Name: Ian Gan Camaso
Life and Works Of Rizal
Major/Course: BSED II Major in Mathematics
Set A
Instructor: Ms. Nita Calado
CHAPTER 7
Paris to Berlin (1885-87)
Part 1
INTRODUCTION
After he came from Spain, Rizal went to Paris and Berlin. In this lesson, we are going to
discuss about the experience and life of Rizal when he went and studied in Paris to Berlin in
which he wanted to became an opthalmologist as he wanted to cure his mother's illness. In his
travel in Paris and Berlin, there are many known Filipinos whom Rizal befriended as mentioned
in this chapter such as Juan Luna, Felix Resureccion Hidalgo and more. He also composed
music as he travels in Paris and Berlin. In this chapter also indicates that Rizal was a good
chess player as he bacame a member of the Chess Player's Club of the University of Heidelberg.
As he stays in Heidelberg, he composted a poem about the Heidelberg flower that seems to be
his favorite flower as it blooms in the spring season.
DISCUSSION
After completing his studies in Madrid, Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize
in ophthalmology. He particularly chose this branch of medicine because he wanted to cure his
mother's eye ailment. He served as assistant to the famous oculists of Europe. He also
continued his travels and observations of European life and customs,government and laws in
Paris, Heidelberg, Leipzig, and Berlin. In Berlin, capital of then unified Germany. He met and
befriended several top German scientists, Dr. Feodor Jagor, Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, Dr.Hans Meyer,
and Dr. Rudolf Virchow. His merits as a scientist were recognized by the eminent scientists of
Europe.
In Gay Paris (1885-86). Shortly after terminating his studies at the Central University of
Madrid, Rizal, who was then 24years old and already a physician, went to Paris in order to
acquire more knowledge in ophthalmology.
On his way to Paris, he stopped at Barcelona to visit his friend, Maximo Viola, a medical
student and a member of a rich family of San Miguel, Bulacan. He stayed for a week, during
which time he befriended Señor Eusebio Corominas, editor of the newspàper La Publicidad and
made a crayon sketch of Don Miguel Morayta, owner of La Publicidad and a statesman. He gave
Editor Corominas an article on the Carolines Question,then a controversial issue, for
publication.'
In November 1885, Rizal was living in Paris, where he for about four months. He worked as
an assistant toDr.Louis de Weckert (1852-1906), leading French ophthalmologist, from
November 1885 to February 1886. He rapidly improved his knowledge of ophthalmology, as
revealed by his letter to his parents on January 1, 1886. "With respect to the study of the
ailments of the eyes," he wrote, "I am doing well. I know now how to perform all the operations; I
only need to know what is going on inside the eye, which requires much practice".
Outside of his working hours at Dr. Weckert's clinic, Rizal relaxed by visiting his friends,
such as the family of the Pardo de Taveras (Trinidad, Felix, and Paz), Juan Luna, and Felix
Resurreccion Hidalgo. Paz Pardo de Tavera was a pretty girl, who was engaged to Juan Luna.
On the album of this girl, Rizal drew a series of sketches on the story of "The Monkey and the
Turtle".
At the studio of Luna, Rizal spent many happy hours. He discussed with Luna, the great
master of the brush, various problems on art and improved his own painting technique. He
helped Luna by posing as model in several paintings. In Luna's canvas "The Death of Cleopatra,"
Rizal posed as an Egyptian priest. In another of Luna's great paintings, "The Blood Com pact," he
posed as Sikatuna, with Trinidad Pardo de Tavera taking the role of Legazpi.
Rizal as Musician. Music played an important part in all Filipino reunions in Barcelona,
Madrid, Paris, and other cities of Europe. The Filipino contemporaries of Rizal could either play
an instrument or sing. Especially, in the home of the Pardo de Taveras and in the Luna studio,
every reunion was enlivened with the playing or singing of the kundimans and other Philippine
melodies.
Rizal had no natural aptitude for music, and this he admitted. But he music because many
of his schoolmates at the Ateneo were taking music lessons. In a letter dated November 27,
1878, he told Enrique Lete that he "learned the solfeggio, the piano, and voice culture in one
month and a half". However, he confessed that he could not sing well. "If you could hear me
sing," he wrote to Lete, "you would wish you were in Spain because my voice is like the braying
of the asses".
