Walter Lange

Walter Lange
Oak Leaves ceremony on 15 September 1943 at the Führerhauptquartier "Wolfschanze"; from left to right: Adolf Hitler, Colonel Dr. med. dent. Walter Lange, Major Theodor Tolsdorff, Colonel Günther Pape and Major Dr. med. dent. Franz Fritz August Bäke
Birth date	14 July 1898(1898-07-14)
Place of birth	Berlin, Province of Brandenburg, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date	30 October 1982 (aged 84)
Place of death	Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	Imperial German Army Freikorps Reichswehr Heer
Rank	Colonel
Commands held	Grenadier-Regiment 43 Grenadier-Regiment 917
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Iron Cross German Cross in Gold Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Relations	∞ 1930 Elisabeth Thran
Other work	Dentist

Walter Georg Heinrich Lange (14 July 1898 – 30 October 1982) was a German officer, finally Colonel, regimental commander and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of the Wehrmacht in World War II as well as a dentist with a doctorate.

Life

Walter Lange volunteered with the Prussian Army on 21 November 1916, serving with the 4th Guards Regiment of Foot (4. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß) and then as of 16 January 1917, after basic training, with the Infantry Regiment No. 422 on the Western Front.

From 27 December 1918 to 12 August 1919, he served with the Freikorps "Petsch", subordinated to the Grenzschutz Ost. He was then taken over by the Reichswehr-Infanterie-Regiment 39. On 2 January 1921, he was transferred to the 2nd (Prussian) Infantry Regiment. Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in 1923 and 1st Lieutenant in 1928, he resigned on 31 December 1929 to attend dental school. Lange graduated as a doctor of medical dentistry (Dr. med. dent.) at the University of Königsberg in 1934.

In 1936, he re-enlisted as a reservist of the Landwehr and was promoted to Captain on 1 July 1938. On 26 August 1939, shortly before the start of WWII, he was recalled and appointed commander of the III. Battalion/Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiments 162, taking part in the Poland campaign.

• 21 January 1940 to 4 February 1940: Staff Officer Course
• 9 March 1940: Transferred to Infantry Regiment 250 as Commander of the III. Battalion
• 1 August 1940: Transferred to the Liquidation Office of Infantry Regiment 250
• 15 August 1940: Transferred to Sub-group 2 under the Training Director in Lyck
• 21 September 1940: Transferred to the Garrison Command, Modlin
• 21 October 1940: Transferred to Infantry Regiment 43 as leader of the I. Battalion
• 16 January 1941: Leader of the II. Battalion/Infantry Regiment 43
• 2 February 1941: Captain on the Staff of Infantry Regiment 43
• 1 March 1941: Commander of the III. Battalion/Infantry Regiment 43

Lange led his battalion at the start of Operation Barbarossa and was severely wounded on 26 June 1941 (shot wound to the left upper arm). He then was transferred to Grenadier Regiment 43 on 15 October 1942 as commander of the III. Battalion and, on 1 November 1942, was appointed regimental leader, leading it in the fighting around Lake Ladoga. On 1 January 1943, he was officially appointed commander. On 30 April 1943, he was appointed to an active officer. He was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 September 1943, in recognition of his contribution to the fighting around Lake Ladoga.

On 27 February 1944, he was withdrawn from front-line service and assigned to the Führerreserve (OKH)/Army High Command Leader Reserve. Lange assumed command of Grenadier Regiment 917 on 8 May 1944 in the south of France. He was captured by the French on 30 July 1944 not far from the invasion front.

Family

Walter was born the son of Georg Lange, Hospital Inspector in Berlin, and his wife Wilhelmine "Minna," née Elyss. On 14 April 1930, student Lange married his fiancée Elisabeth Thran (b. 27 September 1894).

Promotions

• 21 November 1916 Kriegsfreiwilliger-Grenadier (Volunteer Grenadier)
• 19 December 1917 Gefreiter (Private E-2/Lance Corporal)
• 10 April 1918 Unteroffizier (NCO/Corporal/Junior Sergeant)
• 12 September 1918 Vizefeldwebel (Vice Sergeant/Vice Staff Sergeant)
  • 6 August 1921 appointed officer candidate
• 1 August 1923 Oberfähnrich (Senior Officer Cadet)
• 1 December 1923 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
• 1 February 1928 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
• 1 July 1938 Hauptmann der Landwehr (Captain of the Landwehr)
• 1 October 1941 Major der Landwehr (Major of the Landwehr)
• 1 January 1943 Oberstleutnant der Landwehr (Lieutenant Colonel of the Landwehr)
• 30 April 1943 Oberstleutnant (active Lieutenant Colonel) with effect from 1 March 1943 and Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 January 1943 (170)
• 8 August 1943 Oberst (Colonel) with effect and Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 July 1943 (43)

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 24 August 1917
  • 1st Class on 2 October 1919
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords
• Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 24 September 1939
  • 1st Class on 30 October 1939
• Certificate of Recognition of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army on 20 July 1941
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver on 24 July 1941
• German Cross in Gold on 14 March 1942
• Wound Badge (1939) in Black on 9 July 1942
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal on 13 July 1942
• Mentioned in the Roll of Honor of the German Army (Nennung im Ehrenblatt des Deutschen Heeres) on 19 November 1942
• Close Combat Badge of the Army in Bronze
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 10 February 1943 as Oberstleutnant der Landwehr and Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 42/1. Infanterie-Division
  • 300th Oak Leaves on 13 September 1943 as Colonel and Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 43/1. Infanterie-Division

Sources

• German Federal Archives: BArch PERS 6/7266
• Oberst Dr. Walter Lange (1898–1982), AHF