Compiled by Frater E.K.O.
The Bavarian Illuminati is one of the most mythologized organizations in Western history — and one of the most misunderstood. Founded in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt, a Professor of Canon Law at the University of Ingolstadt, it lasted barely eight years before being suppressed by the Bavarian government in 1784. What remained was not the Order itself, but its legend: a centuries-long conspiracy theory asserting that the Illuminati secretly survived and continues to manipulate world events. The historical reality was considerably more modest — and considerably more interesting.
This FAQ, compiled by Frater E.K.O. and posted to alt.magick.serious in December 2003, draws on three authoritative articles from Henry Wilson Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia (1961) and a 1992 post by Roald A. Zellweger surveying German academic literature on the subject. Coil was a Master Craft Mason and 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite — a knowledgeable insider with no interest in sensationalism.
The Order was a product of Enlightenment idealism: a secret society designed to combat superstition, religious obscurantism, and political tyranny through the mutual cultivation of reason and virtue. Its real history is that of a group of intellectuals who briefly attracted some of the best minds in Germany, fell apart through internal disagreements and political pressure, and then became the canvas onto which later generations projected their fears about secret power. This compilation presents the documented history.
The Order of the Illuminati of Bavaria
From Henry Wilson Coil, Masonic Encyclopedia (1961)
This Order was first called the Order of Perfectibilists, and was a fairly short-lived, meteoric, controversial society formed May 1, 1776 in Bavaria by Adam Weishaupt, aided by Baron von Knigge and others, suppressed in 1784, and entirely disappeared by the close of the 18th Century. The Order was not primarily Masonic, and evidently not founded by any Masonic authority, though the members paraphrased Masonic rituals and at one time or another had a number of prominent Freemasons in the group.
Adam Weishaupt, Professor of Canon Law at the University of Ingolstadt, conceived the idea of founding an Order which, by mutual helpfulness, counsel, and philosophic discussions, would increase morality and virtue, lay the foundation for the reformation of the World, and oppose the progress of materialism. The objectives were expressed in the name "Order of Perfectibilists", or "Perfectionists"; changed soon thereafter to "Illuminati", which can at best be translated generally as "intellectually inspired".
We are not informed as to just how Weishaupt became associated with Adolph Franz Friedrich Ludwid Baron Von Knigge, for the latter lived in north Germany, was of the nobility, and, after his initiation in 1773, showed little interest in Freemasonry. Weishaupt, in 1780, dispatched the Marquis de Costanzo to propagate Illuminism in the north and Knigge probably then first showed interest in the society. He became enthusiastic as the plan was revealed to him, and, in 1781, accepted the invitation to visit Bavaria and receive full access to all of Weishaupt's materials. Knigge not only completed the scale of degrees but became a proponent of them, bringing to his aid the assistance of one Johann J. C. Bode, a prominent German Mason. The Order was at first very popular and attracted, it is said, some of the best men in Germany. It had 2000 names on its rolls and spread to France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, and Italy. Knigge, especially, was a highly religious and intellectual man and would have had nothing to do with that or any other Order which was anti-Christian, yet, the vicious attacks and accusations by Baruel and Robison had great influence, and it was even charged that the Illuminati were themselves agents of the Jesuits, though the latter were opposing it in their usual secret manner. The Illuminati were extremely secretive, even identifying themselves and their chapters by assumed classical names; for example: Weishaupt was Spartacus, Knigge was Philo, Ingolstadt, the headquarters, was Eleusis, Austria was Egypt, etc.
The ceremonies were divided into three principal classes:
I — The Nursery: Preparatory Literary Essay; Novitiate; Minerval; Minor Illuminatus; Magistratus.
II — Symbolic Freemasonry: Apprentice; Fellow Craft; Master; Scots Major Illuminatus; Scots Illuminatus Dirigens (Directory).
III — Mysteries: Lesser: Presbyter, Priest, or Epopt; Prince or Regent. Greater: Magus; Rex (King).
The Illuminati were finally beset by both internal and external disorders, for Weishaupt found fault with some of Knigge's ritualistic work and peremptorily ordered it changed, whereupon, Knigge became disgusted and resigned in 1784. The Jesuits had fought the Illuminati from the first and eventually all Jesuit priests became its active enemies and raised so much opposition that the Elector of Bavaria suppressed the Order by edict on June 22, 1784; many Illuminati were imprisoned and some, including Weishaupt, were forced to flee the Country. Though the first edict had been obeyed, it was repeated in March and August, 1785. Not only Illuminism, but Freemasonry was exterminated in Bavaria and neither institution has recovered its former position.
