Louvre Pontes des Arts bridges

Champ Elysees

Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order

to specialize in ophthalmologyto cure his mother’s eye ailment.

After studying at the Central University of

Madrid, Rizal, who was then 24 yrs old,

went to Paris to acquire more

knowledge in ophthalmology.

MAXIMO VIOLA – a

medical student and a member of a rich family of San Miguel,

Bulacan

SEÑOR EUSEBIO

COROMINAS – editor of La

Publicidad

DON MIGUEL MORAYTA –owner of La Publicidad

and a statesman

NOVEMBER 1885 – Rizal was living in Paris.

He worked as an assistant to Dr. Louis

de Weckert, a leading French

ophthalmologist.

JUAN LUNA – great master of the brush;

Rizal helped him by posing as model in Luna’s

paintings.

“The Death of Cleopatra” – where Rizal posed as an

Egyptian priest

“The Blood Compact” – Rizal posed as Sikatuna

Rizal had no natural aptitude for music. Hestudied music from his classmates in Ateneo.

He told Enrique Lete that he “learned thesolfeggio, piano, and voice culture in onemonth and a half”.

He is also a flutist. His compositions

▪ Alin Mang Lahi (Any Race) – a patriotic songwhich asserts that any race aspires for freedom

▪ La Deportacion (Deportation) – a sad danza,composed in Dapitan

FIFA 2014 Berlin Cathedral

Sausages and beers

FEBRUARY 3, 1886 – Rizal arrived in

Heidelberg, a historic city in Germany

famous for its old university and romantics

surroundings.

He played chess

Worked at the University Eye Hospital

under the direction of Dr. Otto Becker

APRIL 22, 1886 – Rizal wrote a fine poem entitled “A Las Flores de Heidelberg” (To the Flowers of Heidelberg) because he was fascinated by the blooming flowers along the Neckar River, which is the light blue flower called “forget-me-not”.

Rizal spent a three-month summer

vacation at Wilhelmsfeld where he stayed

at the place of a Protestant pastor, Dr.

Karl Ullmer. The pastor has a wife and two

children named Etta and Fritz.

JULY 31, 1886 – Rizal wrote his first letter to

Professor FERDINAND BLUMENTRITT who is

the Director of the Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria.

Blumentritt is an Austrian ethnologist and he

has an interest in the Philippine language.

Rizal sent Aritmetica (Arithmetic) book to

Blumentritt which was published in Spanish and

Tagalog.

Blumentritt became the best friend of Rizal.

Attended some lectures at the University of Leipzig on history

and psychology.

He befriended Prof. Friedrich Ratzel, a famous historian, and

Dr. Hans Meyer, German anthropologist.

He went to Dresden, where he met Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, the

Director of the Anthropological and Ethnological Museum.

Rizal found out that the cost of living in Leipzig was the

cheapest in Europe so he stayed for 2 months and a half.

Rizal in Leipzig and Dresden

Rizal was enchanted by Berlin because of itsscientific atmosphere and the absence ofrace prejudice.

Some scientists Rizal met are: DR. FEODOR JAGOR – German scientist-

traveler and author of Travels in thePhilippines

DR. RUDOLF VIRCHOW – famous Germananthropologist

DR. W. JOEST – German geographer DR. KARL ERNEST SCHWEIGGER –

famous German ophthalmologist

His reason

for living in Berlin

To further his studies of

science and languages

To gain further knowledge of

ophthalmology

To observe the economic and

political conditions of the German nation

To associate with famous

German scientists and

scholars

To publish his novel, Noli Me

Tangere

Rizal worked as an assistant in the clinic of

Dr. Scweigger, and at night, he attended

lectures in the University of Berlin. He also

took private lessons in French under Madame

Lucie Cerdole.

Rizal sent a letter to his sister, Trinidad, dated on March 11, 1886. In his letter, Rizal expressed his high regard and admiration for German womanhood. Rizal said that German woman is serious, diligent, educated and friendly.

German customs Rizaladmired:

On Yuletide season,people will select a pinetree from the bushes andadorned it with lanterns,papers, lights, dolls,candies, fruits, etc.

Self-introduction tostrangers in a socialgathering.

The winter of 1886 in Berlin was his darkest winter.

He lived in poverty because no money arrived from Calambaand he was flat broke.

He could not pay his landlord and he was eating only one meal a day.

His clothes were old and threadbare.

His health broke down due to lack of proper nourishment.

This is one of the most memorable days in the life of Rizal.