CHAPTER 9

Grand Tour of Central

Europe (1887)
Let’s have a tour!

By:
Gamboa, Odeza
Kabigting, Ma. Jubel
 Grand Tour
During this time, Europe was consider as the
center of the world, and it was fashionable to
young people to make a Grand Tour.
Grand Tour = to travel to several counties.
After the publication of the Noli, Rizal and his
friend Dr. Maximo Viola decided to go to
Central Europe; they were in Germany (a
country in Europe) that time.
Paciano’s remittance of P1000.00 had been
sent to Rizal by Juan Luna from Paris.
He immediately paid Viola P300.00 the loan
for his living expenses and the printing of Noli.
With enough funds in his pocket, they went to
Berlin.
Berlin is the capital of Germany.
 The beginning of the Grand
Tour
May 11, 1887
Tourist with good The tour begins
manners and right Wednesday,
conduct. May 11, 1887. It was
dawn.

Rizal and Viola proved to be
ideal tourist abroad.
They dressed neatly, they
paid their bills correctly, and
did not steal or misbehave like
bad tourists.
The two small, colored men began their
Grand Tour.
They took a train from Berlin Station which
traveled along Elbe Valley.
Rizal’s luggage included all the letters of
congratulations that he had received from
family and friends about the Noli.
 The tour begins
First, Rizal and Viola visited Potsdam, the
German city next to Berlin. Lakes and parks
include the residential palaces of emperors Potsdam
(kaiser/kaiserin) of the German people. Its
university was a center of science education.

Dresden. Their next stop was Dresden, still in

Germany. They tarried for some time in Dresden
because “it was one of the best cities in Dresden Botanical
Park
Germany”. Their visit coincided with the regional
floral exposition, and Rizal was interested in
Botany (study of plants).
 Dresden
They visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer (1840-1911)
The famous German anthropologist (the study
of human beings) and natural history collector.

At shop windows, they marveled at how the

famous “Dresden dolls,” porcelain figures,
got their delicate lace gowns.

And in the museum of Art, Rizal was deeply

impressed by the painting of “Prometheus
Bound.”

“A new Golden Age shall come, brighter

and better by far than the old!”
-Prometheus
 Dresden
At the Dresden City Floral Exposition, they met Dr. Feodor Jagor.
Famous German anthropologist
Author of Travels in the Philippines

Upon hearing the plan of Rizal and Viola of visiting the

Leitmeritz to see Blumentritt for the first time, he advise
them to send a telegram of their visit because the
professor was of a nervous disposition and he might
suffer a shock at their visit.
 Telegraph
They learned to use the
telegraph, a new modern
gadget. They were amazed by
its capacity of sending written
messages over electric wires to
distant places.
Along the Elbe Valley railway route, Teschen
(now Decin, Czech Republic) was their next
stopover, about 70 km south of Dresden.
From there, Rizal and Viola sent the telegraphic
wire to Blumentritt.
 FirstFriday,
meeting with Blumentritt
May 13, 1887 at 1:30 P.M
Rizal and Viola arrived at the railroad station of Leitmeritz, Bohemia (this
area was then part of the powerful Austrian Empire).
Professor Blumentritt, who had received their telegram was at the
station to meet them.
He was carrying a pencil sketch of Rizal which was mailed to him, so
that he could identify his Filipino friend.
The old Austrian scholar (professor, distinguished academic) gave the
Filipinos a warm welcome. And for the first time, Rizal and
Blumentritt- who were only pen pals before- met in person; and
greeted each other in fluent German.
Blumentritt
Blumentritt was described as
kindhearted, and upon seeing Rizal, he
immediately took him to heart, loving
him like his own son. With no feelings of
racial prejudice.
Rizal and Viola enjoyed these meetings
with these color-blind Europeans.
Blumentritt helped Rizal and Viola get a
room at Hotel Krebs. And invited them
over at their home to meet his wife and
family.
Rizal and Viola stayed in Leitmeritz from
May 13 to May 16, 1887.
 Beautiful memories of Leitmeritz
Rizal had a beautiful memories of his visit to Leitmeritz. He
enjoyed the hospitality of Blumentritt family.
The professor’s wife Rosa, was a good cook, and prepared
Austrian dishes which Rizal liked very much.
Professor and Rosa had three children named Dolores (called
Dora or Dorita by Rizal), Conrad, and Fritz.
Blumentritt proved to be a great tourist guide and hospitable host,
he showed the scenic and historical spots of Leitmeritz to his visitors.
One afternoon, Blumentritt invited Rizal and Viola to a beer garden
where he said the best beer of Bohemia was served, and this is
where they met the burgomaster (town mayor) of the town.

