CHAPTER 7 - Paris to Berlin (1885-87)

After completing his studies in Madrid, Rizal went to Paris and Germany to specialize
ophthalmology to cure his mother’s eye ailment

● In Gay Paris (1885-86)

- On his way to Paris, he stopped at Barcelona to visit his friend Maximo Viola.
Stayed for a week and befriended Senor Eusebio Corominas (editor of La
Publicidad newspaper)
- He worked as an assistant to Dr. Louis de Weckert (1852-1906), in four months
he improved his knowledge of ophthalmology
- At the studio of Juan Luna, he helped him by posing as a model in several
paintings. “The Death of Cleopatra” - Rizal posed as an Egyptian priest & “The
Blood Compact” - he posed as Sikatuna, with Trinidad as Legazpi

● Rizal as Musician
- By determination & practice, Rizal played the flute well and he was a flutist in
various impromptu reunions of Filipinos in Paris. He composed some song,
particularly Alin Mang Lahi (Any Race) & La Deportacion (Deportation)

● In Historic Heidelberg
- After having enough experience as an ophthalmologist in Dr. Weckert’s clinic, he
left gay in Paris on February 1, 1886 for Germany. On February 3, he arrived
in Heidelberg (famous for its old university & romantic surroundings)
- He lived in a boarding house w/ some German law students, and they found out
he was a good chess player & made him a member of the Chess Player’s
Club.
- He transferred to BH which was near University of Heidelberg, and worked at
the University Eye Hospital under Dr. Otto Becker & attended their lessons
together with Prof. Wilhelm Kuenhe at the university.
- During weekends, he visits scenic spots such as Heidelberg Castle, romantic
Neckar River, the theater, and old churches. He noticed that the German
Catholics and Protestants practiced ecumenism (lived together in harmony &
cordiality)

● To the Flowers of Heidelberg

- The beautiful spring flowers reminded him of the blooming flowers at the garden
of his home in Calamba. He wrote on April 22, 1886, a fine poem “A Las Flores
de Heidelberg” (To the Flowers of Heidelberg)

● With Pastor Ullmer at Wilhelmsfeld

- Rizal spent three months of summer vacation at Wilhelmsfeld.
- Dr. Karl Ulmer, who became his good friend and admirer due to his pleasant
personality, talents in languages, and sketching which endeared him to the
pastor’s wife.
 - He returned to Heidelberg, carrying with him beautiful memories of the Ullmer
friendship and hospitality. He even wrote from Munich (Muchen) to Friedrich
(Fritz), the son of Pastor Ullmer, how good his father and mother are.

● First Letter to Blumentritt

- Rizal wrote his first letter in German to Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt, in
which he heard of this Austrian ethnologist and his interest in Philippine
languages. Rizal sent a book entitled Arithmetica (Arithmetic) published in two
languages - Spanish and Tagalog - by University of Santo Tomas Press in 1868
- author was Rufino Baltazar.
- Rizal’s letter impressed Blumentritt, who reciprocated by sending Rizal a gift of
two books and he became the best friend of Rizal.

● Fifth Centenary of Heidelberg University

- Famous University of Heidelberg held its fifth centenary celebration on August 6,
1886 that was 3 days before his departure.

● In Leipzig and Dresden

- Three days after the celebration, Rizal left the city. He arrived in Leipzig on
August 14, 1886. He befriended Professor Friedrich Ratzel (famous German
historian) & Dr. Hans Meyer (German anthropologist).
- He translated Schiller’s William Tell from German to Tagalog so that Filipinos
might know the story of that champion of Swiss independence.
- Cost of living in Leipzig was cheapest in Europe so he stayed 2 months and a
half in this German City. To earn money, he worked as a proof-reader in a
publisher's firm.
- On October 29, he left Leipzig for Dresden and stayed two days. The Mass
impressed him saying “music had greater sublimity and intonation” & on
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
- He met Dr. Feodor Jagor (German scientist-traveler and author of Travels in the
Philippines). Dr. Jagor introduced Rizal to Dr. Rudolf Virchow (German
anthropologist) & his son Dr. Hans Virchow (professor of Descriptive Anatomy).
He also met Dr. W. Joest & worked in the clinic of Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger
(1830-1905 - German ophthalmologist).
- Rizal became a member of the Anthropological Society, Ethnological
Society, and Geographical Society of Berlin which proved that his scientific
knowledge was recognized by Europe’s scientists. He wrote a scholarly
paper in German, entitled Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art)

● Rizal’s Life in Berlin

 - He lived in Berlin for five reasons: (1) gain further knowledge of
ophthalmology, (2) to further his studies of sciences and languages, (3) to
observe the economic has political conditions of the German nation, (4) to
associate with famous German scientist and scholars, and (5) to publish
his novel, Noli Me Tangere.

