CHAPTER 7
PARIS TO BERLIN (1885-1887)
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.
In Paris (1885-1886).
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Shortly after terminating his studies at the Central University of
Madrid, Rizal who was then 24 years 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 in
San Miguel, Bulacan. During his stay for a week he also befriended
Senor Eusebio Corominas, editor of the newspaper La Publicidad. Its
owner is Don Miguel Morayta and is also a statesman.
- In November 1885, four months of Rizal living in Paris. He worked as
an assistant to Dr. Louis de Weckert, a leading ophthalmologist. Rizal
being an excellent individual has rapidly improved his knowledge of
ophthalmology.
- Outside of his working hours, Rizal relaxed by visiting some of his
friends. Particularly at the studio of Juan Luna, where he spent many
happy hours in there.
Rizal as Musician.
- Rizal became interested in playing instruments although he was
already aware that he cannot sing well. However, it did not hinder
him not to try anything. By sheer determination and constant
practice, Rizal came to play flute fairly well. He became 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)
and La Deportacion (Deportation), which he composed during his
exile to Dapitan.
In Historic Heidelberg.
- After acquiring enough experiences as an ophthalmologist in Dr.
Weckert’s clinic. Rizal reluctantly left Paris on February 1, 1886 for
Germany.
- On Feb. 3,1886, he arrived in Heidelberg, a historic city in Germany
famous for its old university and romantic surroundings.
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For a short-time Rizal lived in a boarding house with some German
law students. There they found out that Rizal was a good chess
player, that is why they made them a member of the Chess Player’s
Club.
- Affter a few days, Rizal transferred to a boarding house near the
University of Heidelberg. He worked at the University Eye Hospital
under the direction of Dr. Otto Becker, and attended the lectures of
Dr. Becker and Prof. Wilhelm Kuehne at the University.
To the Flowers of Heidelberg.
- Rizal got fascinated by the blooming flowers and among them was
his favorite flowers- the light blue “forget me not”. And due to his
homesickness he was able to write a fine poem entitled “A Las Flores
de Heidelberg” (To the flowers of Heidelberg) on April 22, 1886.
With Pastor Ullmer at Wilhelmsfeld.
- After writing “To the Flowers of Heidelberg,” Rizal spent threemonth summer vacation at Wilhelmsfeld, amountainous village near
Heidelberg. 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.
First Letter to Bluementritt.
- On July 31, 1886 Rizal wrote his first letter in German (which he had
improved after his stay with the Ullmer’s) to Professor Ferdinand
Bluementritt, Director of the Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria. He had
heard of this Austrian ethnologist and his interest in Philippine
languages.
- Together with his letter, Rizal also sent him a book that was entitled
“Aritmetica” (Arithmetic) was published in two languages SpanishTagalog by the Univ. of Santo Press in 1868. The author who was
Rufino Baltazar Hernandez, a native of Santa Cruz, Laguna.
- Rizal’s letter impressed Bluementritt, who reciprocated by sending
Rizal a gift of two books. It marked the beginning of their long and
frequent correspondence and friendship that lasted their lives.
Fifth Centenary of Heidelberg University.
- The famous University of Heidelberg held its fifth centenary
celebration on August 6, 1886. It was three days before his
departure, he was sad because he had come to love the beautiful city
and its hospitable people.
In Leipzig and Dresden.
- On Aug. 9, 1886, Rizal left the city of Heidelberg. He boarded a train,
visited various cities of Germany, and arrived in Leipzig on Aug. 14,
1886.
- He attended some lectures at the University of Leipzig on history and
psychology. He befriended Professor Friedrich Ratzel, a famous
German historian and Dr. Hans Meyer, German anthropologist.
- In Leipzig, Rizal translated Schiller’s William “TELL” from German to
Tagalog so that Filipinos might know the story of that champion of
Swiss independence. Later he also translated into Tagalog for his
nephews and nieces Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy tales.
- Rizal found out that the cost of living in Leipzig was cheapest in
Europe so he stayed for two months and a half in this German city.
During that time, he corrected some chapters of his second novel. At
the same time because of his knowledge of German, Spanish and
other European languages he worked as a proof-reader in a
publisher’s firm, thereby earning some money.
- On October 29, he left Leipzig for Dresden, where he met Dr. Adolph
B. Meyer, Director of Anthropological and Ethnological Museum. He
stayed in Dresden only for two days in the city.
- In the morning of November 1, Rizal left Dresden by train, reaching
Berlin in the evening.
Rizal Welcomed in Berlin’s Scientific Circles.
