Adarose G.

Romares
3rd year BS Accountancy
Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia

Learning Plan in Rizal’s Life

1. Objectives: At the end of the lesson the students will be able to:
a.) Learn the travels of Rizal from Madrid to Paris and from Paris to Berlin.
b.) Explain Rizal’s training in ophthalmology and his travels and observations of
European life and customs, government and laws.
c.) Apply the importance of association with people that might influence their
lives in the future as successful students.

11. SUBJECT MATTER: Rizal’s travel from Madrid to Paris and Berlin.

Reference: GREGORIO F. ZAIDE and SONIA M. ZAIDE. Rizal: Life, Works , and
Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist, and National Hero. Seond Edition (Quezon City,
Philippines: All Nation Publishing Co., 2013. Pp. 78-87

Materials: computer, power point, marker and white board.

111. LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

a.) Greetings

b.) Checking the Attendance

c.) Lesson Proper: Rizal’s travel from Madrid to Paris and Berlin

1. Motivation:

2. Presentation:

1. Rizal’s travel from Madrid to Paris (1885-86)

“After completing his studies in Madrid, Rizal went to Paris and Germany…”

Why did Rizal want to go to Paris and Germany after his schooling as a
medical doctor in Madrid?

Answer: Because Rizal wanted to specialize in ophthalmology. Shortly after

terminating his studies at the Central University of Madrid, Rizal, who was then 24
years old and already a physician, went to Paris in order to acquire more
 knowledge in ophthalmology.(A branch of medical science dealing with the
structure, functions, and diseases of the eye.), Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

In your own opinion, why did Dr. Jose Rizal want to specialize ophthalmology?
Answer: “He particularly chose this branch of medicine because he wanted to cure
his mother’s eye ailment.”

 He served as assistant to the famous ophthalmologists of Europe.

 He also continued his travels and observations of European life and
customs, government and laws in Paris, Heidelberg, Leipzig, and Berlin.
Paris-capital and largest city of France.
Heidelberg- city in South West Germany, site of a famous university.
Leipzig- city in South East Germany.
Berlin-former capital of Germany, in the East part, now divided into West
Berlin and East Berlin.
 In Berlin, capital of united Germany, he met and befriended several top
German scientists:
1. Dr. Feodor Jagor
2. Dr. Adolph B. Meyer
3. Dr. Hans Meyer and
4. Dr. Rudolf Virchow
 His merits as a scientist were recognized by the eminent scientists of
Europe.
2. On his way to Paris Rizal stopped over in Barcelona (seaport in NE Spain, on
the Mediterranean). What was his purpose in staying this place for a while?
 He stopped at Barcelona to visit his friend, Maximo Viola, a medical
student and a member of a rich family of San Miguel Bulacan.
 He stayed for a week, during which time he befriended Señor Eusebio
Corominas (editor of the newspaper La Publicidad), and made a crayon
sketch of Don Miguel Morayta, owner of La Publicidad and a statesmen.
 He gave Editor Corominas an article on the Carolines Question, then a
controversial issue, for publication.
3. Rizal was living in Paris (November 1885), and stayed there for about four
months. What did Rizal do in Paris with in this short period of time?
 He worked as an assistant to Dr. Louis de Weckert (1852-1906)-leading
French ophthalmologist, from November 1885 to February 1886.
o He rapidly improved his knowledge of ophthalmology, as revealed
by his letter to his parents on January 1, 1886. “With respect to the
study of the ailments of the eye,” he wrote, “I am doing well. I know
now how to perform all the operations; I only need to know what is
going on inside the eye, which requires much practice”. (One
 Hundred Letters of Jose Rizal to His Parents, Brother, Sisters,
relatives, p. 256.)
 What other things Rizal do aside from his work as assistant of Dr.
Weckert? Outside of his working hours at Dr. Weckert’s clinic:
o Rizal relaxed by visiting his friends, such as the family of the Pardo
de Taveras (Trinidad, Felix, and Paz), Juan Luna, and Felix
Resurreccion Hidalgo.
Paz pardo de Tavera was a pretty girl, who was engaged to Juan
Luna. On the album of this girl, Rizal drew a series of skethes on
the story of “The Monkey and the Turtle”.
o At the studio of Luna, Rizal spent many happy hours.
 He discussed with Luna, the great master of the brush, various
problems on art and improved his own painting technique.
 He helped Luna by posing as model in several posed as an
Egyptian priest.
 In another of Luna’s great paintings, “The Blood Compact,” he
posed as Sikatuna, with Trinidad Pardo de Tavera taking the
role of Legazpi.
 Was Rizal considered a musician?
Yes. Music played an important part in all Filipino reunions in Barcelo,
Madrid, Paris, and other cities of Europe. “The Filipino contemporaries of
Rizal could either play an instrument or sing, especially, in the home of the
Pardo de Tavera and in the Luna studio, every reunion was enlivened with
the playing or singing of the kundiman and other Philippine melodies.”
 Rizal had no natural aptitude for music, and this he admitted.
o But he studied music because many of his schoolmates at the
Ateneo were taking music lessons. “He told Enrique Lete that he
“learned the solfeggio, the piano, and voice culture in one month
and a half.”
o By sheer determination and constant practice, Rizal came to play
the flute fairly well. He was a flutist in various impromptu reunions
of Filipinos in Paris.
o Rizal composed some songs.
 Alin Mang Lahi (Any Race) a pariotic song whih asserts that
any rae aspires for freedom’
 La Deportacion (Deportation), whih he composed in Dapitan
during his exile.
4. Rizal in Germany. After acquiring enough experience as an ophthalmologist in
Dr. Weckert’s clinic, Rizal left Paris on Febuary 1, 1886 for Germany. He visited
Strasbourg (capital of Alsace Lorraine) and other German border towns.
 Febuary 3, 1886, He arrived in Heidelberg, a historic city in Germany
famous for its old university and Romantic surroundings. For short time he
lived in a boarding house with some German law students.
o These students found out that Rizal was a good chess player’s so
that they made him a member of the Chess Player’s Club. He
became popular among the german students beause he joined them
in their chess games and beer-drinking, and wathed their friendly
curve sword (saber) duels.

