CHAPTER 5: Rizal to Paris and Germany
Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in ophthalmology, a
branch of medical science dealing with the anatomy, functions, and diseases of the eye.
He has special interest in this branch of medicine so that he could restore his mother’ s
sight. In Berlin, he met with prominent German scientists.
In Paris. Rizal who was then 24 years old and a full pledged surgeon decided to go
to Paris in order to further his study and acquire adequate knowledge in ophthalmology.
On the way to Paris, he first stopped at Barcelona to visit a friend, Maximo Viola, a
medical student belonging to an affluent family of San Miguel, Bulacan. They planned to
tour Europe together after Viola got through with his medical studies.
Rizal stayed in Paris for almost four months. While in Paris, he kept busy writing
his novel. He became a clinical assistant of Dr. Louis de Weckert, a noted
ophthalmologist. During his free time, he visited his fellow-countrymen -Pardo de
Taveras (Trinidad, Felix and Paz) and Juan Luna. The Ilocano artist later became the
husband of Paz Pardo de Tavera.
Juan Luna painted a historical canvass, The Blood Compact in which Rizal posed
as Sikatuna and Trinidad as Legaspi. He also posed for a group picture called “The
Death Of Cleopatra,” wherein he dressed as an Egyptian priest.
In Heidelberg
After working as an assistant in Dr. Weckert’s clinic, Rizal left Paris and moved to
Heidelberg, a German City, where he arrived on February 7, 1886. With some German
law students, he lived in a boarding house, who later found out that Rizal was a good
chess player. His German friends recommended him to be a member of the Chess
Player’s Club whose members were mostly law students. While some biographers say
that Rizal studied Law in the University of Heidelberg, others claim that ‘he only
attended some lectures on various subjects about law to have a working knowledge on
this branch of learning.
While in Heidelberg, Rizal had the privilege to work in the clinic of a noted Polish
ophthalmologist, Dr. Javier Galezowsky.
Heidelberg is a city in Baden-Wurttemberg in West Germany, is famous for its
old universities and beautiful sceneries in the countryside. During his sojourn in this
city, Rizal used to take a walk along the cool banks and crystal clear water of the Neckar
River and marveled at the picturesque sceneries that give character, life and
kaleidoscopic colors in its landscape and teeming flowers of various sizes, shapes, colors
and pleasing scents.
On August 6, he attended the celebration of the fifth centenary of the foundation
of the University of Heidelberg. Before leaving the beautiful city, he wrote an ode - a
lyric poem expressive of exalted emotion entitled “A las flores del Heidelberg.”
TO THE FLOWERS OF HEIDELBERG
Go to my native land, go, foreign flowers.
Sown by the traveler on his way.
And there. beneath its azures sky.
Where all my affections lie;
There from the weary pilgrim say,
What faith is his in that land of ours!
Go there and tell how when the dawn,
Her early light diffusing,
Your petals first flung open wide;
His steps beside chill Neckar drawn,
Upon its Spring perennial musing,
Saw how when morning’s light,
All your fragrance stealing,
Whispers to you as in mirth,
Playful songs of Love’s delight,
He, too, murmurs his love’s feeling
In the tongue he learned at birth.
That when the sun of Kenningstuhl’s height
Pours out its golden flood,
And with its slowly warming light
Gives life to vale and grove and wood,
He greets the sun, here only upraising,
Which in his native land is at its zenith blaxing.
And tell there of that day he stood,
Near to a ruin’d castle gray
By Neckar’s banks, or shady wood,
And pluck’d you from beside the way
Tell, too, the tale to you addressed,
And how with tender care,
Your bending leaves he press’d
‘Twixt pages of some volume rare.
Bear then, O flowers, love’s message bear;
My love to all the lov’d ones there,
Peace to my country – fruitful land –
Faith whereon its sons may stand,
And virtue for its daughters’ care;
All those beloved creatures greet,
That still around home’s altar meet.
And when you come unto its shore,
This kiss I now on you bestow,
Fling where the winged breezes blow;
That borne on them it may hover o’er
All that I love, esteem, and adore.
But though, O flowers, you come unto that land,
And still perchance your colors hold;
So far from this heroic strand,
Whose soil first bade your life unfold
Still here your fragrance will expand
Your soul that never quits the earth
Whose light smiled on you at your birth.
The translation from Spanish to English was by Charles E. Derbyshire.
To Frankfurt and Leipzig
Frankfurt and Leipzig are cities in East Germany where Rizal visited by boarding
a train. He also went to Manheim and Cologne, where he had some sight-seeing at the
Stadel Art Institute, the zoological garden, and the synagogue at Jew’s Alley. In Leipzig
City, he came to know Dr. Hans Meyer, eminent German scholar, who once visited the
Philippines in 1882. Rizal stayed in Leipzig for quite sometime from August 14 to
October 29, 1886. It was about time that he wrote with Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt of
Leitmeritz, Austria, the noted ethnologist whom he longed to meet.
