a Grand Lodge of Croatia with five Lodges, and for the
first time ever, a Grand Lodge of Slovenia with three Lodges. The first Lodge
on the register of Regular Grand Lodge of Yugoslavia is named ‘Pobratim No.1’
Brother George
Weifert’s life was not in vain. His life gives a lesson to all Freemasons,
wherever dispersed throughout the valleys and mountains of the Balkans: the
lesson of brotherly
 love, relief and truth; and an example of how to
practice those great Masonic virtues of justice,
tolerance, charity , integrity and fidelity. He was neither a Masonic scholar,
nor did he venture into esoteric masonic traditions. He lived the life of a
simple Godfearing man to the best of his abilities and agreeably to his
understanding of moral principles. By his simple life and conduct he rose to
the heights of Masonic enlightenment where ‘that which is lost’ is no longer
a secret to true Freemasons.
Let us end
with the words of Brother George Weifert, given in a speech when Grand Master:
‘I deeply believe that all my Brothers strive to work on their personal
improvement , and by doing that, improve our society. That effort, that God-given capacity to build our own character is a force that I believe in... I
hope you will accept these my words with the same warmth and Brotherly love
with which I have spoken them... I have asked myself many times: what are the
reasons that I was blessed with so many good things throughout my life? I am
certain now that a prime reason for all these blessings is that I always lived
and worked in accordance with the principles of Freemasonry’ [33]
.
[32] In English : ‘All of
me will not die ‘.
[33] Magazine ‘Shestar’ ,No.
4-6 , year 1937 , page 81 .
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