La maçonnerie en Autriche

Helmut Reinalter : Austrian Freemasonry. Freemasonry in Austria had a chequered history. After arriving gradually via England and France, it reached its high point with the prestigious lodge «True Concord », directed by Ignaz von Born. However, Joseph II decreed severe restrictions on its activities and development, as he was afraid that Freemasonry would encroach upon his authority. It apparently limited his authority and the central government's control, over some of his subjects. In view of the danger from local nationalisms, this was too great a risk for the monarchy to take. Under the reactionary Franz II, a certain number of supporters of enlightened constitutional monarchy formed a Jacobin movement and many of the Freemasons joined this political opposition.