Paris to Berlin(1885-87)

Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in ophthalmology
-He chose this branch because he wanted to cure his mother’s eye ailment

He also continued his travels and observations of European life and customs, government and laws in Paris, Heidelberg, Leipzig and Berlin

In Berlin, Jose met and befriended several top German scientists, Dr. Feodor Jagor, Dr. Adolph B. Meyer and Dr. Rudolf Virchow


After his studies in Central University of Madrid, Rizal, who was 24 years old and already a physician, went to Paris in order to acquire more knowledge in ophthalmology

Maximo Viola(Barcelona) – a medical student and a member of rich family of San Miguel, Bulacan

Seňor Eusebio Corominas – editor of the newspaper La Publicidad

Miguel Morayta – owner of La Publicidad and a statesman

Carolines Question – an article Rizal’s gave to Editor Corominas; a controversial issue for publication

November 1885 – he was living in Paris

Dr. Louis de Weckert(1852-1906) – leading French ophthalmologist where Rizal worked as an assistant about four months




January 1, 1886 - Rizal wrote a letter for his mother to reveal that he was rapidly improved his knowledge in ophthalmology

Rizal relaxed by visiting his friends, such as the family of the Pardo de Taveras(Trinidad, Felix, and Paz), Juan Luna and Felix Resureccion Hidalgo





Juan Luna – the great master of brush; Rizal helped him by posing as model in several paintings:
1. “the Death of Cleopatra”, Rizal posed as an Egyptian priest
2. ‘the Blood Compact”, Rizal posed as Sikatuna


Rizal had no natural aptitude for music, and this he admitted. He studied music only because many of his schoolmates at Ateneo were taking music lessons

In a letter dated November 27, 1878, he told Enrique Lete that he “learned the solfeggio, piano, and voice culture in one month and a half”.

He was a flutist in various impromptu reunions of Filipinos in Paris

Some of his compositions are:
“Alin Mang Lahi”(Any Race) – a patriotic song which asserts that any race aspires for freedom
“La Deportacion”(Deportation) – a sad danza, composed in Dapitan during his exile

February 1, 1886 – left gay Paris


February 3, 1886 – arrived in Heidelberg(a historic city in Germany famous for its old university and romantic surroundings

Rizal was a good chess player and became a member of Chess Player’s Club

He became popular among German students because he joined them in their chess games and beer-drinking and watched their friendly saber duels

He worked at the University of Heidelberg under the direction of Dr. Otto Becker, German ophthalmologist



He was fascinated by the blooming flowers along the cool banks of the Neckar River

The light blue “forget-me-not” – his favorite flower









April 22, 1886 – he wrote a fine poem “A Las Flores de Heidelberg”(To the Flowers of Heidelberg)


Wilhelmsfeld - where Rizal spent a three-month summer vacation

Protestant Pastor Dr. Karl Ullmer - where Rizal stay at the vicarage of  their house and who become his good friend and admirer

May 29, 1887 - Rizal wrote from Munich (Muchen) to Friedrich (Fritz)


July 31, 1886 - Rizal wrote his first letter in German to Blumentritt


August 6, 1886 - fifth centenary of Heidelberg University

August 9, 1886 - Rizal left Heidelberg

August 14, 1886 - when he arrived in Leipzig

Leipzig - Rizal translated Schiller’s William Tell from German into Tagalog. He also translated Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Anderson. He stayed about two and half month in Leipzig

October 29, 1886 - he left Leipzig for Dresden where he met Dr. Meyer

Dr. Adolph B. Meyer ± director of the Anthropological and Ethnological Museum

Nov. 1 - he left Dresden by train, reaching Berlin in the evening

Berlin - where Rizal met Dr. Teodor Jagor 

Dr. Feodor Jagor - author of Travels in the Philippines

Dr. Hans Virchow professor of Descriptive Anatomy

Dr. Rudolf Virchow – German Anthropologist

Dr. W. Joest - noted German geographer

Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger - famous German ophthalmologist where Jose worked in his clinic

Rizal became a member of  the
Anthropological Society
Ethnological Society
Geographical Society of Berlin

Five reasons why Rizal lived in Germany:

Gain further knowledge of ophthalmology
Further his studies of sciences and languages
Observe the economic and political conditions of the German nation
Associate with famous German scientists and scholars
Publish his novel, Noli me Tangere

Madame Lucie Cerdole - French professor; she became Jose’s professor in Berlin. He took private lessons in French in order to master the idiomatic intricacies of the French language


March 11, 1886 - Rizal wrote a letter addressed to his sister, Trinidad, expressing his high regard and admiration for German womanhood

German woman - serious, diligent, educated and friendly

Spanish woman - gossipy, frivolous and quarrelsome



Christmas custom of the Germans

Self-introduce to stranger in social gathering


Winter of 1886 – Rizal’s darkest winter in Berlin.

He lived in poverty because no money arrived from Calamba. Rizal starved in Berlin and shivered with wintry cold, his health down due to lack of proper nourishment


View of the modernized building where Dr. Rizal had resided in Berlin