Why did Dr. Jose Rizal leave Paris for Germany?

 After a few days, Rizal transferred to a boarding house which was near the
University of Heidelberg. He worked at the University Eye Hospital under
the direction of Dr. Otto Becker, distinguished German ophthalmologist,
and attended the lectures of Doctor Becker and Prof. Wilhelm Kuehne at
the university.
 During weekends, RIZAL visited the scenic spots around Heidelberg,
including the famous Heidelberg Castle, the romantic Neckar River, the
theater, and the old churches.
 He noticed that the German Catholics and Protestants practiced
ecumenism, for they lived together in harmony and cordiality. One of the
town churches was used “one-half by the Catholics and the other half by
the Protestants.”

 Rizal spent a three- month summer vacation at Wilhelmsfeld.

Wilhelmfeld is a mountainous village near Heidelberg. He stayed a kind
Protestant Pastor, Dr. Karl Ullmer, who became his good friend and admirer.
His pleasant personality and talents in languages and sketching endeared him
to the pastor’s wife, who was a good cook, and two children, Etta (daughter)
and Fritz (son).
 So delightful was his stay at PASTOR Ullmer’s home that Rizal felt the
pangs of sadness when he ended his stay on June 25,1886.
-he returned to Heidelberg, carrying with him beautiful memories of the
Ullmer friendship and hospitality.
 The following day he wrote to Pastor Ullmer expressing his gratitude, as
follows:
“I thank you very much once more. You may also relieve, when
you are abroad, the same treatment and friendship as I have found
among you; and if being a foreigner, I can do nothing for you in a
foreign country, I can be of some service to you in my homeland,
where you will always find a good friend, if I do not die, of course.
 The joy of being understood by other people is so great that one
cannot easily forgrt it. You understood me too, in spite of my
brown skin, which to many people is yellow, as if that were
puzzling or absurd.”(Jose Rizal to Pastor Ullmer, Heidelberg, June
26, 1886 in Rizal’s Miscellaneous Correspondence, pp. 85-86.)

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

(Fritz), son of Pastor Ullmer: “Tell the good Frau Pastor, your dear
Mama, that when I reach home, I shall write to her. I shall never
forget how good she, as well as your Papa, had been to me when I
was an unknown stranger, without friends and
recommendations….I shall never forget Wilhelmsfeld with its
hospitable parish house.”

 Rizal first Letter to Blumentritt. Why did Rizal write and send a letter
to Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt?
Because Rizal had heard that this professor is studying and interested in
Philippine languages.
 July 31, 1886 Rizal wrote his first letter in German (which he
improved after his stay with the Ullmers) to Prof. Ferdinand
Blumentritt, Director of the Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria. He had
heard of this Austrian ethnologist and his interest in Philippine
languages. In his letter, Rizal said:
“I have heard that you are studying our language, and
that you had already published some work about it;
permit me to send you a valuable book written by my
countrymen in our language. The Spanish version is
mediocre because the author is only modest writer but
the Tagalog part is good, and it is precisely the
language spoken in our province.”

 With the letter, Rizal sent the book which he mentioned. That book
was entitled Aritmetica (Arithmetic) and was published in two
languages- Spanish and Tagalog- by the University of Santo Tomas
Press in 1868. The author was Rufino Baltazar Hernandez, a native
of Santa Cruz, Laguna.

What was the response of Ferdinand Blumentritt? Was he

happy and impress receiving the letter? Or ignore the letter of
Rizal?
 Rizal’s letter from Heidelberg impressed Blumentritt, who
reciprocated by sending Rizal a gift of two books. It marked the
beginning of their long and frequent correspondence, also of their
friendship that lasted all their lives. Blumentritt, the Austrian,
became the best friend of Rizal, the Filipino.

 Fifth Centenary of Heidelberg University.

For Dr. Jose Rizal, was his sojourn or stay infamous
University of Heidelberg a blessing and an opportunity? Yes!
Then, why?

Because he had an opportunity to witness the fifth centenary

celebration of the university.
-Rizal was fortunate to be sojourning in Heidelberg when the
famous university of Heidelberg held its fifth centenary celebration
on August 6, 1886. It was three days before his departure going to
Leipzig and Dresden (), and he was sad because he had come to
love the beautiful city and its hospitable people.
Because of his experiences meeting some of the elegant people in
Germany.
The following entry on his diary dated August 6, 1886 describes
the celebration of the fifth centenary of the famous University of
Heidelberg:
“For its fifth centenary the famous University of Heidelberg
celebrated its Festung this morning, and we attended. I liked the
picture better than the original itself. There were, however, many
elegant and brilliant costumes; Bugmuller, the famous student of
Heidelberg, was dressed as Frederick the Victorious; Lieberman,
as a gentleman of the seventeenth century; Gregoire, wolf of
Schwahen, etc. last night was Schlorsfest. When will these
gaieties enjoyed in this poetic and beautiful city come back? When
will the foreigners return there? When shall I return after I shall
have left? Inquire the fate of the molecules of water that the sun
evaporates. Some fall as dew on the bosoms of the flowers; others
are converted into ice and snow; others into mud and swamp or
torrential cascade- they are not lost but continue to live in nature.
Will my soul have the fate of water- never being lost into
nothingness?”