Laws of the "Orden der Brüder vom Deutschen Haus St. Mariens in Jerusalem for Historical Recreationists" (hereafter called "The Teutonic Order" or simply "The Order")
- The Teutonic Order shall have a supreme commander known as the Großkomtur, a chief ecclesiastic officer known as the Großprior and a chief executive officer known as the Hochmeister. These three "Imperial" officers shall be known collectively as the Oberkommando.
- The Imperial Officers of the Oberkommando shall serve for life or until choosing to step down.
- The Großkomtur or his designate shall have ultimate authority to resolve disputes within The Teutonic Order.
- The Großprior and Hochmeister shall proceed as equals.
- The Hochmeister is responsible for coordinating communication and combat activities between members of The Order, other guilds and other orders.
- The Großprior is responsible for ecclesiastic activities and for drafting ceremonial policies and guidelines for members of The Order.
- When a vacancy occurs, an officer of the Oberkommando shall be elected by a two-thirds or greater vote of the membership of The Teutonic Order.
- Companions of The Order shall be identified in four stations
- Ritterbrüder/Ritterschwester (Knight-brothers/sisters) - knightly military force
- Priesterbrüder/Priesterschwester (Priest-brothers/sisters) - knightly clergy
- Halbbrüder/Halbschwester (Half-brothers/sisters) - knightly non-combatant/non-clergy members
- Sariantbrüder/Sariantschwester (Sariant-brothers/sisters) - the non-knightly members of The Order
- Companions of any rank or station may hold office within the Teutonic Order.
- Companions may hold multiple offices simultaneously within the Teutonic Order when necessary.
- The Annual Meeting of The Teutonic Order shall be held at the annual Imperial Banner War Southwest of The Adrian Empire.
- Meetings (except for the annual meeting) may be held at an alternate time and place when ratified by the members of The Teutonic Order via resolution and published at least 30 days in advance.
- Meetings (except for the annual meeting) may be held online via "Chat" type software.
- Meetings of The Teutonic Order shall be considered valid if the meeting complies with either; 30 day written notice to the membership by the Hochmeister or if a quorum of greater than two-thirds of current membership of The Teutonic Order is present in person and the meeting has been sanctioned by any of the Oberkommando.
- The Hochmeister or any founding member may call a meeting anytime he or she deems it necessary.
- The Hochmeister or any founding member must, within 15 days of verifyable receipt, call a meeting of The Teutonic Order if asked to do so in writing by five or more members in good standing.
- Each member of The Teutonic Order may cast one vote. Proxy votes are not allowed.
- All resolutions shall require a majority of greater than two-thirds of voting members present.
- A simple majority of 50%+1 is required to rescind any resolution except those from the Founding Members of The Teutonic Order.
- A Two-thirds or greater vote of the entire membership is required to rescind any resolution set forth by a Founding Member of The Teutonic Order.
- The Hochmeister or Großkomtur may create one or more Kommende (Commanderie) and group the Kommende together in larger units called Provinzen (Provinces).
- Each Kommende will select a name and shall be headed by an elected leader.
- The Komtur of a Kommende shall bear the title "Komtur von [name of Kommende]".
- Each Provinz will select a name and may nominate a leader (Landkomtur) from within its Kommende.
- The Hochmeister must within 10 days, confirm or deny the nomination of a Landkomtur.
- Each Landkomtur shall bear the title "Landkomtur von [name of Provinz]".
- A Landkomtur or a representative that he or she appoints shall perform all official ceremonies of The Teutonic Order.
- A Landkomtur may appoint a local executioner to enforce the laws of The Teutonic Order.
- The Großprior may create one or more Priorate (Priories), which may extend their service through Unterpriorate (Sub-priories).
In keeping with the attitude of the historical Order during the Medieval and Reformation period, Priesterbrüder/Priesterschwester shall have equal rights and responsibilities irrespective of their religious affiliations, either mundane or in-game.- Each Priorat or Unterpriorat will select a name and shall be headed by an elected leader. The name may be the same as that of an associated Kommende.
- The elected leader of a Priorat shall be a Prior and bear the title “Prior von [name of Prioritat]” the leader of an Unterpriorat shall be an Unterprior and bear the title “Unterprior von [name of the Sub-priory]”.
- The Großprior must within 10 days confirm or deny the nomination of a Prior. A Prior must within 10 days confirm or deny the nomination of an Unterprior and advise the Großprior of the decision as well as the name of any newly created Unterprior with the Unterpriorat.
- A Prior or his or her representative shall perform all official “religious” duties of the Teutonic Order, assist at all official ceremonies of the Teutonic Order, and take an active role in supporting the spiritual welfare (in its broadest game-related sense) of members of the Order.
- Membership in The Teutonic Order is limited to those who portray a German (or German-ish) persona in game which is to say that they wear plausibly German-ish garb and have a plausibly German-ish game name. For those who portray more than one persona, only that persona which is of German descent should be considered for inclusion.
- The Teutonic Order makes no restrictions on non-German personae and if a member has an alternate non-German persona who is a member in a different order (for example the Templars or Hospitalers) The Teutonic Order shall not condemn or restrict that member in any way. However, when portraying a non-German persona, the person is NOT considered a member of The Teutonic Order and shall not be treated as such regardless of the fact that his or her German persona is indeed a member.
- All newly confirmed members of The Teutonic Order must go through the Initiation Ceremony before they may vote on agenda items.
- If a member abandons his or her German persona for any reason, that person willingly and immediately abandons membership in The Teutonic Order.
- No member of The Teutonic Order may display, use, condone or otherwise elevate the use of hated symbols, trademarks, insignia or other items associated with hate crimes in human history, specifically Nazi Germany for the purposes of game play. We are not skin-heads. We are not neo-nazis. We are not the KKK nor are we "White Supremecists". If you are associated with any of those groups, you may not be a member of The Teutonic Order. We don't want you.
- A member of The Teutonic Order shall be publicly expelled for association with known hate groups.
- Members in good standing may leave The Teutonic Order anytime by simple written notice to their Landkomtur. If the member doesn't have a Landkomtur, written notice may be submitted to the Hochmeister.
- Members of The Teutonic Order may associate with any other organization without penalty from within so long as that association does not conflict with the laws of The Teutonic Order. If conflict arises, a member may choose to put his or her membership in The Teutonic Order in abeyance.
- When placing membership in abeyance, a member accepts and agrees that he or she is not considered a member of The Teutonic Order during this time. The person may not wear the heraldry or sumptuaries of The Teutonic Order, nor may they sit in meeting or cast votes regarding the business of The Teutonic Order. During abeyance, a person may not represent The Teutonic Order in any way.
- During a time of war, if a member of The Teutonic Order chooses to fight on any army other than the army officially supported by The Teutonic Order then that person may not wear the heraldry or sumptuaries of The Teutonic Order for the duration of the war. This effectively puts his or her membership in The Teutonic Order in abeyance for the duration of the war.
During an abeyance of this nature, the member may cast no vote nor attend meetings of The Teutonic Order. Upon the conclusion of the war, abeyance is lifted and the member returns to normal status.- If no army is officially supported by The Teutonic Order, no abeyance is necessary and members of The Teutonic Order may face each other on the field of honor as opponents.
Pledge of The Order
"I, (state your name), do solemnly swear that I will be a good and true member of The Order and defend the ideals for which it stands against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to The Order; and that I will obey the orders of the Hochmeister and the orders of those officers appointed over me, according to the published rules and laws of The Order.
I freely make this oath and keep it until such time as I no longer choose to do so; at which time I may do something else I find entertaining.
So swear I, (state your name again)."
