Origins The early history of O.T.O. is difficult to trace reliably. It originated in
Germany or Austria between 1895 and 1906. Its apparent founder was Carl Kellner (1851–1905) (probably with the German spelling Karl), Kellner wanted to establish an
Academia Masonica within which high-grade Freemasonic degrees could be conferred in German-speaking nations. Theodor Reuss (1855–1923) collaborated with Kellner in creating O.T.O. and succeeded him as head of O.T.O. after Kellner's death. Under Reuss, charters were given to occult brotherhoods in France, Denmark, Switzerland, the United States, and Austria. There were ten degrees, Kellner, Reuss, Hartmann, and Klein acquired authority to operate the rites of the
Martinist Order from the French occultist
Gérard Encausse and a clandestine form of the
Scottish Rite deriving from Joseph Cerneau. From
William Wynn Westcott, Reuss acquired a warrant to start a college of the
Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia in Germany. He described this in a 1930 letter to
Arnold Krumm-Heller: Crowley subsequently rewrote the initiation rituals of the first three degrees, and in doing so removed most of those rituals' ties to Masonry. He did not, however, rewrite the fourth degree ritual, which remains in its form and structure related to the various Royal Arch rituals of Masonry.
Under Crowley's leadership Crowley wrote that Theodore Reuss suffered a stroke in the spring of 1920. In correspondence with one of Reuss's officers, Crowley expressed doubts about Reuss's competence to remain in office. Relations between Reuss and Crowley began to deteriorate, and the two exchanged angry letters in November 1921. Crowley informed Reuss that he was availing himself of Reuss's abdication from office and proclaiming himself Outer Head of the Order. Reuss died on October 28, 1923, without designating a successor, though Crowley wrote in later correspondence that Reuss had designated him. Crowley's biographer Lawrence Sutin, among others, casts doubt on this, though there is no evidence for or against it, and no other candidate stepped forward to refute Crowley by offering proof of succession. In 1925, during a tumultuous Conference of Grand Masters, Crowley was officially elected as Outer Head of the Order (or O.H.O.) by the remaining administrative heads of O.T.O. During this period, O.T.O. members outside of the USA rarely came into contact with one another.: Since the total membership of O.T.O. at that time was counted in the dozens rather than in hundreds or thousands, this may simply have been Crowley's attempt at disguising the low numbers. During World War II, the European branches of O.T.O. were either destroyed or driven underground. By the end of the war, the only surviving O.T.O. body was
Agapé Lodge in California, although there were various initiates in different countries. Very few initiations were being performed. At this time,
Karl Germer, who had been Crowley's representative in Germany, migrated to the United States after being released from Nazi confinement. On March 14, 1942, Crowley appointed him as his successor as Outer Head of the Order, and Germer filled the office after the death of Crowley in 1947.
After Crowley's death After Crowley's death, Germer attempted to keep O.T.O. running, with questionable success. Crowley had granted a charter to run an O.T.O. Camp in England to
Gerald Gardner, and Germer acknowledged Gardner as O.T.O.'s main representative in Europe. The two men met in 1948 in New York to discuss plans, but Gardner's continuing ill health led to Germer replacing him with Frederic Mellinger in 1951. Also in 1951, Germer granted a charter to run an O.T.O. Camp in England to
Kenneth Grant, who had briefly served as Crowley's secretary during the 1940s. Grant was to be expelled and his charter revoked in 1955 however, and from that time onwards O.T.O.'s representative in the UK was a IX° member, Noel Fitzgerald. Germer died in 1962 without naming a successor. It was not until 1969 that
Grady McMurtry invoked his letter of emergency authorization from Crowley and became the Frater Superior of O.T.O. McMurtry did not claim the title of Outer Head of the Order, stating in 1974 that "There is at present no Outer Head of the Order for Aleister Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis. The Outer Head of the Order is an international office (see p. 201, The Blue Equinox) and Aleister Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis is not at this time established organizationally to fulfill the requirements of its Constitution in this respect." He began performing initiations in 1970. O.T.O. was incorporated under the laws of the State of California on March 26, 1979. The corporation attained federal tax exemption as a religious entity under IRS Code 501(c)3 in 1982. Grady McMurtry died in 1985. McMurtry requested that members of the Sovereign Sanctuary of the Gnosis (i.e. the members of the Ninth Degree) elect the next Caliph, which they did in 1985.
William Breeze was elected, taking the name
Hymenaeus Beta. In the Fall 1995 issue of
The Magical Link, he is designated "Hymenaeus Beta X°"; in the Fall 1997 issue of
The Magical Link, he is designated "Hymenaeus Beta XI°"; by May 2005, he is designated "O.H.O. Hymenaeus Beta XII°" on the O.T.O. website. In 1996, Sabazius X° was appointed as National Grand Master General (G.M.G.) for the U.S. Grand Lodge. In 2005, Frater Hyperion X° was appointed the National G.M.G. of the newly formed UK Grand Lodge. Frater Shiva X° was appointed the G.M.G. of the Australia Grand Lodge in 2006. In 2014, Frater Abrasax X° was appointed the National G.M.G. of the newly formed Grand Lodge of Croatia, and Frater Phanes X° was appointed the National G.M.G. of the newly formed Grand Lodge of Italy. On October 14, 2014, these five National Grand Masters elected Hymenaeus Beta as "de jure" Outer Head of the Order. ==Philosophy==