Fritz Lange
Encyclopedia
Fritz Lange was a Minister for national education in the German Democratic Republic
(GDR).
in the Berlin
suburb of Charlottenburg from 1904 to 1912 and from 1912 to 1917, the Präparandenanstalt and the teacher-training program in Neuruppin. From 1917-1918, he was a soldier in the First World War. In 1919, he passed the teacher's examination and was a volksschule
teacher in the Neuköln suburb of Berlin until 1924. In 1919, he joined the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
and in 1920, the Communist Party of Germany
(KPD). From 1921-1924, he was in the national leadership of the Communist Kindergruppe. In 1924, he was let go from his job and became a leading functionary of the Rotfrontkämpferbund
from 1925-1928, as well as the district representative from Neukölln and a city delegate from Berlin from 1925-1933. Lange was the editor in the agitation and propaganda department of the Central Committee
of the KPD from 1927-1933 and from 1930-1932, he was in the national leadership of the Kampfbund gegen den Faschismus, an antifascist organization of the KPD devoted to the fight against fascism. In 1933, he was arrested and was sent to the Sonnenburg concentration camp. Afterwards, he lived as a worker and sales employee until 1942.
From 1935, he was active in the Resistance, working, among others, in the group that formed around Bernhard Bästlein
and Wilhelm Guddorf
. He was associate editor of the left-wing newspaper Die Innere Front ("The Internal Front"), which published articles for opponents of Adolf Hitler
from various backgrounds, even publishing some articles in foreign languages. As a result, he is considered to have been involved in the Rote Kapelle.
On December 1, 1942, he and Martin Weise were arrested and on October 8, 1943, he was convicted in the second Senate of the Reichskrieggericht
, the highest military court during the Nazi era. His crime was "complicity in treason and aiding the enemy" and he was sentenced to five years at hard labor. He was in various prisons until 1945, including the notorious Brandenburg-Görden Prison
, where thousands were executed, including over 1,780 Resistance fighters.
and from 1949 to 1954, of the Zentrale Kommission für Staatliche Kontrolle, an executive organ of the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands
(SED) in the Soviet occupation zone, later the GDR.
From 1950 to 1958, he was a representative in the Volkskammer
and a candidate for the Central Committee
of the SED. In 1954, he became the Minister of Education. As Minister, he became part of a trend taking place in both East and West Germany
that sought to reconnect with German culture, with those parts of Germany's past that was not controversial, not full of war and misery.
After criticism on the 5th Party Congress of the SED, he was removed from his position. From 1960 to 1961, he worked at the Militärgeschichtliches Institut der DDR ("Military History Institute of the GDR") in Potsdam
.
Lange died in Berlin
in 1981.
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
(GDR).
Biography
Lange attended the Siemens OberrealschuleRealschule
The Realschule is a type of secondary school in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia , Denmark , Sweden , Hungary and in the Russian Empire .-History:The Realschule was an outgrowth of the rationalism and empiricism of the seventeenth and...
in the Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
suburb of Charlottenburg from 1904 to 1912 and from 1912 to 1917, the Präparandenanstalt and the teacher-training program in Neuruppin. From 1917-1918, he was a soldier in the First World War. In 1919, he passed the teacher's examination and was a volksschule
Volksschule
A Volksschule was an 18th century system of state-supported primary schools established in the Habsburg Austrian Empire and Prussia . Attendance was supposedly compulsory, but a 1781 census reveals that only one fourth of school-age children attended. At the time, this was one of the few examples...
teacher in the Neuköln suburb of Berlin until 1924. In 1919, he joined the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany was a short-lived political party in Germany during the Second Reich and the Weimar Republic. The organization was established in 1917 as the result of a split of left wing members of the Social Democratic Party of Germany...
and in 1920, the Communist Party of Germany
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
(KPD). From 1921-1924, he was in the national leadership of the Communist Kindergruppe. In 1924, he was let go from his job and became a leading functionary of the Rotfrontkämpferbund
Rotfrontkämpferbund
Rotfrontkämpferbund was a paramilitary organization of the Communist Party of Germany created on 18 July 1924 during the Weimar Republic. Its first leader was Ernst Thälmann...
