Rizal’s Education and Life
Abroad
TRAVEL FOR SPAIN
 May 1, 1882 – Rizal began writing farewell letters to his friends and
family
 Paciano gave him money for his allowance
 Saturnina gave him a diamond ring
 May 3, 1882 – Rizal left on board the Spanish steamer Salvadora
bound for Singapore using a passport of Jose Mercado
 May 9, 1882 – SS Salvadora docked in Singapore and stayed in
Hotel dela Paz for two days
 In Singapore, Rizal transferred to another ship Djemnah, a French
steamer, which left Singapore for Europe on May 11. 1882.
FROM SINGAPORE TO COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
 May 11, 1882 – From Singapore, he boarded to
Djemnah, a French steamer bound for Europe
 May 17, 1882 – Djemnah made its stop over at the
Point Galle
 Rizal noted, “Point Galle, a seacoast town which is
picturesque but lonely, quiet and sad.”
 May 18, 1882 – Djemnah docked at Colombo
 Rizal said. “Colombo is more beautiful, smart and
elegant than Singapore. Point Galle and Manila.”
TRIP THROUGH SUEZ CANAL
 May 27, 1882 – he landed at Aden, Yemen at about 8:30am.
He made observation at that time.
 Aden is a city hotter than Manila. Rizal was amused to see
the camels, for the first time.
 June 2, 1882 - He arrived at the Suez Canal enroute to
Marseilles. Rizal was impressed in the beautiful moonlight
which reminded him of Calamba and his family.
 June 11, 1882 – Rizal disembarked and accompanied by a
guide, went around the City of Naples for one hour. This was
the first European ground he set foot on.
 Rizal was pleased on this Italian City because of its business
activity, its lively people and its panoramic beauty.
TRIP THROUGH SUEZ CANAL
 June 12, 1882 – At 10 o’clock in the evening, the boat anchored at Marseilles. He
slept in board.
 Rizal visited the famous Chateau d’if, where Dantes, hero of the Count of Monte
Cristo was imprisoned. Rizal stayed two and a half days in Marseilles.
 June 16, 1882 – At 12:00 noon, Rizal arrived at Barcelona and boarded in the
Fonda de España. Rizal’s first impression of Barcelona, the greatest city of
Cataluña and Spain’s second largest city was unfavorable.
 Later, he came to like Barcelona due to the prevalence of freedom and
liberalism in the city and the good qualities demonstrated by its residents - openheartedness; hospitality; and courage.
LIFE IN BARCELONA
 He wrote an essay entitled “Amor Patrio” (Love of Country)
 His next article was entitled “Los Viajes”(Travels) and
followed by “Revista de Madrid (Review of Madrid) but the
latter was returned because the publication was ceased
because of lack of funds.
 August 20, 1882 – His article “Amor Patrio” was published in
the Diariong Tagalog, a Manila newspaper edited by
Basilio Teodoro. This was his first article he wrote abroad.
LIFE IN BARCELONA
 Amor Patrio (Love of Country) – nationalistic essay, Rizal’s first article written
on Spain’s soil. Under his pen-name Laong Laan. It was published in two texts
– Spanish and Tagalog.
 The Spanish text was the one originally written by Rizal in Barcelona, the
Tagalog text was a Tagalog translation made by Marcelo H. del Pilar.
 Amor Patrio - Rizal’s first nationalistic essay where he urged the Filipinos to
love their motherland.
 For Rizal, loving one’s country was the greatest, most heroic and sublime or
disinterested sentiment a person could have.
 For the first time, he used the term Tierra Extranjera (Foreign Land) in referring
to Spain.
LIFE IN MADRID
 September 2, 1882 - Rizal moved heading to Madrid in order to continue his medical
studies.
 November 3, 1882 – Rizal enrolled at the Universidad Central de Madrid in two courses
– Medicine and Philosophy and Letters.
 Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando - Rizal studied painting and sculpture.
 He took lessons in French, German and English under private instructors.
 He practiced fencing and shooting at the Hall of Arms in Sanz y Carbonell.
 Rizal joined the Circulo-Hispano Filipino. It is an association formed by Filipino students
in Spain composed of both Filipinos and Spaniards.
 Mi Piden Versos (They Ask Me for Verses) – upon the request of the members of this
society, Rizal wrote this poem which he personally declaimed during the New Year’s
Eve reception held in the evening of December 31, 1882.
