Friedrich Lange

Friedrich Lange (1852–1917) was a German journalist, political writer, and nationalist intellectual associated with the völkisch movement of the late nineteenth century. Through his writings and political activities, he sought to articulate a vision of German identity grounded in ethnic unity, cultural continuity, and historical destiny.

In 1894, Lange founded the Deutschbund, an elite nationalist organization that sought to influence German political life by cultivating a cadre of intellectual leaders committed to preserving German cultural identity. Although the organization remained relatively small, its ideological influence extended into broader nationalist circles. Lange’s work emphasized the importance of maintaining German identity among emigrant communities abroad. He viewed the global German diaspora not as a collection of assimilated immigrants but as an extension of the German nation itself. This idea would later resonate strongly with the political ideology of the Nazi movement.

Although Lange had died two decades before this map was published, his theories provided much of its conceptual foundation. The appearance of his name on the sheet reflects the Nazi regime’s effort to root its policies in earlier strands of nationalist thought. In this sense, the map represents both a cartographic artifact and an ideological tribute to Lange’s vision of a worldwide German ethnic community.