By sheer determination and constant practice, Rizal came to play the flute fairly well. He
was a flutist in various impromptu reunions of Filipinos in Paris. It is said that he even
composed some songs, particularly Alin Mang Lahi (Any Race), a pariotic song which asserts
that any race aspires for freedom, and a sad danza, La Deportacion (Deportation), which he
composed in Dapitan during his exile. In Historic Heidelberg. After acquiring enough experience
as an ophthalmologist in Dr. Weckert's clinic, Rizal reluctantly left gay Paris on February 1, 1886
for Germany. He visited
Strasbourg (capital of Alsace Lorraine) and other German border towns. On February 3,
1886, he arrived in Heidelberg, a historic city in Germany famous for its old university and
romantic surroundings. For a short time he lived in a boarding house with some German law
students. These students found out that Rizal was a good chess player so that they made him a
member of he Chess Player's Club. He became popular among the German students because
he joined them in their chess games and beer drinking, and watched their friendly saber duels.
After a few days, Rizal transferred to a boarding house which was near the University of
Heidelberg. He worked at the University Eye Hospital under the direction of Dr. Otto Becker,
distinguished German ophthalmologist, and attended the lectures of Doctor Becker and Prof.
Wilhelm Kuehne at the university.
During week-ends, Rizal visited the scenic spots around Heidelberg, including the famous
Heidelberg Castle, the roman ic Neckar River, the theater, and the old churches. He noticed hat
the German Catholics and Protestants practised ecumenism, or they lived together in harmony
and cordiality. One of the own churches was used "one-half by the Catholics and the other half
by the Protestants."
"To the Flowers of Heidelberg." In the spring of 1886, Rizal was fascinated by the blooming
flowers along the cool banks of the Neckar River. Among them was his favorite flower - the light
blue "forget-me-not".
The beautiful spring flowers reminded him of the blooming at the garden of his home in
Calamba. In his mood of 1omesickness, he wrote on April 22, 1886, a fine poem "A Las Flores
de Heidelberg" (To the Flowers of Heidelberg), as follows:"
"A Las Flores de 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 azure 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,
You see him silent by your side,
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 Keenigstuhl's height
Pours out its golden flood,
And with its slowly warming light
Gives life to vale and grove and wood,
He greets that sun, here only upraising,
Which in his native land is at its zenith blazing,
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.
With Pastor Ullmer at Wilhelmsfeld. After writing "To the Heidelberg. Flowers of
Heidelberg," Rizal spent a three-month summer vacation at Wilhelmsfeld, a mountainous village
near He stayed at the vicarage of a kind Protestant pastor, Dr. Karl Ullmer, who became his
good friend and admirer. His pleasant personality and talents in languages and sketching
endeared him to the pastor's wife, who was a good cook, and two children, Etta (daughter) and
Fritz (son).
So delightful was his stay at Pastor Ullmer's home that Rizal felt the pangs of sadness
when he ended his sojourn on June 25, 1886. He returned to Heidelberg, carrying with him
beautiful memories of the Ullmer friendship and hospitality. The following day he wrote to
Pastor Ullmer expressing his gratitude, as follows: "I thank you very much once more. You may
also receive, when you are abroad, the same treatment and friendship as I have found among
you; and if being a foreigner, I can do nothing for you in a foreign country, I can be of some
service to you in my homeland, where you will always find a good friend, if I do not die, of course.
The joy of being understood by other people is so great that one cannot easily forget it. You
understood me too, in spite of my brown skin, which to many people is yellow, as if that were
puzzl ing or absurd."
Later, on May 29, 1887, Rizal wrote from Munich (Muchen) to Friedrich (Fritz), son of Pastor
Ullmer: "Tell the good Frau Pas tor, your dear Mama, that when I reach home, I shall write to her.
I shall never forget how good she, as well as your Papa,had been to me when I was an unknown
stranger, without friends and recom mendations...I shall never forget Wilhelmsfeld with its
hospita ble parish house."