LIFE IN MADRID
 March 1883 – He joined the Masonic Lodge called Acacia. His
reason for was to secure Freemasonry’s aid in his fight for the
Philippines.
 November 1883 – He transferred to Lodge Solidaridad, where
he become a Master Mason.
 He was overwhelmed by their progressive ideas on
government, politics, and religion.
 Thus, he joined the Masonry for the following probable
reasons: the abuses committed by the friars against the
Filipinos; his association with many mason; and the possible
assistance the masons can extend him in his struggle against
Spanish tyranny and oppression.
LIFE IN MADRID
June 1884 – Rizal finished his medical education. He
was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine.
The next year, he passed all his subjects leading to
Doctors of Medicine but was only able to get his
Doctor’s Diploma in 1887 for he wasn’t able to pay
corresponding fees.
June 1885– Rizal was awarded the degree of Licentiate
in Philosophy and Letters by the Universidad Central
de Madrid with the rating of Excellent (Sobresaliente).
LIFE IN MADRID
 RIZAL’S TOAST TO LUNA AND HIDALGO
 While Rizal was in Madrid, a very heartening news made the
Filipino expatriates rejoice.
 Juan Luna and Felix R. Hidalgo emerged winners in the 1884
Madrid Exposition.
 Luna was awarded a gold medal for his painting, the
Spoliarium; while Hidalgo, a silver medal for his entry. Christian
Virgins exposed to the Populace.
 A banquet was tendered in honor of these two Filipino artists
at The Café Ingles on June 25, 1884, with Rizal delivering the
keynote speech.
 The speech of salute Rizal delivered during the occasion
came to be called Brindis.
PARIS TO BERLIN
PARIS
 Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in
Ophthalmology – Rizal chose this branch of medicine
because he wanted to cure his mother’s eye ailment.
 Dr. Louis de Wecker – the leading French Ophthalmologist
during this period. He is the leading authority among the
oculists of France, who found Rizal such a competent student
and make him as his clinical assistant.
 From Dr. de Wecker, Rizal learned the following:
 the actual performance of eye operation;
 recent studies on the ailment of the eyes; and
 the various techniques of eye operation.
PARIS TO BERLIN
PARIS
During his free time, he visited his fellow countrymen –
Pardo de Taveras (Trinidad, Felix and Paz) and Juan
Luna.
Rizal posted in Luna’s canvass like, “The Blood
Compact” in which he posed as Sikatuna and Trinidad
as Legazpi. He also posed for a group picture called
“The Death of Cleopatra” wherein he dressed as an
Egyptian priest.
PARIS TO BERLIN
 February 1, 1886 – he left Paris to Germany and arrived on February 3, 1886 in
Heidelberg – a historic city in Germany, famous for its old university and romantic
HEIDELBERG surroundings.
 Dr. Otto Becker – distinguished German Ophthalmologist where Rizal worked –
University Eye Hospital
 It was at this university town where Rizal perfected the techniques of diagnosing
eye ailments, which he learned under Dr. Otto Becker.
BERLIN
 November 1886 – Rizal arrived in Berlin. He was enchanted by the scientific
atmosphere and the absence of racial prejudice in Berlin.
 Rizal met Dr. Feodor Jagor, great scientist and author of “Travels in the
Philippines”, one of the books Rizal admired during his student days.
 He also met Dr. Rudolf Virchow known to be the Father of Modern Pathology.
RIZAL’S REASONS IN STAYING IN BERLIN:
1. To gain further knowledge in Ophthalmology;
2. To improve further his studies of sciences and
languages;
3. To observe the economic and political conditions of
the German nation;
4. To associate with famous German scientists and
scholars;
5. To publish his novel, Noli Me Tangere.
BERLIN
 November 1886 – one of Rizal’s important letters written while
he was in Germany that addressed to his sister, Trinidad.
 In his letter, Rizal expressed his high regard and admiration for
German womanhood.
 The German woman, said Rizal to his sister, is serious, diligent,
educated and friendly. She is not gossipy, frivolous and
quarrelsome.
 The said letter, likewise, shows Rizal’s concern about the
training of his sisters so that they can be able to emulate the
virtues of German women.