Rizal wrote his first letter in German to Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt,
Director of the Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria on July 31, 1886. He had heard of this
Austrian ethnologist who had a keen interest on the branch of anthropology that
analyzes cultures, especially in regard to their historical development and the
similarities and dissimilarities between them. Rizal had the perception that one of the
Professor’s interests was on culture and about Philippine languages. Rizal in his letter
said:
“I have heard that you are studying our language, and that you had already
published some works about it; permit me to send you a valuable book written by
my country man in our language. The Spanish version is mediocre because the
author is only a modest writer but the Tagalog part is good, and it is precisely the
language spoken in our province.”
The book he sent with his letter was entitled Arithmetica (Arithmetic), published
in two languages Spanish ang Tagalog. This was published by the University of Santo
Tomas Press in 1868. To reciprocate, Blumentritt sent Rizal two books. This was the
beginning of their frequent correspondence and eventually blossomed into a beautiful
and lasting friendship.
It was in Leipzig where he was inspired to translate Schller’s William Tell from
German language to Tagalog version so that the Filipinos might understand the story of
the legendary Swiss patriot who championed its independence It might be of interesting
to note that William Tell was forced by the Austrian governor to shoot an apple of his
son’s head with bow and arrow. He also translated into Tagalog version some of the
Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales.
His next trip was Dresden, another city in East Germany on the Elbe River where
he met Dr. Adolf B. Meyer Director of the Zoological and Ethnographical Museum, who
also became his friend.
Life in Berlin
Rizal liked Berlin, because of its healthy environment, the warmth of the people
and the absence of racial discrimination. In this historic city and capital of unified
Germany various accomplished professionals, like Dr. Feodor Jagor, German scientist
and author of the book entitled Travels in the Philippines, which Rizal read with interest
during his students days in Manila. Mentioned in this book was the downfall of Spanish
rule in the Philippines and the coming of America to her shores. Rizal came to know Dr.
Rudolf Virchow, a well-known anthropologist and his son, Dr. Hans Virchow, a
distinguished professor of Descriptive Geometry, and Dr. Joest, a famous German
geographer through Dr. Jagor. He also worked in the medical clinic of Dr. Schulzer, a
renowned German eye specialist.
Rizal was also invited to give a lecture on the Tagalogs before the Anthropological
Society of Berlin. The paper which he presented in April, 1887, drew encouraging and
favorable comments from various professional scientific journals.
Some biographers deduced that the reasons why Rizal lived in Berlin was because
of the following reasons, e.g., to gain further knowledge in ophthalmology, to gain more
insight and understanding in various sciences and languages, to observe the prevailing
political, social and economic conditions, to observe and to learn new knowledge from
German scientists and scholars, and to finish writing his novel, Noli Me Tangere.
Rizal led a realistic life in Berlin as a student and as a tourist. He attended
lectures of various interesting subjects in the University of Berlin. He also did his daily
exercises in the gymnasium to keep his body physically fit. During his free time, he
toured the country side of Berlin and observed with interest the way of life of the
German people. Occasionally, he made some sketches of views and other interesting
scenic spots.
On German Women
Rizal was deeply impressed with the qualities of the German women. He has a high
regard and admiration for they were diligent, hardworking, active, educated, kind-hearted and
friendly. Their mode of dressing is modest; they do not give emphasis to expensive clothes and
jewelry. ‘
In contrast, Rizal regretted that in the Philippines, some Filipino women are more
interested in beautiful clothes and fine jewelry than the value of education. However, he praised
the fine manners, hospitality, spirituality and devotion of Filipino women to their families.
Other German Ways of Living
Rizal noted that the German workers were protected by insurance against the
hardships of sickness, accident, and old age. The laws on labor hoped to increase the
worker’s loyalty to the government. Railroad were placed under national control.
Schools made patriots of German youth, and the Kaiser (a German emperor: the title
used from 1871-1918) tried to make Berlin the center of intellectual life of the nation by
giving large funds to its university and to organizations of writers and scientists.
National unity was further increased by the economic growth of Berlin. Hamburg,
at the mouth of the Elbe, was a busy port in Germany and the chief outlet of various
businesses for all central Europe, Berlin was the economic metropolis of the nation.
Rizal was delighted on the German customs in observance of the Christmas
season, when he wrote: “On Christmas eve, the people take from the bushes a pine tree,
selecting one which must not only be straight, but also must have leaves that do not fall
in spring; I mean that dry leaves are not leaves at all in this particular case, but are a
kind of small needle. It is adorned with lanterns, colored papers, lights, dolls, candies
and fruits; and shown at night to the children (who had not seen it being prepared).
Around this beautiful tree is made the family observance.”
In one social gathering Rizal attended, he was amused that his attention was
caught of the self-introduction to the guests when a man attends a party or social
function. When nobody introduces him to the guests, he bows his head and shakes the
hands of everyone in the room. It is considered a rude manner for a guest to remain
indifferent or aloof, and wait for the host to make the proper introduction. This is
observed and in accordance to the German code of conventional requirements as to
social behavior ang appropriate for a person of good breeding.
Rizal Got Sick
Rizal found himself in Berlin, almost penniless although richer in experience.
