and Badouraly-Somji Alibay (Commander of the Polish Commandery) were also backers of General Zdrojewski. After the election, de Sousa Fontes changed the official language of his branch to Latin, and began using the acronym OSMTH. Zdrojewski and those who followed him retained the traditional usage of OSMTJ. “OSMTJ” is the French acronym for “Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem.” In late 1973, Grand Master Zdrojewski carried out a re-organization of the OSMTJ and a reform of the Statutes. He approved the Grand Priories re-asserting the independence of the International Federation of Autonomous Grand Priories of the OSMTJ (Each member Grand Priory was recognized as autonomous). The Swiss Grand Priory accepted these reformed statutes in 1973, while the Belgian Grand Priory and United States Grand Priory accepted them in 1975. Zdrojewski was succeeded by Georges Lamirand as the new head of the OSMTJ until his death in 1994. George Lamirand was succeeded by Dr. Nicolas Haimovici Hastier as Regent. In January 2020, the OSMTJ elected retired Brigadier General Ronald S. Mangum as Grandmaster. Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ) The Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ), founded in 1962, is the American autonomous Grand Priory of the Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH). branch of the Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani. The SMOTJ broke with the OSMTH-Regency in 1995 when it refused to recognize the sovereignty of OSMTH-Regency Grand Master Dom Fernando de Sousa Fontes. This name Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ) has been trademarked and is used exclusively in America by the SMOTJ and thus does not refer to the group of organizations tracing lineage to OSMTH but rather to the current OSMTH only. References Further reading Daniel Clausen, "Templar Succession: Establishing Continuity 1307-Present", ISBN 979-8465277525 BBC Website 'What are the Knights Templar up to now?'. News Magazine 2007-10-19 BBC Radio 4. On the Trail of the Templars Program audio, first broadcast 2007-06-18 Stephen Howarth. The Knights Templar, 1991. Chev. Leo Thys, KCTJ. "History of the Order of the Temple of Jerusalem: From 1118 to 2005", Templar Order, the templar's path à path toward the wisdom, Domizio Cipriani, Bastogi libri, 2016, translated in tree languages, External links Ordre Souverain et Militaire du Temple de Jérusalem (OSMTJ) Knights Templar (OSMTJ) Grand Priory of the United States Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH) Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH) -