BERLIN
Noli Me Tangere (published in Berlin, 1887)
The bleak winter of 1886 in Berlin was Rizal’s darkest
winter because no money arrived form Calamba and
he was flat broke. The diamond ring which his sister,
Saturnina, gave him was in the pawnshop.
It was memorable in the life of Rizal for two reasons:
1. it was a painful episode for he was hungry, sick and
despondent in a strange city;
2. it brought him great joy after enduring so much
sufferings, because his first novel, Noli Me Tangere
came off the press in March, 1887.
BERLIN
 Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe – inspired Dr. Rizal to prepare a
novel that would depict the miseries of his people under the lash of Spanish
tyrants.
 Maximo Viola – friend from Bulacan arrived in Berlin at the height of Rizal
despondency and leaned him the needed funds to publish the novel; savior
of Noli.
 February 21, 1887 – the Noli was finally finished and ready for printing
 Berliner Buchdruckrei-Action-Gesellschaft – a printing shop which charged
the lowest rate, that is, 300 pesos for 2,000 copies of the novel.
 March 21, 1887 – the Noli Me Tangere came off the press.
 The title Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase which means “Touch Me Not.” It is
not originally conceived by Rizal, for he admitted taking it from the Bible.
(St. John 20: 13 – 17)
GRAND TOUR WITH VIOLA
DRESDEN
May 11, 1887 – Rizal and Viola left Berlin by train
going to Dresden, one of the best cities in Germany.
They visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, who was very
happy seeing them and they met Dr. Feodor Jagor.
Prometheus Bound – a painting wherein Rizal was
deeply impressed.
Teschen (now Decin, Czechoslovakia) – next stop
over after leaving Dresden
GRAND TOUR WITH VIOLA
 LEITMERITZ
 At 1:30 pm of May 13, 1887 – the train, with Rizal and Viola on board,
arrived at the railroad station of Leitmeritz, Bohemia for the first time,
the two great scholars – Rizal and Blumentritt – met in person.
 Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt – a kind-hearted, old Austrian professor
 VIENNA
 May 20, 1887 – Rizal and Viola arrived in the beautiful city of Vienna,
capital of Austria – Hungary.
 Vienna was truly the “Queen of Danube” because of its beautiful
building, religious images, haunting waltzes and majestic charm.
 What impressed him most were the archaic villages on the riversides,
which were serene and peaceful.
GRAND TOUR WITH VIOLA
 RHEINFALL
 The Cathedral of Ulm - the largest and tallest Cathedral in
Germany.
 Rizal and Viola climbed its many hundred steps. According to Viola,
he rested twice on the way to the tower to catch his breath, while
Rizal ascended continuously until he reached the top.
 From Ulm, they went to Stuttgart, Baden and then Rheinfall.
 At Rheinfall, they saw the waterfall, “the most beautiful
waterfall in Europe.”
GRAND TOUR WITH VIOLA
 CROSSING THE FRONTIER TO SWITZERLAND
 June 2 to 3, 1887 – stayed at Schaffhausen, Switzerland
 GENEVA
 The Swiss City is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, visited by world
tourists every year.
 Meanwhile, the two spent some afternoon on boating at Leman Lake.
 June 19, 1887 – Rizal treated Viola to a blow-out. It was his 26th birthday. Rizal
and Viola spent fifteen delighted days in Geneva.
 June 23, 1887 – Viola and Rizal parted ways – Viola returned to Barcelona
while Rizal continued the tour to Italy.
 Viola and Rizal parted ways – Viola returned to Barcelona while Rizal
continued the tour to Italy.
 Exposition of the Philippines in Madrid, Spain – Rizal was outraged by this
degradation of his fellow countrymen, the Igorots of Northern Luzon.
RIZAL IN ITALY
 June 27, 1887 – Rizal reached Rome, the “Eternal City” and also called the
“City of the Caesars.” Rizal was thrilled by the sights and memories of the
Eternal City.
 Describing to Blumentritt, the “grandeur that was Rome,” he wrote on June 27,
1887.
 June 29, 1887 – the Feast Day of St. Peter and St. Paul, Rizal visited for the first
time the Vatican, the “City of the Popes” and the capital of Christendom.
 Every night after sightseeing the whole day, Rizal returned to his hotel, very
tired. “I am tired as dog, but I will sleep as a god” he wrote to Blumentritt.
 After a week of wonderful sojourn in Rome, Rizal prepared to return to the
Philippines. He had already written to his father that he was coming home.
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