Travel to Belgian Brussels

He lived in the boarding house of the two Jacoby sisters, Catherina and
Suzanna who had a niece also named Suzanna but whose surname was
Thill. The younger Suzanna is often referred to as la petite or “little
Suzanne.”

12 February 1890
In a letter, advised Mariano Ponce Barcelona to collect the article he
(Ponce) was publishing because they would be useful later, publishing
them in book form.

15 February 1890
His letter "Excelmo., Señor Don Vicen Barrantes" was published in the La
Solidaridad.

5 March 1890
In a letter, he told Dr. A.B. Meyer that the Filipinos before the coming of
Map of Paris and Brussels the Spaniards used to drink "arak" or wine of nipa or coconut tree, and
distance: 352.2874 km were chewing buyo. The opium, according to him, was introduced after the
arrival of the Spaniards.
January 28, 1980
Rizal left Paris for Belgium. 31 March 1890
 Why he left Paris: His editorial article "Filipinas en el congreso" was published in the La
o The cost of living in Paris was very high because of the Universal Solidaridad.
Exposition.
o The gay social life of the city hampered his literary works, He planned of establishing on top of a hill in Calamba a school which would
especially the writing of his second novel El Filibusterismo. be directed by him. He hoped the Filipino youth would study in this school.
 Who was with him:
o Jose Albert – accompanied Rizal to move to Brussels. 15 April 1890
o Jose Alejandro – an engineering student who replaced Rizal’s letter to his countrymen, "Sobre la nueva ortografia de la lengua
Jose Albert. tagala," was published in the La Solidaridad.

2 February 1890 His article "Seamos justos" was published in the La Solidaridad.
Rizal arrived at Brussels from Paris.
17 April 1890
Rizal didn’t believe that the Filipinos came from Sumatra. After reading the

Travel to Belgian Brussels | Prepared by Benice Joy A. Aragon and Kenrick Randell A. Ibana 1
book of Marsden, Sumatra, he found many similarities about the two
people especially in costumes; but he didn’t draw the conclusion that
Filipinos came from Sumatra. He said that from two similar poeple no
conclusion could be drawn that one came from the other. The two might
be the sons of a dead father.
30 April 1890
His editorial article "Cosas de Filipinas" was published in the La Solidaridad.
26 May 1890
His article "Mas sobre el asunto de Negros" was published in the La
Solidaridad.
26 May1890
He came to know that his annotations of Morga’s work was very much
searched and read in the Philippines. A copy reached twice the original
price of 12.50 francs.
28 May 1890
In a letter, he complained to M.H. del Pilar about the Filipinos indulging in
gambling in Madrid. He said that Juan Luna and Valentin Ventura in Paris
were complaining about it, as it became known already in the Philippines.
The gambling people in Madrid were angry when they learned of Rizal’s
moralizing. They derisively called him “Papa” (Pope) instead of “Pepe”.
6 June 1890
In a letter, Rizal wanted his sister Soledad to be virtuous and possess good
qualities in order to serve as a model among her pupils.
11 June 1890
He informed M.H. del Pilar that he was not separating from the La
Solidaridad but was only resting and giving others the opportunity to use
their pen. Rizal was going to continue the second part of the Noli.
20 June 1890
Travel to Belgian Brussels | Prepared by Benice Joy A. Aragon and Kenrick Randell A. Ibana
Something happened that made Rizal to change his plan in returning to the
Philippines when he received a letter from Paciano which related that they
lost the case against the Dominicans in Manila but they appealed it to the
Supreme Court in Spain.
Rizal wrote to M. H. Del Pilar retaining the latter’s service as a lawyer and
informed Del Pilar that he was going to Madrid, in order to supervise the
handling of the case.
28 June 1890
Persecutions against Rizal’s family in Calamba were intensified. These were
communicated to him in Brussels by his brother. People were driven from
Calamba by the friars aided by the civil guards.
3 July 1890
In order that Antonio Luna would know about his activities in Brussels,
Rizal informed the former that he was working and studying, going to the
clinic, reading and writing, and going to the gymnasium and the "Sala de
Armas" for practice.
5 July 1890
In a letter, Rizal reminded Dr. Blumentritt if he had received already the
two sculptural works which were sent on Sept.22, 1899.
9 July 1890
In a letter to M. Ponce, he opposed Graciano Lopez Jaena’s going to Cuba.
He said it is useless: "If one has to die let him die at lest in his own country,
for the cause of his country and for the welfare of his people." He informed
Mariano Ponce about this.
15 July 1890
His essay "Sobre la indolencia in the La Solidaridad (first installment).
Also his editorial article "Una Esperanza" was published in the La
Solidaridad.
18 July 1890
Rizal received from Mariano Ponce, who was in Barcelona, 125 francs. The
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money arrived at a time when Rizal had just one franc left in his pocket for
his existence in Brussels. He planned to go to Madrid.
In a letter he promised to Marcelo H. del Pilar that the was leaving Brussels
before the end of the month. He wanted to present before the Supreme
Court in Madrid the lawsuit against the friars of Calamba.
20 July 1890
He sent to Madrid the continuation of the "Sobre la indolencia de los
Filipinos." He also sent the authority for the presentation of the case
before the Supreme Court. He planned of leaving Brussels at the end of the
month. His family lost the cases in Calamba against the friars and Paciano
elevated the case to the Supreme Court in Madrid.
29 July 1890
Rizal informed Mariano Ponce of his departure for Madrid on the 1st of
August and his arrival there on the 3rd or the 4th day of the same month.
31 July 1890
His essay "Sobre la indolencia de los Filipinos" was published in the La
Solidaridad (second installment).
Romance with Petite Jacoby
Two things brought some measure of cheer to the despondent Rizal as he
was preparing for his trip to Madrid:
1. The summertime festival of Belgium, which was celebrated in
carnival style.
2. His romance with Petite Jacoby, the pretty niece of his landladies.
 Rizal was so charming and dignified a gentleman the Petite
Susanne was attracted to him.
 He was lonely in a strange country and Leonor Rivera was so far
away.
 Like other women – Segunda Katigbak, Orang Valenzuela, Leonor
Rivera, O-Sei-San, Gettie Beckett, Consuelo Ortiga y Perez and
Nellie Boustead – Susanne fell in love with Rizal
Travel to Belgian Brussels | Prepared by Benice Joy A. Aragon and Kenrick Randell A. Ibana
 To My Muse “A Mi…” – he wrote this poem which was against the
background of mental anguish in Brussels, during those sad days
when he was worried by family disasters.
 Memorable as it was however, Rizal’s stay in Brussels was short-
lived, as he had to move to Madrid. On his departure, he left the
young Suzanna a box of chocolates.
 After Rizal wrote a letter to the Jacoby family from Madrid, the
young Suzanna, signing as Petite Suzanne answered back in
French, saying: “After your departure, I did not take the
chocolate. The box is still intact as on the day of your parting.”
 Teasingly referring to Rizal as le petit diable or “little bad boy,” the
young Suzanna in her second letter dated Oct. 1, 1890 wrote:
“Don’t delay too long writing us because I wear out the soles of
my shoes for running to the mailbox to see if there is a letter from
you.” She also added, “There will never be any home in which you
are so loved as in that in Brussels, so, you little bad boy, hurry up
and come back…”
 But Rizal never wrote or came back. At that time, he learned that
his girlfriend of 11 years, Leonor Rivera was about to marry an
English engineer. Heartbroken, he instead wrote to his friend
Ferdinand Blumentritt, saying that he almost lost his mind over
the sad news.
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