Rizal in France and

Germany
Reported by:
Jullie A. Surilla
Mylene S. Dabandan
BSED 2B
 Rizal At Paris…
When Rizal obtained his degree in Medicine and Philosophy and Literature
at the Universidad Central de Madrid, he toured in several countries in Europe.
In 1885, he moved to Paris for the following reasons: to develop his French
language and to acquire training in ophthalmology. On his way to Paris, he
stopped in Barcelona to visit his friend Maximo Viola, a medical student from a
rich family in San Miguel, Bulacan. Rizal worked as assistant to Dr. Louis de
Wecker for four months from November 1885 to February 1886, and he learned
as fast as he could the technique of eye operations. During that time, Dr. de
Wecker was a well-known ophthalmologist and invented scissors for cutting the
iris during eye surgery that were still in use in the 1960’s.
 Rizal worked in Dr. de Wecker’s clinic which was a large mansion
composed of 30 beds and can accommodate 100 patients. They have 50 to 100
patients daily. Some of the patients came from all over Europe. De Wecker’s
clinic was composed of doctors from all over the world: one Italian, one
Greek, one Austrian, one North American, three South Americans, two
Spaniards, four French, and one German. Rizal being an assistant was
considered “refined, friendly, industrious with high esteem.”
After working, Rizal learned different languages such as French, German,
Polish, and Greek. At the studio of Juan Luna, he tried to improve his
painting he posed as a model in several of Luna’s paintings, including as an
Egyptian priest in Death of Cleopatra and as Sikatuna in The blood compact, with
Trinidad Pardo de Tavera posing as Legaspi.
 He also visited several places: the Champs Elysees, Colonne
Vendome, the Opera House, Place de la Concorde, the Church of
Magdalene, Notre Dame Church (Nuestra Senora de Paris),
Laennec Hospital, Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Kardin d’
Acclimation, Jardin de Plantes, Palace of Versailles, the Pantheon
of Hotel de Cluny, and other places of interest.
On the streets, Rizal observed the cleanliness in the
surroundings. In the public gardens and promenades, men take a
stroll or study while some women sit on the benches under the
trees while the children play or run around.
 Rizal’s life in Paris was mostly devoted to his intellectual
advancement either in his professions, finishing his novel,
travelling, learning different cultures, or developing his talent in
painting.
In spite of the support of Dr. Wecker, Rizal left Paris to learn
more about eye specialization. Before leaving the city, Rizal had
already completed one-fourth of his novel, Noli Me Tangere.
At Heidelberg…
Rizal arrived in Heidelberg in 1886. He stayed there for six months (February 3-
August 9, 1886) and temporarily lived in a four-story house at No. 16 Karlstrasse,
approximately 300 meters away from the University of Heidelberg, from February 3 to
February 17, 1886.
At the boarding house of a landlady named Nebel, he paid 28 duros a month for
lodging, meals, and light which was more than what he expected but far less than what
he paid in Paris. He found the German life not disagreeable, because he ate potatoes in
the morning and potatoes in the evening. At night, the meal was potatoes and cold meat
with tea. In order to save his money, he ate the restaurants during the day and night and
took only his dinner in the boarding house which was a cup of tea and bread and butter.
 After 15 days, he moved to an apartment at Ludwig Platz, No. 12
Grabengasse, presently known as Universitatstrasse. To enhance his
knowledge in ophthalmology, he worked as an assistant in the eye
clinic of Dr. Otto Becker located at the Heidelberg University at No.
20 Bergheim Strasse. Dr. Becker founded the University in 1875 and
served as a director of the Univer (Clinic of Eye Diseases). As an
assistant in the eye clinic, Rizal attended lectures in ophthalmology
given by Dr. Beker during the summer semester of 1886. some of his
seminars were: “Augen Klinic,” (Eye Clinic) and “ Repetitorium der
Augenheilkunde” (Refresher Ophthalmology). Dr. Becker stated that
“Dr. Jose Rizal has been recognized as among the “important
personalities” who heard lectures at the Heidelberg University.
 In his letter to his parents and sisters, dated February 24, 1886, from
Heidelberg, Karlstrasse Rizal described his experiences as an assistant
in the eye clinic: in Germany, 24,000 people couldn’t go to eye clinics
due to the lack of ophthalmologists unlike in Paris, where there were
ophthalmologists for 2 million people. Rizal learned the basic
principles in ophthalmology by observing mistakes in the diagnosis
through his professors.
Rizal had a limited fund for attending seminars, to buy ophthalmic
books, equipment, and ophthalmological training. According to De
Ocampo Geminiano (1961), despite the insufficient funds, his
diligence and discipline led Rizal to become a successful physician.
 During his stay in Heidelberg, Rizal played chess, became a member of
Chess Players Club in the University. When Rizal ran out of money, Juan Luna
would lend him until he received his allowance from the Philippines.
Rizal was impressed with the German way of life, which he described as
very methodical and disciplined. He found people walking along the streets
friendly and respectful to greet one another by raising their hats fully and
throwing their caps forward. It was also an obligation for Germans to
introduce their names in social gatherings.
Rizal was also fascinated with the castles and beautiful spring flowers of
Heidelberg, which reminded him of the flowers at the garden of his home in
Calamba. His homesickness then prodded him to write a beautiful poem
entitled “To the Flowers of Heidelberg.” He also wrote a letter to his younger
sister, Trinidad, where he described the characteristics of German girls.
 In his letter, he stated that, “At your age, the German women appear as if
they were 20 or 24 years in their habits and mannerism. A German woman is
serious, studios and diligent. They do not care so much for their dresses or
jewels. They manage to comb their hair beautifully. They are homebred and
learn how to cook and show appreciation for music and design.” He regretted
that Filipina women showed more interest in dresses than how much they
were supposed to learn. However, he praised the devotion and hospitality of
the Filipino women especially in the provinces who were not affected by
sophistication. He also expressed his optimism that the Filipino women could
command respect of all men if they would show intellectual growth and civic-
mindedness. In concluding remarks. He advised his sister, Trinidad: “Now
that you are still young, you should strive to read and learn. You must not
allow yourself to be conquered by indolence because it costs so little to cast it
off”
 At Wilhelmsfeld…
To relieve himself further of homesickness, Rizal spent summer at
Wilhelmfeld for three months at the residence of Rev. Karl Ulmer, whom Rizal
met one in the woods with his (the pastor’s) wife, daughter Eta, and son
Friedrich. Wilhelmsfeld is located at the top of the hill about 13 kilometres North
of Heidelberg. To get there in Rizals time, one walk or about three hours from
the university center to the edge of Neckar river, across a bridge and through the
beautiful Odenwald forest. Rizal boarded in a room located on the second floor
of Ullmer’s vicarage. He found the place peaceful and quite. Thus, Rizal almost
completed the concluding chapters of his novel Noli Me Tangere in Wilhelmsfeld.
 Rizal admired the way the two Germans tolerated and
respected each other’s religion. After thorough discussion
between Catholicism and Protestantism, they mutually
concluded that religion should be a reason to become an enemy
instead they were doing their duties because of their faith in God
and to bring people closer to one another in the spirit of
brotherhood.
During his stay in Wilhelmsfeld, Rizal developed his talent in
sketching and learned to speak good in German. In June 1886,
Rizal left Wilhelmsfeld for Heidelberg.
 Leipzig
Rizal attended lectures on history and psychology at the
University of Leipzig. He became a friend of Professor Friedrich
Ratzel, a famous German historian, and of Hans Meyer, a German
anthropologist. Dr. Hans Meyer was the author of one of the largest
encyclopedic dictionaries of Germany and chief of the
Bibliographical Institute.
Professor Ratzel describes Dr. Jose Rizal in the following
manner: “Rizal has acquired the wisdom of three continents that led
him to develop his intellectual ability that could help his
countrymen.”
 Also in Leipzig, he became a proofreader for a publishing
company. On October 12, 1886, Rizal translated Schiller’s William
Tell from German to Tagalog so that the Filipinos would know the
story of the champion of Swiss independence. He also translated
five fairy tales written by Hans Cristian Andersen, including The
Ugly Duckling. He sent a copy of the translation to his brother and
was intended to be read by his fellowmen with the hope that they
would benefit from the story.
Rizal found Leipzig a quite place, and a good place to stay. In
addition, he found everything cheaper than anywhere else in
Europe.
 Berlin
On November 1, 1886, Rizal arrived in Berlin and stayed at the Central
hotel. Rizal’s stay in Berlin was one of his best experiences. He was there for
several reasons: to master the German language; to develop his learning in
humanities, history and languages; to study the ethnography of Germany; to
specialize in ophthalmology; to be a part of different organizations with
German scholars and scientists; and to publish Noli Me Tangere, his novel.
Rizal became a member of Geographic and Ethnographic Association. He
was offered membership on condition the he present an original research on
any subject. The first work that he presented was the Treatise on Tagalog verse.
This work received great praise from the members of the association. He also
developed his talent as a linguist, studying ang mastering several languages.
 He also learned advanced ophthalmology as an assistant in different
clinics and attended conferences.
Rizal led a frugal life in Berlin that cause him to suffer from malnutrition.
He had a great love for gymnastics that he wanted to become the strongest
man at one of the local gymnasiums. He tried his best lifting weights under an
unaccustomed diet. His excessive studying and buying of books also
contributed to his bad physical state.
It was in Berlin where Rizal pawned his sister’s diamond ring which his
friend Dr. Maximo Viola recently delivered to him from Paris. Dr. Maximo
Viola also lent Rizal enough money for the printing of Noli Me Tangere. Rizal
finished the book on February 21, 1887 and was printed on February 21, 1887.
the first copy was given to Maximo Viola, who had already been gifted with
the proofs of the book and Rizal’s pen.
 After Noli’s publication, Rizal and Viola embarked on a grand tour of
Europe and visited museums, botanical gardens, Jewish synagogues, the
Victory Column, a tower built with a cannon captured in the Franco-Prussian
War, libraries, windmills, the symbol of German justice, theaters, and other
cultural places. Rizal also spent time touring the countryside around Berlin,
keenly observing the customs, dresses, homes, and occupations of the
Germans.
Afterwards, Rizal decided to return to the Philippines after a five-year
absence. But Dr. Maximo Viola tried to discourage him from returning home,
worried that his life would be in danger due to the circulation of Noli Me
Tangere. But Rizal wanted to operate his mother’s eyes. He left Berlin by train
on May 11, 1887, making a stop at Dresden to visit important places.
 Dresden
Rizal and Viola went to the regional floral exposition in Dresden, and
visited Dr. Adolph Meyer, director of the Dresden Museum. They also went to
the Museum of Art, where they viewed Prometheus Bound by Flemish painter
Peter Paul Rubens. Finally, they sailed for Leitmeritz, Bohemia where, for the
first time, Rizal met Ferdinand Blumentritt, an Austrian scholar, director of
the Athenaeum of Leitmeritz in Bohemia, part of Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Blumentritt sent Rizal his photographs so Rizal could recognize him. When
they meet, they each other in German, and Blumentritt helped Rizal and Viola
get a room and Hotel Krebbs, after which he brought them to his home and
introduced them to his wife and family.
 Blumentritt was one of the first European academics to specialize in Philippine
studies. His wife Rosa was a kitchen genius and their three kids namely: Dolores,
Conrado, and Fritz Alfonso became very fond of the Filipinos. Rizal and Viola toured
around the city and were introduced to beer. During Rizal’s three-day visit,
Blumentritt’s family served Filipino food which surprised Rizal, such as adobo,
lechon, lumpia, pancit, kare-kare, paella, and other Filipino dishes.
Blumentritt called Rizal not only “the greatest Filipino” but also “the greatest of
the Malayan race.” Their friendship started when Rizal sent Blumentritt a book,
Aritmetica, which was being used in the Philippines then. In addition, Blumentritt
prepared a map of Mindanao and a treatise of the ethnography of the island which he
sent Rizal for corrections. He also made studies on different subjects such as the
Tiruray and Tagalog language. Through the suggestion of Blumentritt, Rizal visited
the Imperial Library of Berlin where he read and copied the rare books on
anthropology and ethnography. He later translated Waitz-Gerland’s Ethnografia y
Antropologia de los Pueblos Primitivos in Tagalog.
 Prague

