Christian Lous Lange

Christian Lous Lange (1869–1938) was a Norwegian historian, internationalist, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate known for his leadership in the Inter-Parliamentary Union and his advocacy for global peace and disarmament.

Introduction

Christian Lous Lange was a towering figure in the early 20th-century peace movement. As a scholar, politician, and organizer, he devoted much of his life to advancing international cooperation, arbitration, and disarmament. In 1921, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (shared with Karl Hjalmar Branting) for his contributions to peace and organized internationalism.

Early Life and Family

• Born: 17 September 1869, in Stavanger, then part of the union of Sweden–Norway

• His father, Halvard Lange, was a military engineer, and his grandfather was Christian C. A. Lange, a noted historian and archivist.

• He completed secondary education in 1887 and then studied history, English, French, and related subjects at the University of Oslo. He earned the cand. philol. degree in 1893.

• Later in life, he was awarded a doctorate (Ph.D.) in 1919 for his thesis on the history of internationalism.

He married Bertha Manthey (in 1894) and had children including Halvard Lange and August Lange, who themselves became prominent in political and cultural life.

Career & Contributions

Educator, Historian & Early Roles

After his studies, Lange worked as a secondary school teacher in Oslo (then Kristiania), teaching languages, history, geography, and related subjects.

In 1899, he became secretary of the organizing committee for a conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) held in Oslo. secretary to the Norwegian Parliament’s Nobel Committee, helping to structure that body and the emerging Nobel Institute.

Leadership in the IPU & Internationalism

In 1909, Lange became Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, a position he held until 1933.

Lange was also active in the League of Nations, representing Norway in assemblies and participating especially in disarmament discussions.

He authored significant works on the doctrine and history of internationalism—his multi-volume Histoire de l’internationalisme is considered one of his intellectual legacies.

Nobel Peace Prize & Recognition

In 1921, Christian Lous Lange was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (shared with Swedish statesman Karl Hjalmar Branting) for “his lifelong contributions to the cause of peace and organized internationalism.”

He also served as an adviser to the Nobel Institute after stepping down as secretary, and from 1934 until his death, was himself a member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

He received additional honors, such as the Grotius Medal of the Netherlands in 1932.

Philosophy, Views & Influence

Lange was a committed internationalist and pacifist. He believed that sovereign states with unchecked militarism posed a danger to civilization, and he saw international cooperation—through parliamentary dialogue, arbitration, and disarmament—as essential for peace.

He often emphasized that technical, economic, and communication developments were shrinking the effective distance between nations and creating interdependence—a world in which national isolationism was untenable.

Though not strictly aligned with any political party, Lange has been characterized as a socialist intellectual, sympathetic to progressive ideas and social reform.

Legacy & Historical Significance

• Lange is remembered as one of the leading architects of institutionalized internationalism in the early 20th century.

• His work helped lay the intellectual foundations for the League of Nations and later ideas of global governance.

• The IPU’s survival and growth through turbulent years is part of his legacy.

• His role in shaping the Nobel Peace Prize’s institutional basis—as secretary, adviser, and committee member—gave him enduring influence in how peace work is recognized.

• His descendants (such as Halvard Lange) continued in political life, contributing to Norway’s post-war foreign policy and diplomacy.

Some Attributed Quotes

Here are a few quotes often attributed to Lange:

• “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.”

• “No state is free from militarism, which is inherent in the very concept of the sovereign state. There are merely differences of degree in the militarism of states.”

• “The territorials state is such an ancient form of society … now protected by the sanctity of age and the glory of tradition.”

(These quotes appear in compilations, though in some cases full source attribution in Lange’s original works may be uncertain.)

Conclusion

Christian Lous Lange (17 September 1869 – 11 December 1938) was more than a Norwegian politician—he was a thinker, organizer, and visionary of peace. His life’s work spanned roles as educator, international civil servant, and intellectual. Through his leadership of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, his influence in the Nobel peace apparatus, and his writings on internationalism, he left a framework for thinking about global order, arbitration, and moral responsibility among nations.