Herbert Lange | |
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.jpg) Lange beforeWorld War II | |
| Born | (1909-09-29)29 September 1909 Menzlin, Ziethen, German Empire |
| Died | 20 April 1945(1945-04-20) (aged 35) Bernau bei Berlin, Germany |
| Branch | Schutzstaffel |
| Years of service | 1932–1945 |
| Rank | SS-Sturmbannführer |
| Unit | SS-Totenkopfverbände |
| Commands | Chełmno extermination camp (November 1941 – April 1942)[1] |
Herbert Lange (29 September 1909 – 20 April 1945) was a GermanSS functionary during theNazi era. He was commandant ofChełmno extermination camp until April 1942, as well as leader of theSS Special Detachment Lange conducting the murder of Jews from theŁódź Ghetto. Lange was responsible for numerouscrimes against humanity, including the murder of mentally disabled patients in Poland and in Germany during theAktion T4 "euthanasia" programme, and became one of the key originators of theHolocaust.
Lange studied law, but failed to obtain a degree and he subsequently joined theNSDAP (Nazi Party) on 1 May 1932. He enlisted in theSturmabteilung (SA) three months later, and the following year, he joined theSchutzstaffel (SS). He subsequently joined thepolice force, becoming a deputy commissioner in 1935.
Lange entered Poland withEinsatzgruppeNaumann (EG VI) during theSeptember campaign. On 9 November 1939, following a Nazi German victory, Lange was promoted to the rank of SS-Untersturmführer (2nd lieutenant) inoccupied Poland and posted in charge of theGestapo in occupiedPoznań.[1] In the beginning of 1940 he assumed command of anSS-Sonderkommando Lange, named after him and tasked with the murder of mentally ill inWartheland area (Wielkopolska) under the direction ofSS-StandartenführerErnst Damzog andSS-ObergruppenführerWilhelm Koppe.[2] Lange served with Einsatzgruppe VI duringOperation Tannenberg.[3] Already by mid-1940, he and his men were responsible for the murder of about 1,100 patients inOwińska, 2,750 patients atKościan, 1,558 patients and 300 Poles atDziałdowo, and hundreds of Poles atFort VII where the mobile gas-chamber (Einsatzwagen) was invented. Their earlier hospital victims were usually shot in the back of the neck.[4] The unit, equipped with a gas van, shuttled between hospitals, picking up patients and killing them withcarbon monoxide.[5]
After his promotion to SS-Obersturmführer (1st lieutenant) on 20 April 1940, his unit was permanently stationed at theSoldau concentration camp. In one special case,Wilhelm Rediess hiredKommando Lange to kill 1,558 mental patients fromEast Prussia for tenReichsmarks a head.[6] By December 1941 Lange was a SS-Hauptsturmführer (captain) and was appointed commander of theChełmno death camp by then SS-StandartenführerErnst Damzog, theInspekteur der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD in Posen (today,Poznań).[7] Lange held that position until March 1942.[8] His commando was tasked with the liquidation of 100,000 Jews from theWarthegau viaGhetto Litzmannstadt. In April 1942 Lange's unit was renamed SSSonderkommando Kulmhof and introduced improvements to the killing process at Chełmno. Lange constructed cremation pits to replace mass graves.[9] He was succeeded byHans Bothmann who formed Special Detachment Bothmann in 1942. At a very minimum 152,000 people (Bohn) were killed at the camp,[10] though the West German prosecution, citing Nazi figures during theChełmno trials of 1962–65, laid charges for at least 180,000 victims.[11]
Upon the completion of his task in 1942 Lange was transferred to theReichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Main Security Office) and served underArthur Nebe as a Kriminalrat (Criminal Investigator). He was transferred to the Balkans to participate inNazi security warfare against alleged partisans.[12] In March 1944 Lange returned to the already inactive death camp at Chełmno, and resumed the gassing operations on the request ofArthur Greiser, for the final ten transports of ghettoised Jews.[12] In 1944, Lange aided in catching the conspirators who attempted to assassinate Hitler as part of the20 July Plot, leading to his promotion to SS-Sturmbannführer. One of the conspirators he interrogated was Peter Bielenberg. In her bookThe Past Is Myself, Peter Bielenberg's wifeChristabel Bielenberg describes her own interrogation by Lange.[13]
Lange was killed in action atBernau bei Berlin during theBattle of Berlin on 20 April 1945.[14]
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