- Rizal was enchanted by Berlin because of its scientific atmosphere
and the absence of race prejudice. In this city, he came in contact
with great scientists. He met for the first time Dr. Feodor Jagor, a
German scientist-traveler and author of Travels in the Philippines, a
book which Rizal read and admired during his student days in
Manila.
- Dr. Jagor, in turn, introduced Rizal to Dr. Rudolf Virchow, famous
German anthropologist. Rizal also met Dr. W. Joest, a German
geographer. He also worked in the clinic of Dr. Karl Ernest
Schweigger, famous German ophthalmologist.
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Rizal became a member of the Anthropological Society, the
Ethnological Society and Geographical Society of Berlin, upon the
recommendation of Dr. Jagor and Dr. Meyer.
- Moreover, Dr. Virchow, who recognized Rizal’s genius, invited the
latter to give lecture before the Ethnographic Society of Berlin.
- In response to Dr. Virchow’s invitation, Rizal wrote a scholarly paper
in German, entitled Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art) which
he read before the society in April 1887.
Rizal’s Life in Berlin.
- In Berlin, Rizal was not a mere student or a curious tourist. He lived
in this famous capital of unified Germany for five reasons: (1) to gain
further knowledge of ophthalmology, (2) to 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, and (5) to publish his novel, Noli Me
Tangere.
- Rizal led a methodical and frugal life in Berlin. By day, he worked as
an assistant in the clinic of Dr. Schweigger, eminent German
ophthalmologist. At night, he attended lectures in the University of
Berlin.
- At his boarding house, he kept on practicing speaking German,
French and Italian. He wanted to master French so that he may be
able to write it as well as in Spanish. He took private lessons under a
professor of French, Madame Lucie Cerdole.
- He spent his leisure moments touring the country sides around
Berlin, observing keenly the customs, dresses, homes and
occupations of the peasants. He made sketches of the things he saw.
He also enjoyed promenading along Unter den Linden, the most
popular boulevard of Berlin, sipping beer in the city’s inns and
talking with the people around there.
Rizal on German Women.
One of his important letters written while he was in Germany
was that addressed to his sister, Trinidad, dated March 11, 1886. In this
letter, Rizal expressed his high regard and admiration for German
womanhood.
- According to Rizal, German woman is serious, diligent, educated and
friendly. She is not gossipy, frivolous, and quarrelsome like the
Spanish woman. She is not particular about beautiful dresses and
expensive jewelry, though she could dress nicely like any other
woman in the world.
- Rizal regretted that in the Philippines, the women are more
interested in how they dress than in how much they know. He
praised, however, the delicacy of feeling, the fine manners, devotion
and hospitality of the Filipino women, especially those in the
provinces who are not yet sophisticated. If only they can cultivate
their intellect by education and by taking more interest in worldly
affairs, remarked Rizal, they can command the respect of all men.
- Accordingly, Rizal advised his sister, Trinidad: “Now that you are still
young you should strive to read, read, and learn. You must not allow
yourself to be conquered by indolence because t costs so little to cast
it off.”
German Customs.
- Aside from German women, Rizal admired the German customs
which he observed well. The Christmas custom of the Germans
delighted him most. (they cut pine trees and decorate it with various
lights, dolls etc. and show it to the children at night.)
- Another interesting German custom observed by Rizal is selfintroduction to strangers in a social gathering. In Germany, when a
man attends a social function and finds that there is nobody to
introduce him to other guests, he bows his head to the guests,
introduces himself and shakes the hands of everyone in the room.
According to the German code of etiquette, it is bad manners for a
guest to remain aloof, and wait for his host or hostess to make
proper introduction.
Rizal’s Darkest Winter.
- The winter of 1886 in Berlin was his darkest winter. During the
bleak winter, he lived in poverty because no money arrived from
Calamba and he was flat broke. The diamond ring which his sister,
Saturnina, gave him was in the pawnshop. He could not pay his
landlord. He had to scrimp eating only one meal a day. And that daily
meal consisted of bread and water or some cheap vegetable soup.
His clothes were old and threadbare. He washed them himself
because he could not afford to pay the laundry.
- Paciano on the the hand, tried desperately to raise money. He knew
his younger brother was in a dire financial situation in Berlin. But
the crops had failed due to the ravages of the locusts. The sugar
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market collapsed. Time was of the essence, but poor Paciano was
delayed in raising the necessary funds.
Meanwhile, Rizal starved in Berlin and shivered with wintry cold. His
health broke down due to lack of proper nourishment. He began to
cough, he feared that he was going to be sick with tuberculosis.
Never had he suffered such physical blows of penury, so that his soul
cried out in despair.
Luckily that time, his friend Dr. Maximo Viola, from Bulacan, arrived
in Berlin at the height of his despondency and loaned him the needed
funds to publish the novel.