Following the invasion of Poland in 1939, Lorenz was the chief executive responsible for allocating confiscated land, property and managing the affairs of the "Volksdeutsch" in all other areas of occupied Eastern Europe. VOMI, which was an office of the Nazi Party, would take control of a district once the native populations had been driven from their homes and lands. Ethnic German settlers were then given the land to work under the direction of VOMI officials. In respect to his international work, Lorenz was plenipotentiary for foreign relations for Adolf Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess.