NOTES 8 ON RIZAL – FIRST TRAVEL OF RIZAL TO EUROPE

RIZAL LEFT FOR SPAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME (1882 – 1887)
(Rizal Life, Works and Writing by Zulueta)
Impelled by his desire to learn to perfect himself and to become more useful to his people, Rizal left home and
his country for Europe in order to educate himself. He was almost 21 years old when he left.
Reasons why Rizal Left:
1. to educate himself
2. to prepare himself for leadership
3. academic discrimination
4. to learn for the improvement of his country

Chronology of Events:

May 1, 1882 – Rizal left Calamba riding a carromata and reached manila after ten hours of travel. His passport
was issued in the name of Jose Mercado.
May 3, 1882 – Rizal boarded SS Salvadora that was docked at Pasig River after hearing mass at Sto. Domingo
church in Intramuros.
- Those who sent him off were his brother Paciano, His sister Saturnina and his Uncle Antonio
May 9, 1882 - (this was after a week of sailing) – Rizal arrived in Singapore and was impressed by its progress,
it clean and beautiful scenery.
- stayed in Singapore for two (2) days and visited some historic places, botanical garden, art
galleries and parks
May 11, 882 - Rizal boarded a French ship Djemnah going to Europe. The ship made stop-over on the following
countries: Singapore, Sri Lanka ,Yemen, Egyptz, Italy, France in going to Spain

June 12, 1882 - the French ship Djemnah arrived at the French harbor of Marseilles
- Rizal stayed for 2 days and a half in Marseilles and left on June 15, 1882 and crossed the Pyranees, a
mountain range extending along French-Spanish border.
- Rizal stopped for a day in Port Bou, a frontier town in Spain
June 16, 1882 - Rizal arrived in Barcelona – the second largest city of Spain.

Rizal in Barcelona:
- Rizal impression of Barcelona was “ it was a quite place where freedom and liberalism were enjoyed by
its people.
- Rizal met some of his schoolmates at the Ateneo who gave him warm welcome and invited him to take a
walk on the park and visited historical spots.
- Rizal also spent his time writing letters to his family relatives and friends.
- While in Barcelona, Rizal wrote nationalistic articles like the Amor Patria ( Love of Coubtry) and Los
Viajes (The Travels) which were specially written for the Diaryong Tagalog – a propaganda paper in
Manila.
- Amor Patria – was well liked by his countrymen for in it, Rizal hold fast to his idea that the Philippines
and not Spain was the Filipino’s own country.
Rizal in Madrid:
- September of 1882, Rizal transferred to Madrid, the Spanish in order to continue his medical studies
- Central Universidad de Madrid – the school where Rizal enrolled in two courses Medicine and
Philosophy and Letters.
- Rizal’s other activities while in Madrid:
> He took up lessons in painting and sculpture in Academy of San Fernando
> He hears lectures sponsored by the university
> He attended classes in French and German
> He practice fencing and shooting at the Hall of Arms of Sanz y Carbonell.
> He attended operas and concert to enhance his knowledge and taste of fine music.
> He visited art galleries and museum.
- While in Madrid, Rizal met and associated with other Filipino students who formed and organization
called Circulo Hispano-Filipino ( Spanish-Filipino Circle)
- It was in Madrid that Rizal was requested to write a poem which Rizal entitled “Mi Piden Verssos”
(They Ask Me for Verses)
- In Madrid, Rizal used to visit the home of Don Pablo Ortega y Rey – the former Mayor of Manila during
the Governorship of Carlos dela Torre and met Consuelo and Pilar – Don Pablo’s daughter.
- Before Rizal left Madrid in the summer of 1883, he gave a poem to Consuelo entitled “ C O y R”
- While in Madrid, Rizal began writing his first novel (Noli Me Tangere) at the end of 1884.
 - Rizal also joined in student’s demonstration on Nov. 20-22, 1884 in support with Prof. Miguel Morayta
A Professor in History who was excommunicated by the Catholic church because he proclaimed the
Freedom of science and the teacher.
- While in Madrid Rizal joined the Masonic lodge called Acacia . It is believed that he joined the masonry for
the following reasons:
1. the abuses committed by the friars against the Filipino people
2. the possible help the masons could extend as a protective shield to use in his fight against the evil
forces of tyranny and exploitation.
- Later, Rizal transferred to Lodge Solidaridad and became a Master Mason on November 15, 1890
- Rizal was also awarded the diploma as Master Mason of Le Grand Orient de France in Paris.