● Rizal on German Women

- Rizal expressed high regard and admiration for German womanhood, as they
are serious, diligent, educated, and friendly. Unlike women in the Philippines,
they are more interested in how they dress than in how much they know.

● German Customs
- Rizal admired the Christmas customs of the Germans & how Self-
introduction to strangers in social gatherings.

● Rizal’s Darkest Winter

- He lived in poverty because no money arrived from Calamba. He sold the
diamond ring to the pawnshop from her sister Saturnina. He eats only one
meal a day consisting of bread and water or some cheap vegetable soup. His
clothes were old and threadbare.
- Paciano tried desperately to raise money but the crops failed due to the ravages
of the locusts. The sugar market collapsed. Rizal’s health broke down due to
lack of proper nourishment.
Chapter 8 - Noli Me Tangere Published in Berlin (1887)
The bleak winter of 1886 was memorable for Rizal for two reasons: (1) it was painful episode
for he was hungry, sick, and despondent, and (2) it brought him great joy, after enduring
so much sufferings, because his first novel Noli Me Tangere came off the press in March,
1887 (Dr. Maximo Viola, a friend from Bulacan, loaned him the needed funds to publish the
novel)

● Idea of Writing a Novel on the Philippines

- Uncle Tom’s Cabin (by Harriet Beecher Stowe’s) talks about the brutalities of
American slave-owners and the pathetic conditions of the unfortunate
Negro slaves inspired him to prepare a novel that would depict the miseries
of his people under the last of Spanish tyrants (Noli Me Tangere).
- When Rizal proposed writing a novel with a group of Filipinos they declined the
offer; thus, he wrote the novel alone.

● The Writing of the Noli

- Rizal began writing the novel in Madrid and finished one-half of it. He went to
Paris and finished one-half of the second-half. Finished the last fourth of the
novel in Germany. He wrote the last few chapters in Wilhelmsfeld. In Berlin,
Rizal made the final revisions on the manuscript.
- He was hopeless that Noli Me Tangere would be published because he was
discouraged from hunger and deprivation.

● Viola, Savior of the Noli

- Dr. Maximo Viola (savior of the Noli) was a scion of a rich family of San
Miguel, Bulacan that went to Berlin and agreed to finance the printing cost of
the Noli and loaned some cash money for Rizal’s living expenses.
- To save printing expenses, Rizal deleted certain passages in his manuscript,
including a whole chapter - “Elias and Salome”
- Berliner Buchdruckrei-Action-Gesselschaft (the printing shop). 300 pesos for
2,000 copies of the novel.

● Rizal Suspected as French Spy

- The police of Berlin visited Rizal’s boarding house and requested to see his
passport as they suspected him as a French Spy because he made frequent
visits to the villages and little towns in the rural areas.
- Rizal failed to get a passport and explained to the police that he was a Filipino
physician and scientist, particularly an ethnologist and he would observe the
customs and lifestyles of their simple inhabitants. Police were fascinated by
his mastery of the German language and personal charisma; the police
allowed him to stay freely in Germany.

● Printing of the Noli

- On March 21, 1887, the Noli Me Tangere came off the press
 - First copies were immediately sent to his intimate friends; Blumentritt, Dr.
Antonio Ma. Regidor, G. Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, and Felix R. Hidalgo.
- He told Blumentritt “The government and the friars will probably attack the
work, refuting my arguments”

● The Title of the Novel

- Latin phrase for “Touch Me Not”, taken from a Bible Gospel of St. John
(Chapter 20, Verses 13 to 17), that signify “do not touch me”

● The Author’s Dedication

- Rizal dedicated his Noli Me Tangere to the Philippines, “To My Fatherland”

● Synopsis of the Noli

● The Noli Based on Truth

- The places, characters, and situations really existed.
- Maria Clara was Leonor Rivera, although in real life she became unfaithful and
married an Englishman.

● Missing Chapter of the Noli

- There was a chapter entitled “Elias and Salome” which Rizal deleted to reduce
the cost of printing.

