Federation Universelle Des Ordres et Societes Initiatiques

Federation Universelle Des Ordres et Societes Initiatiques in French (FUDOSI or FUDOESI), also known as Federatio Universalis Dirigens Ordines Societatesque Initiationis in Latin, was a federation of autonomous esoteric orders and societies founded on August 14, 1934 in Brussels (Belgium).

History
FUDOFSI was established in defense of the Orders of Lyon and the other societies that were not involved with FUDOSI.

FUDOFSI was strongly opposed to FUDOSI, Harvey Spencer Lewis and his organization Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC).

Very little information is known about FUDOFSI due to the World War II. Like so many other occult societies, FUDOFSI is considered to have disappeared during the war.

In 1944 Constant Chevillon, the head of FUDOFSI, was shot by the Gestapo.

Background
FUDOSI was an attempt to create a federation of all true mystical orders and protect themselves and the people from frauds. Its mission was "to protect the sacred liturgies, rites and doctrines of the traditional initiatory Orders from being appropriated and profaned by clandestine organizations" (FUDOSI journal, November 1946).

AMORC (Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis) was approved by FUDOSI. There was always a close cooperation between AMORC and FUDOSI.

SAR, a title which means Son of Ra or Son Altesse Royale (His Royal Highness), was attached to all dignitaries of FUDOSI.

FUDOSI finally dissolved in 1951 after disagreements between its members.

There was also a similar organization, hostile to FUDOSI, named FUDOFSI.

Attitude towards AMORC and H. S. Lewis
FUDOFSI members were known opponents of Harvey Spencer Lewis, Imperator of Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC).

Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, was considered a business and a fraud by FUDOFSI.

The First Meeting of FUDOFSI
The first meeting of FUDOFSI took place in Paris, France, in February 1939.

List of people present in the first meeting of FUDOFSI:
 * Reuben Swinburne Clymer
 * Alfred I. Sharp
 * Count Jean de Czarnomsky
 * Constant Chevillon
 * Henri-Charles Dupont
 * Henri Dubois
 * Raoul Fructus (former member of the FUDOSI)
 * Andre Fayolle
 * Nauwelaerts
 * Laugenier
 * Camille Savoir

Hans Rudolf Hilfiker-Dunn and Arnoldo Krumm-Heller joined FUDOFSI later.

List of associated organisations that were represented in the first convention of 1939:
 * L'ORDRE MARTINISTE-MARTINEZISTE de LYON
 * L'EGLISE GNOSTIQUE UNIVERSELLE
 * ORDER OF KNIGHT MASONS ELUS COHEN OF THE UNIVERSE
 * THE ANTIENT AND PRIMITIVE RITE OF MEMPHIS MIZRAIM
 * ORDRE DE SAINT GRAAL
 * ORDO TEMPLI ORIENTIS (Switzerland)
 * FRATERNITAS ROSICRUCIANA ANTIQUA
 * FRATERNITAS ROSAE CRUCIS
 * ORDRE KABBALISTIQUE DE LA ROSE CROIX (different lineage)
 * RITE ECOSSAIS RECTIFIE
 * BROTHERHOOD OF THE ILLUMINED BRETHREN OF THE ROSE-CROIX

The Nature of FUDOSI
In the following quote you can read more information about the nature of FUDOSI:

''"Some persons, whose minds have not as yet received sufficient light, have been wondering why it was necessary to gather in a Universal Federation. The Initiatique Orders and Societies, which, in their own field of work, enjoy the most absolute and complete freedom and perfect autonomy and independence. To this query we may reply that, more than in anything else, it is the initiatique work that the greatest vigilance is indispensable and that a strict and active international discipline must be exercised. We must acknowledge and regret, that there exist many false prophets and a number of so-called initiates who use, for selfish and tyrannical purposes of domination, the pretext of initiation to thrust themselves on, and exploit, gullible and sincere persons. It was high time to warn the public against these false leaders and against noxious doctrines which they taught to trusting souls. In each country, each authentic and regular Order knows its imitators and such false prophets. It was necessary to watch these clandestine movements, to expose these impostors or instruments of hidden and unavowed forces, in all countries, wherever they be operating, and thus avoid any confusion between the regular and authentic Orders and false Organizations that are harmful or that give teachings that have nothing to do with the Universal Tradition and Esoterism. And also it was necessary that the authentic Orders be careful in selecting their members and their officers and in maintaining their adepts and students on the right path of the true doctrines, obliging them to follow a strict line of discipline, rational, sincere and conscientious work, so as to avoid radical teachings and heterodoxy. This immense work which was intended to protect the Orders against their inner and outer enemies has been successfully carried on by the F.U.D.O.S.I. and is now going on." ("F.U.D.O.S.I., the." 1946 San Jose, AMORC)''

Organised Conventions
During its existence, FUDOSI organized eight conventions:
 * 1934, August 8 - August 16: Brussels, Belgium
 * 1936, September: Brussels, Belgium
 * 1937, August: Paris, France
 * 1939, September 4 - September 10: Brussels, Belgium
 * 1946, July 21 - July 25: Brussels, Belgium
 * 1947, September: Paris, France
 * 1949, January: Brussels, Belgium
 * 1951, August: Brussels, Belgium

The 8th convention ended on August 14, 1951.

