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”)

1. 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 or “High Master” 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 so long as their membership is active in The Adrian Empire, the Society for Creative Anachronism or other recognized historical re-creation organization.
     In such case as any Oberkommando office is vacated, save for the office of the Großkomtur who as the founder of the order may not be removed, nominations shall be accepted from the membership at large and a secret vote shall be administered by the senior active member of the Oberkommando. Once the result of the election is published, service shall begin immediately with or without ceremony. A ceremony may be held at a convenient time and shall be administered by the Großprior or senior member of the Oberkommando.
   • The Großkomtur or his/her designate shall have ultimate authority to change law and resolve disputes within The Teutonic Order if there can be no compromise reached by due process.
   • Members of the Oberkommando may appoint deputies at their convenience.
   • The Großprior and Hochmeister shall proceed as equals.
   • The Hochmeister is responsible for coordinating communication and competitions between The Order and other or organizations.
   • 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.

2. Applicants are expected to provide proof of their German-ish persona before being accepted into the order. The easiest way to do illustrate this is by using an obviously German-ish persona while registering.
   Applicants are known as “Unterpfand” and are not companions of The Order until their German-ish-ness persona is confirmed by the Oberkommando.
   Companions of The Order are identified in four stations
   • Ritterbrüder/Ritterschwester (Knight-brothers/sisters) - knightly combat member
   • Priesterbrüder/Priesterschwester (Priest-brothers/sisters) - knightly clergy
   • Halbbrüder/Halbschwester (Half-brothers/sisters) - knightly non-combatant/non-clergy members
   • Sariantbrüder/Sariantschwester (Sariant-brothers/sisters) - non-knightly companions of The Order
   
   Any companion may hold office within The Order so long as their personal rank within their respective parent organization meets the requirements as set forth in the rules of The Order.
   Companions may hold multiple offices simultaneously within the Teutonic Order when necessary.
   
   
3. The Annual Meeting of The Teutonic Order shall be held at any published location of an annually held war event sanctioned by The Adrian Empire (Imperial Crown War) or Society for Creative Anachronism (Pennsic, Potrero War etc.). When multiple imperial war event locations are scheduled for the same date and times, the ranking member in attendance will administer the meeting and report back to the Oberkommando within one week of the end of the event. In the case where no physical war event may be held, an electronic or telephone meeting will be deemed acceptable and shall be administered by the Großprior.
   • 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.
   
   
4. Meetings of The Teutonic Order shall be considered valid if the meeting complies with either; 30 day written notice to the membership by the Großprior regardless of the number of attendees, or if a quorum of greater than two-thirds of current membership of The Teutonic Order is present physically in person or virtually via “Chat” type software 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. Written votes may be sent to the Großprior and will be counted if postmarked on or before the meeting date.
   
   
5. 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 +1 or greater vote of the entire membership is required to rescind any resolution set forth by a Founding Member of The Teutonic Order save those published in base law which may not be changed except by the Oberkommando.
   
   
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7. 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 14 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 executioner shall bear the title “der Scharfrichter von [name of Landkomtur]”.
   
   
8. 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 14 days confirm or deny the nomination of a Prior. In the absence of a Großprior the Großkomtur shall assume his/her duty and responsibilities. A Prior must within 14 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.
   
   
9. 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 shall be considered for inclusion.
   Registrant Personae are subject to review by the Oberkommando. Non-German-ish registrant entries may be removed or ignored by the Oberkommando. You may not become a member without reading the rules.
   Non-German-ish personae will not be registered in The Order.
   
   
10. 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.
    
    
11. All newly confirmed members of The Teutonic Order must go through the Initiation Ceremony before they may vote on agenda items. We have to have at least one hard and fast rule after all...
    
    
12. If a member abandons his or her German personae for any reason, that person willingly and immediately abandons membership in The Teutonic Order. You MUST have a German (ish) persona to be included in disOrder. :)
    
    
13. 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 but not limited to 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 Supremacists”. If you are associated with any known hate group, you may not be a member of this group. We don't want you. We don't hate.
    
    
14. A member of The Teutonic Order shall be publicly and permanently expelled for confirmed association with or membership in any known hate group.
    
    
15. Members in good standing may leave The 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. You can just vanish too. After five years from the last confirmed participation date you will be removed from the roster.
    
    
16. 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, cast votes regarding the business of The Teutonic Order or represent The Order in any discussion or form of competition. During abeyance, a person may not represent The Teutonic Order in any way shape or form.
    • Members who have placed themselves in abeyance must petition for reinstatement which may be granted by their Landkomtur, Unterprior or higher officer.
    
    
17. 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 event. There is no switching sides. This effectively puts membership in The Teutonic Order in a temporary status for the duration of the event. This is called an "Event abeyance" and has no lasting effect outside of the event.
    During an event abeyance, the member may cast no vote nor attend meetings of The Teutonic Order. Upon the conclusion of the war, event 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 affirm that I will be a good and true companion of The Order and defend the ideals for which it stands, against all enemies in game, foreign and domestic. That I will bear true faith and allegiance to The Order; and that I will obey the orders of the Oberkommando and those appointed over me, according to the published rules and laws of The Order.
I freely make this pledge and keep it until such time as I no longer choose to do so; at which time I will leave The Order and do something else I find entertaining.
These things I (state your name again) do so enthusiastically proclaim.”