“It is an exceptional distinction”, insists Philippe Lelièvre, the president of the Calvados section of the Former French Forces in Germany. On the occasion of Émile Lange’s 100th birthday, on August 8, 2020, the association awarded him the gold medal of remembrance of the federation. The centenary was distinguished during the Second World War by stealing a vehicle of the German Wehrmacht. Resistant to the Compulsory Labor Service (STO), he was denounced and then deported to Germany. However, he manages to escape during the train ride. Volunteered in the army, he participated in the Liberation of France alongside American forces as far as Germany. Returning to civilian life in 1946, he worked as a mechanic and then as a driver.
Invited by Émile’s daughter on his hundredth birthday, Philippe Lelièvre wanted to celebrate his commitment. Ludwig Willaume, representing the mayor of Caen, where Émile Lange resides, also presented him with the medal of the city of Caen.
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