Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Congressman Tom Lantos and The City in History Class

How are Califorinia Congressman Tom Lantos and your City in History class possibly connected? Congressman Lantos is a Hungarian Jew and the only Holocaust survivor elected to the U.S. Congress. He grew up in a small town just outside of Budapest and he was saved by one Raoul Wallenberg, who you will learn more about when you study Budapest.

Congressman Lantos passed away yesterday. He was 80-years-old. Here is the Washington Post article where you can read a little more about his remarkable life.

3 comments:

moville said...

Tom Lantos was an unalloyed force for good in his adopted country. He was just one of many gifts Hungary gave us in the 20th century...he came earlier than the fifty-sixers, but together, the Holocaust refugees and the '56 exiles have compiled a distinguished record of achievement here. Hungary's loss was truly our gain here.

german said...

how did he get elected? i thought you had to be natural citizen for all the federal positions or did i misunderstand and he was only in the california house?

buckarooskidoo said...

I think that only applies to the Presidency. I know for a fact that Darlene Hooley, one of the Oregon congressional delegation, is a former UK resident, and I think that Mel Martinez, senator from FLA, was born in Cuba. So it must be okay to be a furriner if you seek election to the House or Senate...not okay for the Presidency. Sorry, Arnie!