as a mid-level gestapo official, lange rose rapidly. he adopted the ss ideology wholeheartedly, and resigned from the church in 1937. from 1936 he worked in the gestapo office in berlin. in may 1938, lange was transferred to vienna to supervise the annexation of the austrian police system. there, he met and worked with franz walter stahlecker, who later became his superior in riga. in june 1939 lange was transferred to stuttgart.