Blumentritt knew the burgomaster and he delightfully introduced his

Filipino friends. Rizal then talked in fluent German which amazed the
burgomaster, he then asked how long it took him to learn German.
“eleven years,sir.” he replied. This even amazed the mayor which
made him to praise Rizal.
On another afternoon, Rizal and Viola were invited to
a meeting of the Tourists’ Club of Leitmeritz, of which
Blumentritt was the secretary.
Like the other day, Rizal spoke German fluently while
complimenting the Austria’s idyllic scenes and its
hospitable people. Which again, amazed the people.
Rizal sketched a portrait of the kind professor and
his family and gave it to them.
01 It was during his visit in Leitmeritz when
Rizal met another renowned European
scientist, Dr. Carlos Czepelak.

Blumentritt brought him to Czepelak’s

home, and Rizal had a nice conversation
with this Polish scholar.

02 Blumentritt also introduced Rizal to

Professor Robert Klutschak, an
eminent naturalist (wildlife
expert/botanist).
On their last night in Leitmeritz, Rizal and Viola, to
reciprocate Blumentritt’s hospitality, gave a banquet- a
farewell dinner- in his honor at their hotel.

1991
On May 16, at 9:45 A.M., Rizal and Viola left Leitmeritz
by train. Blumentritt, his wife, and children were in railroad
and shed in tears while they watched the two men leave.
It was to be their only time together, although the two
scholars continued their correspondence (written
communication).
To his dying day, Rizal treasured his beautiful memories with
Blumentritt and family. Throughout their lifetime, the two scholar
held each other in mutual affection and admiration. Until today,
the Blumentritt family descendants (successor), (now in Vienna,
capital of Austria), maintain links with Filipinos.
In a letter to Blumentritt, written in Vienna on May 24, 1887, Rizal
expressed his and Viola’s concern for the illness of Dora, the
professors little daughter.
In another letter, written in Brunn, Austria, on May 19, 1887, three
days after leaving Leitmeritz, Rizal wrote to Blumentritt:
I shall make my good friends of Leitmeritz the objects of my thoughts and I
shall say of myself: You are not alone, Rizal. In a small corner of Bohemia
there are good, noble, and friendly souls who are like you.
Think of them. Consider them as if they were with you, as if they saw you.
They will rejoice over your joys, and will weep over your suffering... Please
kiss the children for me, express my greetings to your wife, and to your
good father and the friends in Leitmeritz. I am at heart an inhabitant of
Leitmeritz, just as you yourself are a Filipino in sentiment.
I believe Austria will always live in my heart.

In the same letter, Rizal told Blumentritt that he

forgot his diamond stickpin at his room in Hotel
Krebs. It was returened to him later.
Prague
After Leitmeritz, Rizal and Viola
visited the historic city of
Prague.
The bacteriological
laboratories; the famous cave
where San Juan Nepomuceno,
the Catholic saint, was
imprisoned; and the bridge
from which this saint was
hurled into the river.
 After saying goodbye to
01
professor Willkomm, and his
family, the two tourist went to
Brunn. However, “nothing of
importance happened” in this
city, according to Viola.

