A man who wants to become a Freemason in Germany is called a Suchender, a seeker. He can begin by attending a lodge’s guest evenings. In May 2026 the Nordkurier reported on the Freemasons in Greifswald. A seeker there may apply for admission after about a year of getting to know each other and gegenseitigem Beschnuppern, sniffing each other out. A 2021 report in the Volksstimme, from the Altmark region, describes the next steps. The lodge examines the seeker. A lodge member is assigned to him as a Bürge, a guarantor, who accompanies him on his first steps. When the examination is complete, a secret vote decides on his admission.