 Lange’s political activism brought him into conflict with various authorities. He had to quit his teaching post because of political problems in 1862. The school authorities had issued a decree in January warning teachers not to engage in “agitation”. Lange attempted to organize the teachers against the decree. He followed this up with a spirited public defense of the view that teachers needed to be fully active citizens in order to lead their students, by example, to the life of a true citizen (Lange 1862). Lange continued to resist attempts by the authorities to bring state employees, including teachers, into line. Another warning followed in June and, despite failed attempts at reconciliation with the authorities, Lange decided to leave his position at the end of the school year. He became co-editor of the liberal Rhein- und Ruhrzeitung and secretary of the Duisburg Chamber of Commerce. The newspaper was an outspoken critic of the right-wing policies of Bismarck, and already had strained relations with the authorities. Lange also wrote for other papers and magazines, and often resorted to publishing short pamphlets that were widely distributed. He joined the management of a small publishing house with the intention of publishing a series of popular works for the working class.