Rizal in Paris and Germany

- Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in Ophthalmology – a branch of medical science
dealing the anatomy, functions and diseases of the eye.
- In Berlin, Rizal met with prominent German scientists.
- On the way to Paris, Rizal stopped in Barcelona to visit Maximo Viola, a medical student belonging to an
affluent family of San Miguel, Bulacan. They planned to tour Europe together after viola finished his
studies.

In Paris
- Rizal stayed in Paris from June 17 to Aug. 20, 1883) months
- While in Paris, Rizal was busy writing his novel.
- In Paris, Rizal became a clinical assistant of Dr. Louis de Weckert – a noted ophthalmologist
- During his free time he visited his countrymen – the Pardo de Taveras (Trinidad, Felix and Paz), and
JuanLuna
- In Paris, Juan Luna painted the Blood Compact in which Rizal posed as Sikatuna and Trinidad Pardo de
Tavera as Legaspi. Rizal also posed for a group picture called The Death of Cleopatra wherein Rizal
dressed as Egyptian priest
In Germany
- Rizal moved to Heidelberg on February 7, 1886 and lived in a boarding house together with some German
law students.
- Rizal was recommended by his German friends to become a member of the “Chess Player’s Club when
they found out that Rizal was a good chess player.
- In Heidelberg, Rizal had a privilege to work in the clinic of a noted Polish Ophthalmologist – Dr. Javier
Galezowsky.
- Before leaving Heidelberg, Rizal wrote an ode – a lyric poem expressive of exalted emotion. The ode was
entitled “A las flores del Heidelberg”(To the Flowers of Heidelberg)
In Frankfurt and Leipzig
- In Leipzig, Rizal came to know Dr, Hans Meyer – an eminent German scholar who once visited Phils in
1882.
- Rizal stayed in Leipzig from August 14 to October 29, 1886
- It was in Leipzig where he first wrote to Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt of Leitmeritz, Austria, the noted
Ethnologist whom Rizal longed to met and later on became a friend.
- It was also in Leipzig where Rizal got the inspiration to translate Schller’s book William Tell from
German to Tagalog version so that the Filipinos might understand the story of the Legendary Swiss
Patriot who Championed its independence.
- Rizal next trip was Dresden, another City in East Germany where he met Dr. Adolf Meyer – the Director
of the Zoological and Ethnographical Museum, who also became his friend.
Life in Berlin
- Rizal liked Berlin because of its healthy environment, the warmth of its people and the absence of racial
discrimination
- In Berlin, Rizal came to know Dr. Rudolf Virchow – a well known anthropologist and his son, Dr. Hans
Virchow – a distinguished professor of Descriptive Geometry, and DrJoest – a famous German
geographer.
- Rizal also worked in Berlin in the medical clinic of Dr. Schulzer – a renowned German eye specialist.
- In Berlin Rizal was envited to give lecture on the Tagalogs before the Anthropological Society of Berlin
which he presented in April, 1887.
- Some biographers deduced that the reasons why Rizal lived in Berlin because of the following:
1. to gain further knowledge in ophthalmology
2. to gain more insight and understanding in various sciences and languages
3. to observe and learn knowledge from German scientists and scholars
4. to finish writing his novel – Noli Me Tangere.
 - Rizal led a realistic life in Berlin as a student and as a tourist.
> he attended lectures of various interesting subjects in the University of Berlin
> he also did his daily exercises in the gymnasium to keep his body physically fit.
> during his free time, he toured the countryside and observe with interest the way of life of the
Germans.
- While in Berlin, Rizal found himself penniless and got sick although richer by experience. For sometime,
he failed to receive his monthly allowance from his brother Paciano. He even loaned the diamond ring
given by his sister Saturnina to a pawnshop and sold some of his book to a second-hand book stores. He
