Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
To the memory of the priests, Don Mariano Gomez (85 years old), Don Jose Burgos (30 years old), and
Don Jacinto Zamora (35 years old). The priests were executed in Bagumabayan Field on the 28th of
February, 1872. To straighten historical records, however, we must rectify Rizal’s historical inaccuracies
in his dedicatory note. The martyrdom of Gomburza occurred on February 7, 1872. Father Gomez was
73 years old – not 85, Father Burgos was 35 years – not 30, and Father Zamora was 37 years old – not
35.
The original manuscript of El Filibusterismo in Rizal’s own handwriting is now preserved in the Filipiniana
Division of the Bureau of Public Libraries, Manila. It had been acquired by the Philippine Government
from Valentin Ventura for 10,000 pesos. It consists of 279 pages of long sheets of paper. • The title page
of El Fili contains an inscription written by Ferdinand Blumentritt • Features that didn’t appear in the
printed book:
FOREWORD
We have so often been frightened by the phantom of filibusterism that from only a nurse’s narration it
has become a positive and real whose name alone (in depriving us of our serenity) makes us commit the
greatest myths in order not to meet the feared reality. Instead of fleeing, we shall look at its face, and
with determined, if inexpert, hand we shall raise the veil to uncover before the multitude the
mechanism of the skeleton.
If upon seeing it, our country and its government reflect, we shall consider ourselves happy no matter
whether they censure us for the audacity, no matter we pay for it like the young student of Sais who
wished to penetrate the secret of priestly imposture. (On the other hand, if in the face of reality, instead
of being soothed, one’s fear is increased and the trepidation of another is aggravated, then they will
have to be left in the hands of time which educates the living, in the hands of fatality which weaves the
destinies of peoples and their governments with the faults and errors that they are committing
everyday) –Europe, 1891- The Author
WARNING
They are going to waste their time who would attack this book by holding trifles, or who from other
motives, would try to discover in it more or less known physiognomies. True to his purpose of exposing
the disease, of the patient, and, in order not to divert himself nor divert the reader, whilst he narrates
only real facts which happened recentlyand are absolutely authentic in substance, he has disfigured his
characters so that they may not turn to be the typical pictures some readers found in his first book. Man
passes; his vices remain, and to accentuate or show their effects, the pen of the writer aspires.