from 1925-1928, as well as the district representative from Neukölln and a city delegate from Berlin from 1925-1933. Lange was the editor in the agitation and propaganda department of the Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
of the KPD from 1927-1933 and from 1930-1932, he was in the national leadership of the Kampfbund gegen den Faschismus, an antifascist organization of the KPD devoted to the fight against fascism. In 1933, he was arrested and was sent to the Sonnenburg concentration camp. Afterwards, he lived as a worker and sales employee until 1942.
From 1935, he was active in the Resistance, working, among others, in the group that formed around Bernhard Bästlein
Bernhard Bästlein
Bernhard Bästlein was a German Communist and resistance fighter against the Nazi régime. He was imprisoned very shortly after the Nazis seized power in 1933 and was imprisoned almost without interruption until his execution in 1944, by the Nazis...
and Wilhelm Guddorf
Wilhelm Guddorf
Wilhelm Guddorf was a journalist and resistance fighter against the Third Reich. He was reputedly a member of the Red Orchestra resistance group.- Life :...
. He was associate editor of the left-wing newspaper Die Innere Front ("The Internal Front"), which published articles for opponents of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
from various backgrounds, even publishing some articles in foreign languages. As a result, he is considered to have been involved in the Rote Kapelle.
On December 1, 1942, he and Martin Weise were arrested and on October 8, 1943, he was convicted in the second Senate of the Reichskrieggericht
German military law
-History:In 1900 the German Empire established a single jurisdiction to try soldiers, with the Reichsmilitärgericht as the supreme court. During the First World War, German military law enabled military courts to try not only soldiers but also civilians held to have violated the military law...
, the highest military court during the Nazi era. His crime was "complicity in treason and aiding the enemy" and he was sentenced to five years at hard labor. He was in various prisons until 1945, including the notorious Brandenburg-Görden Prison
Brandenburg-Görden Prison
Brandenburg-Görden Prison is located on Anton-Saefkow-Allee in the Görden section of Brandenburg an der Havel. Erected between 1927 and 1935, it was built to be the most secure and modern prison in Europe. It was a Zuchthaus for inmates with lengthy or life sentences at hard labor, as well as...
, where thousands were executed, including over 1,780 Resistance fighters.
After 1945
From 1945 to 1948, Lange was the mayor of Brandenburg an der Havel. Afterwards he was head of the Zentralen Kontrollkommission ("Central Control Commission") of the German Economic CommissionGerman Economic Commission
The German Economic Commission was the top administrative body in the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany prior to the creation of the German Democratic Republic ....
and from 1949 to 1954, of the Zentrale Kommission für Staatliche Kontrolle, an executive organ of the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
(SED) in the Soviet occupation zone, later the GDR.
From 1950 to 1958, he was a representative in the Volkskammer
Volkskammer
The People's Chamber was the unicameral legislature of the German Democratic Republic . From its founding in 1949 until the first free elections on 18 March 1990, all members of the Volkskammer were elected on a slate controlled by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany , called the National Front...
and a candidate for the Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
of the SED. In 1954, he became the Minister of Education. As Minister, he became part of a trend taking place in both East and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
that sought to reconnect with German culture, with those parts of Germany's past that was not controversial, not full of war and misery.
After criticism on the 5th Party Congress of the SED, he was removed from his position. From 1960 to 1961, he worked at the Militärgeschichtliches Institut der DDR ("Military History Institute of the GDR") in Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
.
Lange died in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1981.
Honors
In 1955, Lange was awarded the Vaterländischer Verdienstorden, a medal for patriotism and service to his country.Further reading
- Hermann Weber/Andreas Herbst: Deutsche Kommunisten. Biographisches Handbuch 1918 bis 1945, Berlin: Karl Dietz Verlag 2004, S. 433-434 ISBN 3-320-02044-7