Currently, 19 lodges work under the GL BFG, mainly in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also in Lower Saxony, Hamburg, Munich, Berlin and also near Frankfurt.

The GL BFG also supports separate Masonic orders (e.g. Mark, Royal Arch Chapter) of nearly all the rituals of English Freemasonry.

Sitting below the seal are the images of the German Federal Eagle, to the left and a Lion representing United Kingdom to the right.

The beginnings of Saxony Lodge No.842 can be tracked back to 1953 when the Hannover Branch was affiliated to the Association of British Freemasons.

The meetings only consisted of opening, closing and ceremony rehearsals, these were so popular that there was a waiting list for the lodge offices.

These meetings continued until 1957, when the news was received that fraternal relations had been restored between the United Grand Lodge of England and the German masonic constitutions.

Permission was applied for to form a lodge under the German constitution with dispensation to conduct business and ceremonies, using Emulation Ritual, in the English language.

The Lodge Seal/ Jewel ("Jewel" is the term used within masonry to describe an ornament worn on the chest or around the neck on a collar, typically displaying the Lodge crest or seal) is dominated by the rearing stallion that is represented widely within Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) and stands proudly on the Niedersachsen flag.

The Founders Jewel has the added ribbon of yellow and white which represents the colors of Celle, where are lodge was founded in 1957.

In Masonic terms the lodge name  “Keys of Münster”, was appropriately chosen as it represents the friendship and bond between Freemasons.

In 1990, once the cold war had finished, the 1990 Options for Change Strategic Defence Review reduced the number of British Forces in Germany and withdrew out of Minden.

As a result, the Lodge decided to move its seat from the city of Minden to an area where British Forces were still deployed in Germany and in turn returned to its founding ceremony location in Herford, which from 1993 also became the home of 1st UK Armoured Division.

Freemason lodges typically choose titles in relation to their founding location, to a masonic theme or character.

In 2010 under the UK's "Strategic Defence and Security Review," (SDR) the deployment of British forces in Germany was announced to be ended by 2020 and the withdrawal of 20,000 service personnel started to take place.

Late in 2019 it was announced that a small contingent would remain in Germany to act as a forward base in support of UK's role within NATO.

Finally, an Engineer unit equipped with M3, self-propelled amphibious bridging vehicles will remain co-located with German troops supporting the NATO infrastructure in Minden.

This unusual and unexpected turn in events was found to be the increased interest in conducting masonic emulation and ceremonies in the English language rather than that of their own.

Atop the pillars are two spheres showing terrestrial and celestial maps representing that freemasonry is seen by masons as being universal.

The first phase started in 1906 and completed 29 July 1907 which was opened with large celebrations and attended by masonic visitors from as far as Berlin totaling 177 guests.

It has remained the home of the 1899-founded German Lodge Zur Roten Erde who are responsible for the complete building project.

The ground floor holds a large entrance with en-suite washrooms, reception/ dining room and the lodge temple itself.

Five local lodges from East(ern) Westphalia-Lippe (Ostwestfalen-Lippe (OWL)) regularly share the building for masonic meetings.

After years of very happy garrison life in the vicinity of Soest, the entire brigade was moved in December 1970 to southern Germany as part of a centralised Canadian Forces Europe contingent.

In order to return the Lodge to a stable status, agreements were made in 1983 to meet regularly at the Park Hotel in Werl.

By 1968 the building was in need extensive repairs which were funded by selling the garden grounds and great hall which were turned into rented living accommodation.

After 9 years in the town of Unna, the Lodge looked for, and found, a new dedicated home to continue its Masonic work.

The Pillars depicted are at the entrance to King Solomons Temple are represented by the teachings in the First and Second Degree and the splendour of the works undertaken by the Masons at that time.

The Square, the Level and the Plumb Rule, which represent the three principal officers of the lodge and are also symbolic of our working tools.

The Acacia branches adorn two sides of the Triangle reminding us of where Hiram Abiff was discovered after the search for him revealed his location.

The wings and the Book of sacred text demonstrate personal freedom and liberty, ideas at the heart of every mason and the desire to learn to better oneself.