Christian Lous Lange
Christian Lous Lange (17 September 1869 – 11
December 1938) was a Norwegian historian, teacher, Christian Lous Lange
and political scientist. He was one of the world's
foremost exponents of the theory and practice of
internationalism.
Early life and education
He was born in Stavanger; his father was a military
engineer and he was the grandson of the historian
Christian C. A. Lange. He graduated from secondary
school in 1887 and proceeded to travel and study
history, English, and French at the University of Oslo,
from which he received the cand. philol. degree in
1893. He taught at secondary schools for many years
and eventually returned to the University of Oslo to
receive a doctorate. Born 17 September 1869
Stavanger, Norway
Died 11 December 1938 (aged 69)
Career Oslo, Norway
Awards Nobel Peace Prize (1921)[1]
In 1899, he had his first official role in the
internationalist movement when he was appointed secretary of the committee organizing an Oslo
conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an organization dedicated to fostering discussion between
parliamentarians of different countries. The next year, he was made secretary of the Nobel Committee of
the Norwegian Parliament and, although he gave up the position in 1909, he would play a key role in the
early days of the Norwegian Nobel Institute. During this time he was the Norwegian technical delegate to
the Second Hague Peace Conference.
Lange rejoined the Inter-Parliamentary Union in 1909 when he was appointed secretary general of the
organization, a position he would retain until 1933. As secretary general he oversaw the Union's move to
Brussels, sustained it in Oslo through the challenging times of World War I, then moved it again to
Geneva after the war. He remained active in numerous other organizations as well, acting as Norway's
delegate or alternate delegate to the League of Nations from its founding until 1938, writing reports and
acting as a correspondent for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and participating in the
Dutch sponsored Central Organisation for Durable Peace, among other activities. He was often called
upon for his expertise in arbitration and arms control, in particular.
His intellectual support of internationalism was demonstrated by the first of a three volume historical
treatise (Histoire de l'internationalisme). The work, published in 1919, was said to contribute to the
ideological preparation for the League of Nations.[2] For this and all his other activities, Lange shared the
Nobel Peace Prize with Hjalmar Branting in 1921.
Personal life and death
Lange died at the age of 69, one day after the 17th anniversary of his receipt of the Nobel Prize. He was
the father of Carl Viggo Manthey Lange, Halvard Lange and Christian August Manthey Lange.
His daughter Thora was a history and language teacher, from 1938 at Oslo Cathedral School. During the
occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany she joined the resistance movement while her husband went in
exile. She was imprisoned at Grini concentration camp in September 1943, but fell ill and died at Ullevål
Hospital in December.[3][4]
Lange was a member of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights.[5]
See also
List of peace activists
References
1. Jain, C. "Awards - Nobel Peace Prize" (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1921/lange/
facts/). Christian Lange Facts.
2. "Christian Lange – Biography (http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1921/lang
e-bio.html)". Nobelprize.org Retrieved October 11, 2010
3. Ording, Arne; Johnson, Gudrun; Garder, Johan (1950). "Lange, Thora Manthey" (http://da2.u
ib.no/cgi-win/WebBok.exe?slag=lesside&bokid=vaarefalne3&sideid=64&storleik=). Våre
falne 1939-1945. Vol. 3. Oslo: Grøndahl. p. 63. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
4. Midtvik, Målfrid (1948). "Thora Manthey Lange". In Faaland; Midtvik; Sandvik (eds.).
Stabekk kommunale høgre skole. Ved 25-årsjubileet 1948 (in Norwegian). pp. 74–75.
5. "Upprop" (https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_norsktidend_null_null_193605
05_2_103_1). Norsk Tidend. 1936-05-05.
External links
Christian Lous Lange (https://www.nobelprize.org/laureate/486) on Nobelprize.org including
the Nobel Lecture, December 13, 1921 Internationalism
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