Chapter 7 Paris to Berlin (1885-87)

Rizal as Musician Rizal had no natural aptitude for music" and this he admitted. He

Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in ophthalmology. He chose this branch because he wanted to cure his mothers eye ailment. In Gay Paris (1885-86) After studying at the Central Uni ersity of !adrid" Rizal" who was then #$ yrs old" went to Paris to ac%uire more &nowledge in ophthalmology. !a'imo (iola ) a medical student and a member of a rich family of *an !iguel" +ulacan *e,or -usebio Corominas ) editor of .a Publicidad

studied music only because many of his schoolmates at Ateneo were ta&ing music lessons. He told -nri%ue .ete that he ;learned the solfeggio" piano" and oice culture in one month and a half=. He is also a flutist. *ome of his compositions are> Alin !ang .ahi 0Any Race2 ) a pariotic song which asserts that any race aspires for freedom .a /eportacion 0/eportation2 ) a sad danza" composed in /apitan In istoric ei!el"er# 8ebruary ?" 455@ ) Rizal arri ed in Heidelberg" a historic city in Germany famous for its old uni ersity and romantics surroundings. He became popular among the Germans because they found out that he was a good chess player. He wor&ed at the Uni ersity -ye Hospital under the direction of /r. Atto +ec&er" distinguished German ophthalmologist. $%o the &lo'ers o( ei!el"er#) April ##" 455@ ) Rizal wrote a fine poem entitled ;A .as 8lores de Heidelberg= 0<o the 8lowers of Heidelberg2 because he was

/on !iguel !orayta ) owner of .a Publicidad and a statesman

Rizal ga e -ditor Corominas 0an article on the Carolines 1uestion2

3o ember 4556 ) Rizal was li ing in Paris

He wor&ed as an assistant to /r. .ouis de 7ec&ert" a leading 8rench ophthalmologist. 9uan .una ) great master of the brush: Rizal helped him by posing as model in .unas paintings. 4. ;<he /eath of Cleopatra= ) where Rizal posed as an -gyptian priest #. ;<he +lood Compact= ) Rizal posed as *i&atuna

fascinated by the blooming flowers along the 3ec&ar Ri er" which is the light blue flower called ;forgetBmeBnot=.

In -eipzi# an! /res!en August 4$" 455@ ) Rizal arri ed in .eipzig

*ith Pastor +ll,er at *ilhel,s(el! Rizal spent a threeBmonth summer acation at 7ilhelmsfeld where he stayed at the place of a Protestant pastor" /r. Carl Ullmer. <he pastor has a wife and two children named -tta and 8ritz. &irst -etter to Blu,entritt 9uly ?4" 455@ ) Rizal wrote his first letter to Professor 8erdinand +lumentritt who is the /irector of the Ateneo of .eitmeritz" Austria. +lumentritt is an Austrian ethnologist and he has an interest in the Philippine language.

He attended some lectures at the Uni ersity of .eipzig on history and psychology. He befriended Prof. 8riedrich Ratzel" a famous historian" and /r. Hans !eyer" German anthropologist. Rizal found out that the cost of li ing in .eipzig was the cheapest in -urope so he stayed for # months and a half.

An Actober #D" he went to /resden" where he met /r. Adolph +.

!eyer" the /irector of the Anthropological and -thnological !useum. Rizal *elco,e! in Berlin0s 1cienti(ic Circles Rizal was enchanted by +erlin because of its scientific atmosphere and the absence of race preEudice. *ome scientists Rizal met are>

Rizal sent Aritmetica 0Arithmetic2 boo& to +lumentritt which was

published in # languages ) *panish and <agalog ) by the Uni ersity of *anto <omas Press in 45@5. <he author was Rufino +altazar Hernandez. +lumentritt became the best friend of Rizal.

/r. 8eodor 9agor ) German scientistBtra eler and author of Travels in the Philippines /r. Rudolf (irchow ) famous German anthropologist /r. 7. 9oest ) German geographer /r. Carl -rnest *chweigger ) famous German ophthalmologist

&i(th Centenary o(

ei!el"er# +ni.ersity

<he famous Uni ersity of Heidelberg held its fifth centenary celebration on August @" 455@ where Rizal had witnessed the said celebration.

Rizal0s -i(e in Berlin

 8i e reasons why Rizal stayed in +erlin> <o gain further &nowledge of ophthalmology <o further his studies of science and languages <o obser e the economic and political conditions of the German nation <o associate with famous German scientists and scholars <o publish his no el" 3oli !e <angere Rizal wor&ed as an assistant in the clinic of /r. *cweigger" and at night" he attended lectures in the Uni ersity of +erlin. He also too& pri ate lessons in 8rench under !adame .ucie Cerdole. Rizal on Ger,an *o,en

Rizal0s /ar2est *inter <he winter of 455@ in +erlin was his dar&est winter. He li ed in po erty because no money arri ed from Calamba and he was flat bro&e. He could not pay his landlord and he was eating only one meal a day. His clothes were old and threadbare. His health bro&e down due to lac& of proper nourishment. <his is one of the most memorable days in the life of Rizal.

Rizal sent a letter to his sister" <rinidad" dated on !arch 44" 455@.
Fn his letter" Rizal e'pressed his high regard and admiration for German womanhood. Rizal said that German woman is serious" diligent" educated and friendly. Ger,an Custo,s *ome of the German customs Rizal admired> An Guletide season" people will select a pine tree from the bushes and adorned it with lanterns" papers" lights" dolls" candies" fruits" etc. *elfBintroduction to strangers in a social gathering.