Henrik Lange


Henrik Lange was a Swedish Coastal Artillery officer. Lange's senior commands include postings as Inspector of the Swedish Coastal Artillery, Chief of the Naval Staff and military commander of the Western Military District.

Career

Military career

Lange was born on 27 May 1908 in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of Karl Lange, an accountant, and his wife Märtha. He passed studentexamen in 1926 and was commissioned as an officer in the Swedish Coastal Artillery in 1930 with the rank of fänrik. He became lieutenant in 1933 and attended the Royal Central Gymnastics Institute from 1933 to 1934 and the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1935 to 1936 and served as regimental adjutant in Karlskrona Coastal Artillery Regiment from 1936 to 1937. Lange attended the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1937 to 1939 when he was promoted to captain. He served as a teacher at the Royal Swedish Naval Academy from 1940 to 1942. Lange was commander of the artillery battery that was located in northern Jämtland near the Norwegian border during the winter of 1942 to show the Germans in Norway that there was modern long-range heavy artillery ready to fire on the border area. He was promoted to major in 1944, and served as battalion commander in Älvsborg Coastal Artillery Detachment in 1945 and was head of department in the Coastal Artillery Inspectorate in 1948.
Lange was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1950 and served as commanding offier of the Swedish Coast Artillery School from 1950 to 1954. In 1954 he attended the Swedish Infantry Combat School, and was promoted to colonel and was appointed section chief in the Naval Staff. In 1957, Lange was appointed commanding officer of Gothenburg Coastal Artillery Defence with Älvsborg Coastal Artillery Regiment. In 1958 he was appointed Defence District Commander of Gothenburg and Bohus County as well as Halland Defence District as well as commanding officer of Gothenburg Coastal Artillery Defence. Lange attended the Royal Swedish Army Staff College in 1959 and in 1961 he was promoted to major general and appointed Inspector of the Swedish Coastal Artillery. Lange served in this position for three years and was then Chief of the Naval Staff from 1964 to 1968 and military commander of the Western Military District from 1968 to 1972 when he was promoted to lieutenant general and retired from the military.

Other work

Lange was deputy chairman of the Central Federation for Voluntary Military Training from 1964 to 1970, a member of the Real Estate Board of the Swedish Armed Forces from 1954 to 1957 and of the National Board of the Swedish Military Sports Association from 1947 to 1950. He was secretary there from 1955 to 1957 and chairman from 1957 as well as chairman of its federation board from 1967 to 1972. Lange was also a board member of the Swedish Fencing Association from 1948 to 1956, chairman of the Göteborgs sportskyttar from 1957 to 1961, of Stockholm Sport Shooting Federation from 1961 to 1964 and of the Swedish Sport Shooting Association from 1961 to 1964. Lange was a member of Lidingö City Council from 1963 to 1964.

Personal life

In 1934, Lange married Birgitta Cedercrona, the daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Hjalmar Cedercrona and Carin Kugelberg. He was the father of Carin, Märtha and Carl-Henrik.
Lange died on 5 November 2000 and was interred in Lidingö Cemetery on 12 December 2000.

Dates of rank

Lange's awards: