[Max Bürger--achievements in conflict-laden times--on his 100th birthday]

Max Bürger (1885-1966) is one of the most outstanding German internists in our century. His special merit is the application of modern scientific methods to his special field and the founding of gerontology as a new field of research. During the time of fascism in Germany Max Bürger has retained his fidelity to an humanistic engagement of the medical profession and, in contrast to many other distinguished representatives of medicine, he didn't succumb the various corruptions for participation in misuse of authority. In spite of the hard conditions in 1945 Max Bürger decided to carry on his activities in Leipzig. Here he achieved in the following years significant results for the reconstruction of Public Health and medical university education. The underlie of these commendable decisions was a humanistic professional ethos, to whom the engagement for suffering individuals was more important than the personal prosperity.