The secret society of the oculists: enlightened pioneers or covert freemasons?

The Highly Enlightened Society of Oculists, founded in Germany by Friedrich August von Veltheim in the Eighteenth Century, has until recently remained an elusive and little known entity. Presumed to be a society for ophthalmic pioneers, with a 'light hand' a prerequisite for membership, recent evidence suggests its roots lay in Freemasonry and the practice of Masonic rites banned by Pope Clement XII. In 2012, the mysterious Copiale Cipher, an encrypted manuscript of the Oculist Society, was decoded by an American and Swedish cryptographer. This film explores the world of the Oculist Society through the decoding of this pivotal manuscript. This video won 1st prize in the 'Historical' category of the 2018 ESCRS Video Competition.