Leadership and Organisation
After the first organised convention in 1934, 12 Members were chosen to form the Supreme Council, led by 3 Imperators:
 * Sar Hieronymus (Emille Dantinne) Imperator of Europe
 * Sar Alden(Harvey Spencer Lewis) Imperator of the American continent
 * Sar Yesir (Victor Blanchard) Imperator of Eastern Europe.

H. S. Lewis (Sar Alden) created the symbol of FUDOSI.

In 1946 a member of FUDOSI named Andre Cordonnier became one of its Imperators.

After H. S. Lewis' death in 1939, his son Ralph Maxwell Lewis became one of the three Imperators of FUDOSI and his name was Sar Validivar.

Associated Organisations
Here is a list of the orders and societies represented on the first FUDOSI convention of 1934:
 * ORDRE DE LA ROSE+CROIX UNIVERSELLE (Sar Hieronymus)
 * ORDRE DE LA ROSE+CROIX UNIVERSITAIRE (Sar Hieronymus, Sar Elgrim)
 * ORDRE KABBALISTIQUE DE LA ROSE+CROIX (Sar Yesir representing Lucien Mauchel)
 * CONFRERIE DES FRERES ILLUMINES DE LA ROSE+CROIX (Sar Amertis)
 * A.M.O.R.C. U.S.A. (Sar Alden, Sar Emmanuel, Sar Iohannes)
 * MILITIA CRUCIFERA EVANGELICA (Sar Alden)
 * ORDRE ANCIEN ET MYSTIQUE DE LA ROSE+CROIX AMORC-Switzerland (Sar Amertis representing sar Alkmaion)
 * SOCIETE ALCHIMIQUE DE FRANCE (Sar Amertis)
 * ORDRE DES SAMARITAINS INCONNUS (Sar Amertis)
 * ORDRE HERMETISTE TETRAMEGISTE ET MYSTIQUE or ORDRE PYTHAGORICIEN (Sar Succus, Sar Helios)
 * ORDRE MARTINISTE ET SYNARCHIQUE (Sar Yesir)
 * FRATERNITE DES POLAIRES (Sar Yesir)
 * ORDRE MACONNIQUE ORIENTAL DE MEMPHIS-MIZRAIM STRICTE OBSERVANCE (Sar Iohannes, Sar Ludovicus)
 * CO-MASONIC ORDER OF MEMPHIS-MIZRAIM (Sar Laya, Sar Fulgur)
 * L'EGLISE GNOSTIQUE UNIVERSELLE (Tau Targelius = Victor Blanchard)

ORDRE MACONNIQUE ORIENTAL DE MEMPHIS-MISRAIM (STRICTE OBSERVANCE) and the MIXED ORDER OF MEMPHIS-MIZRAIM, the only Masonic organizations associated with FUDOSI, were expelled according to a decision taken by the three Imperators (Lewis, Dantinne, Blanchard) on August 1, 1935.

Position of the FUDOSI towards Masonry
A document by FUDOSI titled "Rapport sur les ordres et soci&#953;t&#953;s initiatiques. 12/10/1941", written by FUDOSI Imperator Emille Dantinne, states:

"In 1934, at the time of the foundation of the F.U.D.O.S.I., Freemasonry was condemned by the attending Orders as an atheistic organization and no Masonic Order would be admitted to the federation. One exception was made in favour of the Antient Rite of Memhis-Misraim, which was recognized as a spiritual Order not recognized by the other Masonic Obediences. But the admission turned out to be an error."

Later in the document we read:

"... no collaboration is possible between the F.U.D.O.S.I. and any masonic rite or order. In 1935, the leaders of the F.U.D.O.S.I. excluded the only masonic order within their ranks. They even forced their members to break all their ties to masonry, under penalty of exclusion (with the exception of Mr.Wittemans, who remained a member of a masonic organization)."

It is unknown whether these views were exclusive to Emille Dantinne or held by more FUDOSI members. It should be noted that Emille Dantinne wrote many questionable documents, including statements against the Jews and Democracy. It is said that he was strongly opposed to the Liberal movement. However, similar rumors exist about Harvey Spencer Lewis.

The End of FUDOSI
After the end of the 8th convention (August 14, 1951) FUDOSI dissolved after strong disagreements between Emile Dantinne and Ralph M. Lewis. The 8th convention ended after Ralph M. Lewis criticized Jean Mallinger (Sar Elgrim), a FUDOSI dignitary, for having a "problem" with AMORC for its admission of Afro-American members. The three Imperators signed an official document that marked the end of FUDOSI.

FUDOFSI ceased to exist during World War II.

However in 1947 some of its members contacted each other and tried to establish a new organization.

For example, Hans-Rudolf Hilfiker and R. Swinburne Clymer (1878 - 1966) tried to create a Worldwide Alliance of Rosicrucian Orders.

In Rio de Janeiro, Clymer successfully merged his organization with Krumm-Heller's.

Hilfiker and Clymer had a meeting on May 7, 1947 and also in June 5, 1948, in Zürich (Switzerland) at the hotel Baur-au-lac.

The Fraternitas Rosae Crucis official biography of Emerson Myron Clymer, son of R. S. Clymer, describes him as "Supreme Grand Master of FUDOFSI" after his father's death, so it is possible that the Fraternitas Rosae Crucis considers FUDOFSI to have survived later.