Adam Weishaupt
From Henry Wilson Coil, Masonic Encyclopedia (1961)
Founder of the Illuminati of Bavaria, born at Ingolstadt, 1748, died 1811. He was educated in Law and attained the rank of Professor in 1772 at the University of Ingolstadt. He had been educated by the Jesuits but acquired a dislike for them, and in his professional life, he was soon in conflict with the whole clergy, partly because he held the chair of Canon Law, which had always been held by an ecclesiastic. In conferences with his students in whom he planted liberal ideas on religion and philosophy, he soon conceived of a close association of enlightened or intellectual persons who might advance the moral and intellectual qualities of themselves as well as others.
He soon formed an association with Baron von Knigge, an able and upright man from north Germany, and the two might have accomplished their objectives and some good had it not been for the opposition of the Jesuits (who were still powerful though banished from Bavaria) and the Roman Catholic clergy. Moreover, Weishaupt and Knigge could not agree upon some of the latter's ritualistic interpretations. From the literature on the subject of Illuminism and from the caustic remarks of Masonic writers, we might suppose that this Order or movement lasted a long time, but the whole drama opened with the organization of the Perfectionists in 1766 and, 18 years later in 1784, the Bavarian government banned all secret associations. The next year, Weishaupt was discharged from his position at the University and banished from the Country. He fled to Gotha and found asylum with Duke Ernest of that little city, remaining there until his death in 1811.
In Gotha, he published a number of works on Illuminism: A Picture of Illuminism (1786); A Complete History of the Persecutions of the Illuminati in Bavaria (1785); An Apology for the Illuminati (1786); An Improved System of Illuminism (1787); and others.
The most objective writers on the subject give Weishaupt credit for being of high moral character and a profound thinker, and it is worth noting that his associate, Knigge, spoke with great respect of his intellectual powers. It appears, however, that Adam Weishaupt was the victim of at least two powerful forces: first, the vindictive hate of the Church of Rome and the Bavarian government and, secondly, his own inadequate judgment of how to launch a revolutionary and more or less secret movement such as Illuminism.
Baron von Knigge
From Henry Wilson Coil, Masonic Encyclopedia (1961)
German Freemason and, in part, founder of the Bavarian Illuminati. He was born near Hanover in 1752, and died at Bremen in 1796. He was initiated in a Lodge of the Strict Observance at Cassel in 1772, but, for a time, seemed uninterested in the society, though later becoming one of the foremost German writers on the subject. He published: On the Jesuits, Freemasons, and Rosicrucians (1781, anonymous); Essay on Freemasonry (1784); Contribution towards the latest history of the Order of Freemasons (1786); and Philo's Final Declaration (1788).
The most interesting and significant part of Knigge's career was his participation with Weishaupt in the promotion of the Bavarian Illuminati, he being almost an equal party.
The Illuminati Phobia and Its Sources
From Roald A. Zellweger, Usenet, October 1992
At the end of the 19th Century the Illuminati-phobia was promoted and used by the Protokolle der Weisen von Zion ["Protocols of the Elders of Zion"] and its literary antecedent, a French anti-Napoleonic faction, and later by Ludendorff. The Illuminati-phobia became closely connected with Fascism's conspiracy theories.
Informative is the article "Illuminaten" in the Theologische Realenzyklopädie (TRE), the large Protestant encyclopedia, Bd. 16, p. 81–84, providing the most current serious literature.
Broader, but older: the article "Illuminaten" in Realenzyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche, Bd. 9, Leipzig, 1901, p. 61–68, mentions the Spanish Alumbrados as using the same name and existing later in France. The Realenzyklopädie 3rd Edition is a very serious work of late 19th Century historical research from the vantage of German Kulturprotestantism.
Sources on Knigge and Weishaupt may be found in Wolfsohns Freimaurerbibliographie, Vienna (1920s or early 1930s). Useful is the Internationales Freimaurerlexikon (Vienna, 1932). Both works are from a low-degree Masonic point of view and are written as apologetics against Ludendorff's conspiracy theory.
Edited sources include: Jan Reichold (ed.): Die Illuminaten: Quellen und Texte zur Aufklärungsideologie des Illuminatenordens, Berlin, 1984 (commentary is partly influenced by Marxism, but is a solid text edition); and Richard van Dülmen: Der Geheimbund der Illuminaten, Stuttgart, 1975.
Colophon
Compiled by Frater E.K.O. and posted to alt.illuminati, alt.freemasonry, alt.amorc, and alt.magick.serious on 1 December 2003. The three encyclopedia articles are from Henry Wilson Coil, Masonic Encyclopedia (Macoy Publishing, New York, 1961); Coil was a Master Craft Mason and 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. The 1992 post by Roald A. Zellweger surveying German-language academic literature on the Illuminati was appended by the compiler. Original Message-ID: <[email protected]>.
Preserved from the Usenet archive for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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