Marcel Claude, one irregular Hierophant of the already irregular Rites of Memphis and Misraim, proposed Hermann Joseph Metzger of the Swiss Ordo Templi Orientis as a member of the German order of Templars, Ordo Militiae Crucis Templi (O.M.C.T.). [Hans Heuer, founder of the O.M.C.T., to Baron E.B. Pflüger; letter of 19.11.62.]
Thus Metzger joined the O.M.C.T. on St. Martin's Day 1962. [Adolf Hemberger, in his Pansophie und Rosenkreuz Vol. II No. 1, Giessen 1974, p. 60 erroneously speaks of 19.11.1968.]
Prominent members found this incomprehensible, and demonstrated this by resigning; or so said Baron E.B. Pflüger, Prior of the Swiss branch of the O.M.C.T., in his notice of withdrawal on January 3rd 1963. In Point 5.6 of this exhaustively detailed document the Baron asserted that Metzger had been made a Knight of the O.M.C.T. without so much as an interview, that he lived off his wife's work as a laundress and seamstress, and that he was of no fixed abode. [E.B. Pflüger to Hans Heuer, letter of 3.1.63.]
At the O.M.C.T.'s Chapter General, held on June 18–19th 1966 at Wiesbaden, Metzger put in an uninvited appearance; he was promptly struck off the membership-roll. Metzger was requested not to take any further part in their meetings, as the O.M.C.T. only accepted members who were Roman Catholics, or belonged to other orthodox or established churches. [Heuer to Friedrich-Wilhelm Haack, letter of 4.6.72.]
Despite all this, later on in 1966 Metzger was still describing himself as a "Profess-Knight of the O.M.C.T."
Paul Ruediger Audehm distributed his Dokumentation über einen Ordensschwindel (Documentation on a Fraudulent Order) [Frankfurt 1968, edition of approximately 100 copies], in which he came to terms with Metzger's titles. His starting-point was the charter Metzger gave to Englert, Audehm and Lerch on November 11th 1966. "We, H. Josephus M., Frater Paragranus, Bearer of the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of France, Grand Cross of the Order of Joachites, Profess-Knight of the Ordo Militiæ Templi Cruci [OMCT], Sovereign Grand Master General, O.H.O., Vicarius Ordinis of the Order of Oriental Templars, Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of Illuminati, Sovereign Grand Master General of the Fraternitas Rosicruciæ Antiqua, and Sovereign Patriarch Ecclesiæ Gnosticæ Catholicæ... [etc.]"
H.J. Metzger's allegations were assessed as "pure drivel" and he was expelled from the Ordo Militiae Crucis Templi.
R. Horst, the O.M.C.T.'s Chancellor, informed Audehm that Metzger was no longer a member of the organisation. [R. Horst to P.R. Audehm, letter of 19.11.68.]