● Rizal’s Friends Praise the Noli

- In London, Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor was very impressed by the author of Noli
saying “it is proof that those who thought us incapable of producing great
intellects are mistaken or lying”.
REVIEWER:

Objective Questions (Chapter 7)

1. He worked as an assistant to __________ in four months he improved his knowledge of
ophthalmology.
2. He was a flutist in various impromptu reunions and composed some songs namely
__________ & __________.
3. Rizal spent a three-month summer vacation at Wilhelmsfeld, he stayed at the vicarage of
a kind Protestant pastor named __________.
4. On Rizal’s first letter to Blumentritt, he heard about his interest in Philippine languages;
thus, sent him a book entitled __________.
5. In Leipzig, Rizal translated Schiller’s __________ from German into Tagalog, so that
Filipinos might know the story of that champion Swiss Independence.
6. During the student days of Rizal in Manila, he read and admired a book written by Dr.
Feodor Jagor entitled __________.
7. The beautiful spring flowers reminded him of the blooming flowers at the garden of his
home in Calamba. He wrote on April 22, 1886, a fine poem __________.
8. Rizal transferred to a boarding house which was near the University of Heidelberg and
worked at the __________ under the direction of __________.

Subjective Questions (Chapter 7)

1. In Berlin, Rizal was not a mere student or a curious tourist, he lived there for five
reasons. What are those five (5) reasons?
2. How does Rizal spend his leisure moments in Berlin?
3. How does Rizal express his high regard and admiration for German womanhood? Or
What are the descriptions he gave for German women and their difference in Filipino
women?
4. What are the two (2) German customs that Rizal admired the most?
5. What’s the story behind Rizal’s darkest winter?

Objective Questions (Chapter 8)

1. __________ is a book that inspired Rizal to write the Noli Me Tangere.
2. __________ is the savior of Noli Me Tangere, he financed the printing cost of the Noli
and loaned some cash money for Rizal’s living expenses.
3. To save printing expenses, Rizal deleted certain passages in his manuscript, including a
whole chapter of __________.
4. On __________, the Noli Me Tangere came off the press
5. The title of the novel Noli Me Tangere came from a latin phrase meaning __________.

Subjective Questions (Chapter 8)

1. Why did Rizal decide to write the Noli Me Tangere on his own?
2. Why did the Police in Berlin request to see the passport of Rizal?
ANSWERS:

Objective Answers (Chapter 7)

1. Dr. Louis de Weckert
2. Alin Mang Lahi (Any Race) & La Deportacion (Deportation)
3. Dr. Karl Ulmer
4. Aritmetica (Arithmetic)
5. William Tell
6. Travels in the Philippines
7. “A Las Flores de Heidelberg” (To the Flowers of Heidelberg)
8. University Eye Hospital & Dr. Otto Becker

Subjective Answers (Chapter 7)

1. First, he wanted to gain further knowledge of ophthalmology. Second, to further his
studies of sciences and languages. Third, to observe the economic and political
conditions of the German nation. Fourth, to associate with famous German scientists
and scholars. Fifth, to publish his novel, Noli Me Tangere.
2. Rizal toured around the countryside of Berlin, observing keenly the customs, dresses,
homes and occupations of the peasants.
3. The German women are serious, diligent, educated, and friendly. Unlike in the
Philippines, women are more interested in how they dress than in how much they know.
4. First, the Christmas custom of the Germans (beautifying the pine tree with lanterns,
papers, lights, etc.) and how Germans introduce themselves to strangers in social
gatherings (bows their head to the guest, shakes hand of everyone in the room even
without the proper introduction of their host or hostess).
5. The winter of 1886 in Berlin was Rizal’s darkest winter wherein he was broke because
no money arrived from Calamba and sold the diamond ring in the pawnshop his sister,
Saturnina, gave to him. He eats only one meal a day consisting of bread, water, and
cheap vegetable soup. Moreover, Paciano was delayed in raising money because their
crops failed due to the ravages of locusts and the sugar market collapsed. Rizal’s health
broke down due to lack of proper nourishment.

Objective Answers (Chapter 8)

1. Uncle Tom’s Cabin
2. Dr. Maximo Viola
3. Elias and Salome
4. March 21, 1887
5. Touch Me Not

Subjective Answers (Chapter 8)

1. Rizal proposed the writing of Noli to other Filipinos or Illustrados but those compatriots
did not write anything and almost everybody wanted to write about women. Moreover, he
was disgusted that his companions wasted their time gambling or flirting with Spanish
senoritas.
2. The police of Berlin visited Rizal’s boarding house and requested to see his passport as
they suspected him as a French Spy because he made frequent visits to the villages and
little towns in the rural areas.