After Dresden, Rizal and Viola went to the historic city of

Prague, where they visited Dr. Willkomn, a professor of National
History, upon the recommendation of Dr. Blumentritt. They also
visited the tomb of Copernicus, the famous astronomer; the
Museum of National History; the Bacteriological Laboratories; and
the famous cave where San Juan Nepomuceno was imprisoned.
 Vienna

On May 20, 1887, Rizal and Viola arrived in the beautiful city of
Vienna. They stayed at Hotel Metropole and visited many
interesting places in the city, including churches, museums, art
galleries, and public parks.
 Lintz

In Lintz, Rizal and Viola rented a boat to see the Danube River.
During the trip, Rizal observed the river, the barges loaded with
products, and the boats with families living on them.
 Rheinfall

Rizal and Viola then went to Munich to taste its beer, considered
the best in Germany then. They also visited Ulm Cathedral, the
tallest building in Germany at the time, saw the Rin Waterfalls
which was widely regarded as the most beautiful in Europe.
 Geneva
Rizal and Viola stayed in Geneva, one of the most beautiful
cities in Europe. While they crossed Leman Lake, Rizal reminisced
his childhood days in Calamba. However, upon reaching city, Rizal
received news from his friend in Madridabout the deplorable
conditions of the primitive Igorots who were exhibited in the
Madrid Exposition. The Igorots’ scanty clothing had become an
object of mockery by the Spanish press and people. This made
Rizal very sad, resenting the degradation of his fellow Filipinos in
the hands of the Spaniards.
 Italy

On June 23, 1887, Rizal and Viola bade goodbye to each other.
Dr. Viola went back to Barcelona while Rizal went to Italy and
visited Turin, Milan, Venice, and Florence. He also visited Rome
and the Vatican. He explored St. Peter’s Basilica and beheld the
rare works of art, the vast St, Peter’s Square, and the colourful
papal guards. After a week of wonderful travels in Rome, he
prepared to return to the Philippines, having already written to his
father that he was coming home.