Jose Rizal’s Life and Works piano, and voice culture in one month and a
half”.
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.
• He served as assistant to the famous oculists of
Europe
• 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 (1885-1886)
• Shortly after terminating his studies at the
Central University of Madrid, Rizal went to
Paris in order to acquire more knowledge in
ophthalmology.
• He stopped at Barcelona to visit his friend,
Maximo Viola, a medical student and a member
of a rich family of San Miguel, Bulacan.
• November 1885 – he was living in Paris
• Dr. Louis de Weckert (1852-1906) – leading
French ophthalmologist where Rizal worked as
an assistant about four months
• January 1, 1886 - Rizal wrote a letter for his
mother to reveal that he was rapidly improved
his knowledge in ophthalmology
• Rizal relaxed by visiting his friends, such as the
family of the Pardo de Taveras (Trinidad, Felix,
and Paz), Juan Luna and Felix Resureccion
Hidalgo
• Juan Luna – the great master of brush; Rizal
helped him by posing as model in several
paintings:
1. “the Death of Cleopatra”, Rizal posed as an
Egyptian priest
2. ‘the Blood Compact”, Rizal posed as Sikatuna
RIZAL AS MUSICIAN
• Rizal had no natural aptitude for music, and this
he admitted. He studied music only because
many of his schoolmates at Ateneo were taking
music lessons
• In a letter dated November 27, 1878, he told
Enrique Lete that he “learned the solfeggio,
• He was a flutist in various impromptu reunions of
Filipinos in Paris
• Some of his compositions are:
1. “Alin Mang Lahi”(Any Race) – a patriotic song
which asserts that any race aspires for freedom
2. “La Deportacion”(Deportation) – a sad danza,
composed in Dapitan during his exile
IN HISTORIC HEIDELBERG
• February 1, 1886 – left gay Paris
• February 3, 1886 – arrived in Heidelberg (a
historic city in Germany famous for its old
university and romantic surroundings
• Rizal was a good chess player and became a
member of Chess Player’s Club
• He became popular among German students
because he joined them in their chess games
and beer-drinking and watched their friendly
saber duels
• He worked at the University of Heidelberg under
the direction of Dr. Otto Becker, German
ophthalmologist
“TO THE FLOWER OF HEIDELBERG”
• He was fascinated by the blooming flowers along
the cool banks of the Neckar River
• The light blue “forget-me-not” – his favorite
flower
• April 22, 1886 – he wrote a fine poem “A Las
Flores de Heidelberg”(To the Flowers of
Heidelberg)
WITH PASTOR ULLMER AT WILHELMSFELD
• Wilhelmsfeld - where Rizal spent a three-month
summer vacation
• Protestant Pastor Dr. Karl Ullmer - where Rizal
stay at the vicarage of their house and who
become his good friend and admirer
• May 29, 1887 - Rizal wrote from Munich
(Muchen) to Friedrich (Fritz)
FIRST LETTER TO BLUMENTRITT
• July 31, 1886 - Rizal wrote his first letter in
German to Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt.
• The book was entitled Aritmetica (Arithmetic)
and was published in two languages (Spanish
and Tagalog)
 FIRST CENTENARY OF HEIDELBERG RIZAL ON GERMAN WOMEN
UNIVERSITY
• March 11, 1886 - Rizal wrote a letter addressed to
• Rizal was fortunate to be sojourning in his sister, Trinidad, expressing his high regard
Heidelberg when the famous University of and admiration for German womanhood
Heidelberg held its 5 th centenary on August 6, • German woman - serious, diligent, educated and
1886. friendly
• Spanish woman - gossipy, frivolous and
IN LEIPZIG AND DRESDEN quarrelsome
• August 9, 1886 - Rizal left Heidelberg GERMAN CUSTOMS
• August 14, 1886 - when he arrived in Leipzig
• Leipzig - Rizal translated Schiller’s William Tell • Christmas custom of the Germans delighted him
from German into Tagalog. He also translated most.
Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Anderson. He • Another interesting German custom observed by
stayed about two and half month in Leipzig Rizal is self-introduction to strangers in a social
• October 29, 1886 - he left Leipzig for Dresden gathering.
where he met Dr. Meyer • According to the German code of etiquette, it is a
• Dr. Adolph B. Meyer ± director of the bad manner for the guest to remain aloof, and
Anthropological and Ethnological Museum wait for his host or hostess to make the proper
• Nov. 1 - he left Dresden by train, reaching Berlin introduction.
in the evening
RIZAL’S DARKEST WINTER
RIZAL WELCOMED IN BERLIN’S SCIENTIFIC
CIRCLES • Winter of 1886 – Rizal’s darkest winter in Berlin.
• He lived in poverty because no money arrived
• Berlin - where Rizal met Dr. Teodor Jagor from Calamba. Rizal starved in Berlin and
• Dr. Feodor Jagor - author of Travels in the shivered with wintry cold, his health down due
Philippines to lack of proper nourishment
• Dr. Hans Virchow professor of Descriptive
Anatomy
• Dr. Rudolf Virchow – German Anthropologist
• Dr. W. Joest - noted German geographer Prepared by: SCI
• Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger - famous German 02/01/2019-Fri
ophthalmologist where Jose worked in his clinic
• Rizal became a member of the Anthropological
Society Ethnological Society Geographical
Society of Berlin
RIZAL’S LIFE IN BERLIN
• Five reasons why Rizal lived in Germany:
1. Gain further knowledge of ophthalmology
2. Further his studies of sciences and languages
3. Observe the economic and political conditions
of the German nation
4. Associate with famous German scientists and
scholars
5. Publish his novel, Noli me Tangere
• Madame Lucie Cerdole - French professor; she
became Jose’s professor in Berlin. He took
private lessons in French in order to master the
idiomatic intricacies of the French language