Karma

 

Karl Braun, born in 1850 in Fulda, Germany was Educated at the University of Berlin, graduating with a PhD in physics. In 1897, he built the first cathode-ray tube (more commonly known as a CRT), which became the seminal tool for developing television and computer terminals. He also discovered and patented a method of transmitting a directional signal that eventually led to the development of radar and other innovations in radio and television technology. In 1909, he shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with Marconi for that work. He was revered in his native country as a true pioneer in electronics.

In 1959, when his hometown of Fulda opened a new school building, they named it the Karl Ferdinand Braun High School. However, prior to its opening, some local citizens discovered Braun was a Freemason. With that, they demanded a different name for the school. Wanting to avoid a dispute, city fathers abandoned the plan to name the school after their native son, and began a search for a new honoree.

After a lengthy search, a committee recommended Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom Stein, a 19^th century Prussian statesman. Von Stein developed an early distaste for the pettiness of diplomacy and went to England to research commerce and mining. In 1795 he was appointed president of the Westphalian chambers, which dealt with commercial mining in Prussia. In 1804, He was appointed Trade Minister, where he introduced reforms that streamlined the nation's trade. His reforms were not universally popular however. He pushed hard for additional reforms in letters to Prussian King Frederick William III, who became irritated and eventually dismissed Stein as "an insolent, obstinate and disobedient official."

While the King was busy being distracted by his irritabilities, Napoleon overran the country. When Napoleon suggested Stein for the office of Foreign Minister, William, still the king, had no choice but to appoint him.

With the king functioning as a figurehead, this gave Stein immense power. He began implementing reforms and issued an Edict of Emancipation which abolished serfdom throughout the country.

When Stein, however, called for a national uprising in Germany, Napoleon turned against him and forced Stein into exile. There, he eventually aligned with Russia. When The Russians defeated Napoleon, Stein was able to return to Prussia as administrator of the liberated territory, where he continued to press for reform until his death in 1831, at the age of 73.

With a resume like that it was an easy decision to honor Stein by naming the school after him and kick the dreaded Freemason Karl Braun to the curb. Today, the Stein School in Fulda has grown into a large campus consisting of a high school, middle school and gymnasium for the entire community – the same one that rejected Braun because of his Masonic ties. Well, that's the way it goes sometimes.

There is, however, an epilogue to this account.

Upon further research, we find that Braun, although a brilliant and productive scientist, was never a Freemason.

What's more, a little digging has turned up the fact that Stein was, in fact, a Freemason. That's right. Brother Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom Stein was a member of "Joseph of the Three Helmets" Lodge at Wetzlar, Germany.

Karma: I'm not really sure how you define it, but I know it when I see it.