could not even pay his landlord his monthly due. Eating only once a day, Rizal soon became sick with
Chills, fever and coughs, symptoms of tuberculosis.
- Rizal was desperately despondent because he had a slim hope of having his novel published for he was
penniless that he was on the point of burning the manuscript of his novel if not for the timely arrival in
December 1886 of his wealthy friend, Dr. Maximo Viola who loaned P300 to Rizal for the publication of
Noli Me Tangere.
- March 21, 1887, the novel Noli me Tangere was published
- Upon the publication of Noli, Rizal gave away complimentary copies to Maximo Viola, Ferdinand
Blumentritt, Resurrection Hidalgo, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Juan Luna, Mariano Ponce,Dr.Antonio Ma,
Regidor and Marcelo del Pilar.
- Noli Me Tangere received formal expression of high praise and congratulations from friends and admirers
of Rizal. On the other hands, his enemies were bitter in attacking and condemning the same. Probably
no other work or writing of another Filipino author has aroused as much as acrimonious debate not
only among Filipinos but also the reactionary foreigners
- In the Philippines, Noli was attacked and condemned by a Faculty Committee in 1887 and forwarded the
result of their findings as follows:
1. it was heretical, impious and scandalous to the religious order
2. it was unpatriotic and subversives to public order
3. it was libelous to the government of Spain
- The Faculty Committee recommended the following:
1. Prohibition of the importation, reproduction and circulation of the novel.
Touring Europe with Mr. Maximo Viola
- After the publication of Noli, Rizal and Dr. Viola left Berlin for a tour of Europe on May 11, 1887
- Potsdam, the first place they visited where they saw the marble statues of Frederick the Great of
Germany.
- Dresden, the next place they visited
- Teschen, the place were they wired Prof. Blumentritt to inform him of their arrival to his place
- Leitmeritz, Bohemia, the place of Blumentritt where he received and welcomed Rizal and Viola.
> Rizal and Viola stayed in Hotel Krebs
> They were invited to a meeting of the Tourist’s Club of Leitmeritz where Rizal spoke
extemporaneously in an almost perfect German
- Prague, the capital of Czechoslovakia - the place Rizal and Viola visited after Lietmeritz
- Vienna, the capital of Austria, where they visited beautiful buildings, statues, art galleries, churches &
museums
- Munich, the place in Germany where the best beer is brewed.
- Nuremberg, a city in central Barabia in West Germany where they saw horrible torture machines used
by the Nazis. They also visited a factory whose biggest industry is the fabrication of beautiful dolls.
- In the part of June, Rizal and Viola crossed the Swiss border making brief stops at Schaffhausen, Basle,
Bern, and Lausanne.
- Geneva- the place were they disembarked and spent some afternoons on exciting boat trips. This was the
place where Rizal celebrated his 26th birthday. On the following day, Rizal and Viola parted at Swiss
Border. Rizal went to Italy while Viola returned to Barcelona.
Rizal in Rome
- Rizal was enticed by Rome – capital of Italy, site of Vatican City, and the seat of the authority of Roman
Catholic Church.
- He visited St. Peter’s Dome and St Peter’s Basilica – the first known Christian church dedicated in 326
AD by Emperor Cosntantine.
- In Vatican City he witnessed the faithful Catholics jam St. Peter square and was deeply touched by the
outpouring manifestation of their faith on the Supreme Being.
- Rizal also visited Turin, Milan, Venice, Florence and saw their beautiful places
Back to Calamba
- From Rome, Rizal left by train to Marseilles on July 3, 1887 and boarded Djemnah, the same ship that
brought him to Europe five (5) years ago.
- On July 30, 1887, “Rizal transferred to the SS Hayfong
- SS Hayfong reached Manila on August 6, 1887