In 1944, when Nazi troops flooded into Budapest, Hungary, Lazlo N. Tauber was a young surgeon in the city. Rather than fleeing the besieged town, he worked day and night in a makeshift hospital in the Jewish ghetto, tending to the hundreds of people shot by Nazi sympathizers.

   A little more than two years ago, on his 80^th birthday, Dr.Tauber, now a resident of Potomac, Maryland, received the Red Cross’s highest citation, the Medal of Merit, for his wartime efforts. The medal is one of more than a dozen honors Dr. Tauber holds, including a resolution from the State of Maryland for a lifetime of dedicated service, awarded in 1985.

   Dr. Tauber came to the U.S. soon after the war ended, accepting a fellowship in neurosurgery at The George Washington University School of Medicine in 1948. In the years following, he built a career not only as a renowned surgeon but as a highly successful businessman and philanthropist. In the 1960s, Dr. Tauber established Jefferson Memorial Hospital, in Alexandria, Virginia. Under his leadership, the hospital accepted any patient it was able to help, regardless of ability to pay. Still a practicing surgeon, Dr. Tauber often takes no fee for his services.

   Almost 49 years ago, Dr. Tauber received his first appointment in the United States as a teaching fellow in neurosurgery at The George Washington University School of Medicine, and today from the same University receives his honorary doctorate. When asked to send a message to the graduates, he replied, "What advice might I offer you? Unfortunately my life before I came to my beloved adopted country was filled with tragedy. I am a holocaust survivor. I lost my father when I was only two months old, and my only brother and almost all of my family and friends perished in the Holocaust. I left Hungary in 1946 and became a U.S. citizen in 1953. The president of the local bar association greeted us with the following statement ‘We who were born in the United States should never forget that our ancestors were immigrants too. That we were born here was not our choice, but we are extremely proud that we perpetuated the teaching of our forefathers in creating this great nation. You left your native land to seek freedom and liberty. We cannot guarantee you happiness, but we can guarantee you the right to be happy.’ I regard my citizenship as the most meaningful and greatest reward I have ever received in my life. And to you, most of whom are American citizens, I advise you not to take our liberties and opportunities for granted. God was good to me. Whatever I achieved in life could not be duplicated anywhere else but in the United States of America, and my experience only emphasizes what each of you should know and appreciate. Hearty congratulations to all of you. My advice to the students who were born in foreign lands and those who are members of minorities is never give up. With devotion and diligence you will achieve your goal. To those students who were born here, remember the past history of your family and extend your helping hand to the less fortunate, as my friends did for me. In my daily prayers I thank the Lord that he allows me to live in freedom and liberty in my beloved adopted country, the United States of America. God bless all of you."

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