Lang, Moritz

City Councillor, City Elder

Born: 08.07.1901 in Wiesbaden

died: 30.08.1975 in Wiesbaden

"His life was filled with work, dedication, idealism and sacrifice," is how Wiesbaden's Lord Mayor Georg Buch once described Moritz Lang's achievements.

Moritz Lang was a real "Wiesbaden boy". He was born into a long-established Wiesbaden family. After leaving school, he learned the shoemaker's trade. He then became a chemical worker at the Kalle company(Chemische Fabrik Kalle & Co.) in Biebrich.

He joined the trade union movement at the age of 19. In 1920, he became a member of the Workers' Youth League, which later became the Socialist Workers' Youth (SAJ); he joined the SPD in 1921. In 1922, he became chairman of the SAJ sub-district. As early as 1933, he was an SPD candidate for election to the Wiesbaden city council. During the National Socialist dictatorship, he unflinchingly defended his democratic convictions. As a result, he was dismissed from his job and was unemployed for years.

After the war, he was one of the "men of the first hour" who laid the foundations for the reconstruction of Wiesbaden. In 1945, he was appointed to the Citizens' Council and in 1946 was elected to the city parliament, where he served until November 1964.

For 18 years - from November 13, 1949 - he was an honorary member of the city council. Particularly in the post-war period, he campaigned for the social interests of the population. In the Welfare and Housing Deputies, the Health Committee and the Youth Welfare Committee, he tried to alleviate hardship with advice and action. He was also a member of the deputation for the administration of the municipal hospitals, the slaughterhouse and cattle yard deputation and the deputation for agriculture and forestry.

However, he saw his main task as leading the Workers' Welfare Association in Wiesbaden. From October 1945 until his retirement in 1966, he worked as the AWO's full-time managing director. His enthusiasm and organizational talent led to him being appointed to the district board, the state committee and, from 1946, the national board. He was the initiator of the Arbeiterwohlfahrt social home "Unter den Eichen", which was named "Anny-Lang-Heim" after his wife, Anna Lang. In 1969, he became honorary chairman of the Workers' Welfare Association.

In addition to his political and social activities, he was Chairman of the Working Group of Independent Welfare Associations in Wiesbaden and co-founder of the Workers' Samaritan Federation, whose badge of honor was awarded to him. From its foundation in 1953 until 1965, he was a member of the general meeting of the Hesse State Welfare Association. His multifaceted commitment was recognized in November 1961 when he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class. The city of Wiesbaden awarded him the city's Medal of Honor and the Silver Citizens' Medal in 1974.

On December 21, 1964, he was awarded the title of city elder. A retirement home in Schelmengraben bears his name