Vienna. On May 20, 1887, Rizal

02
and Viola arrived in the
beautiful city of Vienna, the
capital of the Austrian Empire,
Europe's second largest
monarchy, next to Russia.
Vienna was truly the “Queen of
the Danube.”
 In Vienna, Rizal received his lost diamond stickpin. It was
found by a maid in Hotel Krebs.
Rizal and Viola stayed at the Hotel Metropole in Vienna.
They visited the city’s interesting place, such as
churches, museum, art galleries, theaters, and public
parks.

Danubian cruise boat to Lintz. On May 24, Rizal

and Viola left Vienna on a river boat to see the
beautiful sights of Danube River.
 From Lintz to From Munich they Next, they visited
Rheinfall went to Nuremberg Ulm

The cathedral
The river One of the of this city was
voyage ended oldest cities in “the largest and
in Lintz Germany tallest in all
Germany”
Crossing the frontier to Switzerland
From Rheinfall, they crossed
the frontier to Schaffhausen,
Switzerland. They stayed in this
city from June 2 to 3, 1887.
 After sightseeing in Lausanne, Rizal and
Viola left on a little boat, crossing the foggy
Leman Lake to Geneva. This Swiss city is
one of the most beautiful cities in Europe,
visited by foreign tourists every year.
June 19, 1887 June 23, 1887
The two young
Rizal treated Viola to
a dinner in typical friends said
Filipino custom goodbye. Viola
because it was his returned to
26th birthday. Barcelona, and Rizal
continued the tour
to Italy.
 Rizal resents the Igorot exhibit at the Madrid
Exposition
While Rizal and Viola were happily touring Central Europe, an
Exposition was held in Madrid, Spain. Upon reaching Geneva
(Switzerland), Rizal received sad news from his friends in Madrid of the
sufferings of the Igorot tribesfolk who were forced to be exhibited at
the exposition. Some Isonos got il and one died.
Rizal was outraged at the degradation of his fellow compatriots from
Northern Luzon. In a letter to his friend, Blumentritt, dated Geneva,
June 6, 1887, he said:
 My poor compatriots (the Igorots) who are now being exhibited in
Madrid are mocked by Spanish newspapers, except El Liberal which
says that it is not consistent with human dignity to be exhibited side by
side with animals and plants. I have done everything possible to prevent
the display of this humiliation of my race, but I have not succeeded.
Now one Igorot woman died of pneumonia. The Igorots were housed in
a barraca (hut made of bamboo, grass, and tree branches). And El
Resumen still makes mean jokes about it!
In another letter to Rizal would have
Blumentritt, dated also protested
Geneva, June 19, against the
1887, Rizal said he treatment of Igorots
was in favor of at the St. Louis
holding an (Missouri) World Fair
exposition. in 1903.
 Rizal in Italy
In 1870, Italy had just experienced
the victory of nationalism, and its
territories reunited after centuries of
hated rule by foreigners. On June
27, 1887, Rizal reached Rome, the
"Eternal City," the "City of the
Caesars”
 As he wrote to Blumentritt on June 27, 1887:

"I am in Rome! Everything I step on is the dust of heroes. Here I breathe the same
air which the Roman heroes breathed. I salute every statue with reverence, and to
me, a humble native of a small island, it seems that I am in a sanctuary. I have
already seen the Capitolium, the Tarpeian Rock, the Palatinum, the Forum, the
Amphitheatre, etc. Everything here is glorious, except the cafes and the cafe
singers. I do not enter those (cafes) because I loathe to hear their French songs or
see modern industries. My favorite places are the Amphitheatre and the Roman
Forum; there I remain seated for hours, contemplating history and restoring life to
the ruins... I have also visited some churches and museums, like the Capitoline
Museum and the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, which is also grandiose."
Pilgrimage to the Vatican
On June 29th, the Feast Day of St. Peter and St.
Paul, Rizal visited the Vatican, the "City of the
Popes."
Thank you!
By:
Gamboa, Odeza
Kabigting, Ma. Jubel