Walter Lange

Dr. med. dent.
Walter Lange

Oak Leaves ceremony on 15 September 1943 at the Führerhauptquartier "Wolfschanze", from left to right: Adolf Hitler, Paul Schultz (hidden), Oberst Dr. med. dent. Walter Lange, Major Theodor Tolsdorff, Oberst Günther Pape, Major Dr. Franz Bäke
Born (1898-07-14)14 July 1898
Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died 30 October 1982(1982-10-30) (aged 84)
Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, West Germany
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1929)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1916–29
1936–45
Rank Oberst of the Reserves
Commands held Grenadier-Regiment 43, Grenadier-Regiment 917
Battles/wars

World War I

World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Other work dentist

Walter Lange[Notes 1] (14 July 1898 – 30 October 1982) was a highly decorated Oberst of the Reserves in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

First World War

Walter Lange volunteered in 1916, serving on the Western Front with 422 Regiment.

Inter-war

At the end of the war, Lange remained in the service of the post-war German Army. Promoted to lieutenant in 1923, he resigned to attend dental school in 1929. Lange graduated as a doctor of medical dentistry in 1934. In 1936 he re-enlisted as a reservist and was promoted Captain of the Reserves on 1 July 1938.

Second World War

At the start of the war, he was recalled, taking part in the invasion of Poland with Landwehr Infanterie Regiment 162. In May 1941, Lange was assigned to command of the 2nd Battalion of his regiment, leading it in the invasion of the Soviet Union in June. He then was transferred to Grenadier Regiment 43 in September 1942, leading it in the fighting around Lake Ladoga.

On 10 February 1943 Lange was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel of the Reserves and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The promotion and award were followed by another promotion, to Colonel of the Reserves on 1 July 1943, and the award of Oak Leaves on 13 September 1943, in recognition of his contribution to the fighting around Lake Ladoga. Soon afterward, he was withdrawn from front-line service and assigned to the general officer reserve of the German Army.

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.

Awards and decorations

Notes

  1. ↑ In German a Doctor of Medical Dentistry is abbreviated as Dr. med. dent. (Doctor medicinae dentariae).

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Thomas 1998, p. 7.
  2. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 268.
  3. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 284.
  4. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 72.

Bibliography

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 – The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9. 
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