While he was in this city from early November, 1886 to the second week of May of the
following year, he tried to economize by placing himself on a strict vegetarian diet. For
sometime, he failed to receive his monthly allowance from brother Paciano. In dire need
of money, he even loaned the diamond ring given by his sister Saturnina to a pawnshop
and sold some of his books to second-hand book stores. He could not even pay his
landlord his monthly due. Eating only once a day, he soon became sick with chills, fevers
and coughs - symptoms of tuberculosis. He was extremely discouraged and
disappointed that he was on the point of burning the manuscript of his novel, Noli.
The Noli is Published
“Noli Me Tangere... means ‘do not touch me.’ The book contains things of which
no one among ourselves has spoken up to the present; they are so delicate that can not
be touched by anybody... I have endeavored to answer the calumnies which for centuries
had been heaped on us and our country: I have described the social condition, the life,
our beliefs, our hopes, our desires, our grievances, our griefs.., the facts I narrate are all
true and they actually happened; I can prove them.”
- Jose Rizal
Rizal was desperately despondent because he had a slim hope of having Noli
published for he was penniless. Winter had set in and his sickness would have been
worse were it not for the timely arrival in December of his wealthy friend, Dr. Maximo
Viola. Upon the insistence of this magnanimous man from San Miguel, Bulacan, who
loaned P300 to Rizal, Noli was finally printed in March, 1887. The author gave away
complimentary copies to Viola, Blumentritt, Resurreccion Hidalgo, Lopez Jaena, Juan
Luna, Marcelo del Pilar and Regidor. Blumentritt said: “This is the first impartial and
daring book on the life of the Tagalogs... The government and Spanish friars will
probably fight the book, that is, they will attack it, but I confide in God and the truth and
in the people who have seen our sufferings at close range.” Rizal was right his novel
raised a tempest and he made more enemies in his country.
Rizal received formal expression of high praise for his novel and these were sent
by Antonio Regidor and Prof, Ferdinand Blumentritt. Regidor, a Filipino exile of 1872 in
London, said that “the book was’ superior” and that “if Don Quijote has made its author
immortal because he exposed to the world the sufferings of Spain, your Noli Me Tangere
will bring you to equal glory.” Blumentritt, after reading Rizal’s Noli, wrote and
congratulated its author, saying... “Your work as we Germans say has been written with
blood of the heart. Your work has exceeded my hopes and considers myself happy to
have been honored with your friendship. Not only I, but also your country, may feel for
having in you a patriotic and loyal son. If you continue so, you will be to your people one
of those great men who will exercise a determinative influence over the progress of their
spiritual life.”
Rizal’s friends and admirers praised with pride the Noli and its author. On the
other hand, his enemies were bitter in attacking and condemning the same. Probably no
other work or writing of another Filipino author has aroused as much acrimonious
debate not only among the Filipinos but also among the reactionary foreigners as the
Noli of Rizal. In the Philippines, this novel was attacked and condemned by a Faculty
Committee in 1887. The Committee said that it found the book “heretical, impious, and
scandalous to the religious order, and unpatriotic and subversive to public order,
libelous to the Government of Spain and its political policies in these Islands, “while the
Commission recommended that the importation, reproduction, and circulation of this
pernicious book in the Islands be absolutely prohibited.”
It should be noted that coming down to our contemporary political time, during
the Congressional discussion and hearings on the (Noli-Fili) bill in 1956, the proponents
and opponents of the bill also engaged themselves in a heated, bitter and long-drawn-
out debate that finally resulted in the enactment of a compromise measure, now known
as Republic Act No. 1425 (Rizal Law) and signed by President Ramon Magsaysay on
June 12, 1956.
The attacks on Rizal’s first novel were not only confined in the Philippines but
were also staged in the Spanish capital Madrid. (Senator Fernando Vida, Deputy and ex-
General Luis M. de Pando, and Pramides Mateo Sagasta were among those who unjustly
lambasted and criticized Rizal and his Noli in the two chambers of the Spanish Cortes in
1888 and 1899). It is interesting and comforting to learn, however, that about thirteen
years later, U.S. Congressman Henry Allen Cooper of Wisconsin delivered on June 19,
1902 an eulogy of Rizal and he even recited the Filipino martyr’s Ultimo Pensamiento
(last thoughts) on the floor of the United States House of Representatives in order to
prove to his colleagues the capacity of the Filipinos for self-government. The U.S.
Congressman said in part; “It has been said that, if American institutions had done
nothing else than furnish to the world the character of George Washington, that alone
would entitle them to the respect of mankind, so, I say categorically to all those who
denounce the Filipinos indiscriminately as barbarians and savages, without possibility
of a civilized future, that this despised raced proved itself entitled to their self-respect
and to the respect of mankind when it furnished to the whole world the character of Jose
Rizal.” Such statements reverberated in the Halls of U.S. Congress. The results of this
speech and the appeal of Representative Cooper, in effect, were the resounding approval
of what is popularly known as the Philippine Bill of 1902, which granted the Filipinos a
large measure of participation in running the go social, economic and political affairs of
their government.