SUMMARY
Upon finishing his studies in Madrid, Rizal went to Paris and Germany to specialize in
ophthalmology. Served as an assistant to a famous oculist in Europe. Continuing his travels and
tours to observe European life and customs, government and laws in: Paris, Heidelberg, Leipzig,
Berlin. He met and befriended several German top scientists: Dr. Feodor Jagor, Dr. Adolph B.
Meyer, Dr. Hans Meyer, Dr. Rudolf Virchow.
He then terminated his studies at Central University of Madrid, Rizal who was 24 at the time.
Went to Paris to continue and acquire more knowledge in ophthalmology. Ophthalmology – the
study and treatment concerning the disorders and diseases of the eye. In Gay Paris 1885 –
1886. He visited some friend and his new friends: Maximo Viola – a medical student and a
member of a rich family of San Miguel, Bulacan. Señor Eusebio Corominas – editor of the
newspaper La Publicidad. Don Miguel Morayta – owner of La Publicidad and a statesman.
November 1885 – stayed for 4 months and worked as an assistant of Dr. Louis de Weckert
(1852 – 1906). From November 1885 to February 1886. Dr. Louis de Weckert – A leadin French
Ophthalmologist which Rizal rapidly expanded his knowledge in the field.
Pardo de Taveras – Trinidad, Felix, and Paz. Juan Luna, Felix Resurrection Hidalgo, Paz Pardo
de Taveras – a pretty girl and was engaged to Juan Luna. On her album, Rizal drew a series of
sketches on the story of “The Monkey and the Turtle”.
Rizal spent many happy hours at the studio of Luna. They have discussed various problems
of art and improved his own painting technique. He also posed a model to several paintings of
Luna: “The Death of Cleopatra” – as an Egyptian priest. “The Blood Compact” – as a Sikatuna,
with Trinidad Pardo de Taveras as Legazpi. He admitted that he had no natural aptitude for
music. However, he had to because of his classmates were taking music lessons. Sheer
determination and constant practice, he came to learn playing flute fairly well. He was a flutist in
various impromptu reunions of Filipinos in Paris. He composed some songs: Alin Mang Lahi
(Any Race) – patriotic song La Deportacion (Deportation) – composed during his exile in
Dapitan. Rizal as Musician
February 3, 1886, Rizal arrived at Heidelberg, a historic city of Germany. Famous for its old
university and romantic surroundings. He worked at the University Eye Hospital under Dr. Otto
Becker, a distinguished German Ophthalmologist and Professor Wilhelm Kuehne which he
attend lectures. Noticing the German Catholics and Protestants practised ecumenism, for they
lived together in harmony and cordiality. Historic Heidelberg. Spring of 1886, Rizal was
fascinated by the blooming flowers along the cool banks of Neckar River. Among the flowers,
was his favorite “Forget – me – not” the light blue. April 22, 1886 – he wrote a fine poem: “A
Las Flores de Heidelberg” (To The Flowers of Heidelberg). “To The Flowers of Heidelberg”.
Pastor, Dr. Karl Ullmer, Rizal’s good friend whom he became close with because of the
hospitality and kindness. Pastor Ullmer admired Rizal’s personality, talents in languages and
sketching. A good friend that Rizal can never be forgotten whom he expressed so much
gratitude. Rizal ended his stay on June 25, 1886 and wrote a letter to express his gratitude. As
well on May 29, 1887, he wrote another letter to Pastor Ullmer’s son expressing his great
gratitude. Pastor Ullmer at Wilhelmsfeld.
REFLECTION
Upon reading and knowing the story of Jose Rizal when he went to Paris and Berlin after he
came from Madrid, Spain. He's had his struggles and triumphs nearly claimed his death when he
got sick of tuberculosis. His life was a truly inspiring story. Not just as an ordinary story of a
Filipino but a story of a very intelligent and talented person, who is ready to sacrifice and face
the hardships and putting his whole life just to give freedom and peace, show love and care to
his family, and own nation. I truly admire and idolized him not just because of he was the known
National Hero but also for his life and works that I am studying this semester, I hope and wish
that someday I can be as great and smart as he was.