Rizal's Journey to Europe (PDF)

RIZAL'S JOURNEY TO EUROPE UP TO HIS FIRST HOMECOMING - THE JOURNEY INTO LIGHT ============================================================================= - After finishing the 4th year of the medical course in the University of Santo Tomas, Rizal decided to complete his studies in Spain -...

RIZAL'S JOURNEY TO EUROPE UP TO HIS FIRST HOMECOMING - THE JOURNEY INTO LIGHT ============================================================================= - After finishing the 4th year of the medical course in the University of Santo Tomas, Rizal decided to complete his studies in Spain - Aside from completing his studies in Spain, Rizalian his "secret mission' -- was to observe keenly the life and the culture, languages and customs, industries, commerce and government and laws of the European nations in order to prepare himself in the mighty task of liberating his oppressed people from Spanish tyranny - This Rizalian secret mission was likewise disclosed by Paciano in his letter to his younger brother dated Manila, May 20, 1882. - Rizal's departure for Spain was kept secret to avoid detection by the Spain authorities and the friars - Jose Mercado -- Rizal used this name; a cousin from Biñan - May 3, 1882 -- Rizal departed on board the Spanish steamer Salvadora bound for Singapore SINGAPORE ========= - Donato Lecha -- the ship captain from Asturia. Spain befriended Rizal Rizal described him as an affable man, "much more refined than his other countrymen and colleagues that I have met. " - Rizal played chess with his fellow passengers who were much older that he - May 8, 1882 -- while the streamer was approaching Singapore, Rizal was a beautiful island, fascinated by its scenic beauty, he remember "Talim Island with the Susong Dalaga" FROM SINGAPORE TO COLOMBO ========================= - May 9, 1882 - the Salvadora docked at Singapore - Hotel de la Paz -- Rizal registered here and spent two days on a sightseeing soiree of the city, which was a colony of England - In Singapore, Rizal transferred to another ship Djemnah, a French steamer, which left Singapore for Europe on May 11, 1882 - May 17, 1882 -- Djemnah reached Point Galle, a seacoast town in southern Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) - Rizal wrote on his travel diary: " The general apperance of Point Galle is picturestic but lonely and quiet and at the same time sad" - Colombo -- capital of Ceylon - Rizal was enamored by Colombo because of its scenic beauty and elegant buildings - "Colombo is more beautiful, smart and elegant than Singapore, Point Galle and Manila" - Aden -- city hotter than Manila; Rizal was amused to see the camels, for the first time - City of Suez -- the Red Sea terminal of the Suez Canal - Rizal was impressed in the beautiful moonlight which reminded him of Calamba and his family - Suez Canal -- canal which built by Ferdinand de Lesseps (French diplomat engineer) which was inaugurated on November 17, 1869 - Port Said -- the Mediterranean terminal of the Suez Canal NAPLES AND MARSEILLES ===================== - June 11, 1882 -- Rizal reached Naples - Rizal was pleased on this Italian City because of its business activity, its lively people ad its panoramic beauty - Night of June 12, 1882 -- the steamer docked at the French harbor of Marseilles - Rizal visited the famouse Chateau, where Dantes, hero of the Count of Monte Cristo was imprisoned - Rizal stayed two and a half days in Marseilles BARCELONA ========= - Afternoon of May 15, 1882 -- Rizal left Merseilles by train for the last lap of his trip to Spain - Rizal crossed the Pyreness and stopped for a day at the frontier town of Port Bou - June 16, 1882 -- Rizal finally reached his destination -- Barcelona - Rizal's first impression of Barcelona, the greatest city of Cataluña and Spain's second largest city was unfavorable - Las Ramblas -- the most famous street in Barcelona - Amor Patrio (Love of Country) -- nationalistic essay, Rizal's first article written on Spain's soil - Under his pen-name Laong Laan, appeared in print in Diariong Tagalog - It was published in two texts -- Spanish and Tagalog -- the Spanish text was the one originally written by Rizal in Barcelona, the tagalog text was a Tagalog translation made by M.H. del Pilar - Basilio Teodoro Moran -- a friend of Rizal in Manila and the publisher of Diariong Tagalog where Rizal sent this article - Diariong Tagalog -- the first Manila bilingual newspaper (Spanish and Tagalog) - Los Viajes (Travels) -- Rizal's second article for Diariong Tagalog - Rizal received sad news about the cholera that was ravaging Manila and the provinces according to Paciano's letter, dated September 15, 1882 - Another sad news from the Philippines was the chatty letter of Chengoy recounting the unhappiness of Leonor Rivera - In one of his letters (dated May 26, 1882) Paciano advised his younger brother to finish the medical course in Madrid - Rizal left Barcelona in the fall of 1882 established himself in Madrid, the capital of Spain. LIFE IN MADRID ============== - November 3, 1882 -- Rizal enrolled In the Universidad Central de Madrid (Central University of Madrid) in two courses -- Medicine and Philosophy and Letters - Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando -- Rizal studied painting and sculpture - Rizal's only extravagance was investing a few pesetas for a lottery ticket in every draw of the Madrid Lottery - Rizal spent his leisure time reading and writing at his boarding house, attending the reunions of Filipino students at the house of the Paterno brothers (Antonio, Maximo and Pedro) and practicing fencing and shooting at the gymnasium. - Antigua Café de Levante -- during the summer twilights, this is where Rizal sipped coffee and fraternized with the students from Cuba, Mexico, Argentina etc - On Saturday evenings, Rizal would visit the home of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey (former city mayor of Manila) who now lived in Madrid with his son (Rafael) and daughter (Consuelo). - Circulo Hispano-Filipino (Hispano-Philippine Circle) - a society of Spaniards and Filipinos which Rizal joined shortly after his arrival in Madrid in 1882 - Me Piden Versos (They Ask Me For Verses)- upon the request of the members of this society, Rizal wrote this poem which he personally declaimed during the New Year's Eve reception of the Madrid Filipinos held in the evening of December 31, 1882 - In this sad poem, Rizal poured out the cry of his agonizing heart - Rizal economized on his living expenses, and with the money he saved, he purchased books from a second-hand book store owned by a certain Señor Roses - **Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin and Eugene Sue's The Wandering Jew** - these two books aroused Rizal's sympathy for the oppressed and unfortunate people FIRST VISIT TO PARIS (1883) =========================== - During his first summer vacation in Madrid, Rizal went to Paris, gay capital of France - The prices of food, drinks, theatre, tickets, laundry, hotel accommodations, and transportation were too high for Rizal's slender purse so that he commented in a letter to his family: "Paris is the costliest capital in Europe." - June 17 to August 20, 1883- Rizal sojourn in Paris - Hotel de Paris- located on 37 Rue de Maubange wherein Rizal billeted but later, he moved to a cheaper hotel on 124 Rue de Rennes in the Latin Quarter - Laennec Hospital- where Rizal observed Dr. Nicaise treating his patients - Lariboisiere Hospital- where Rizal observed the examination of different diseases of women - Rizal was impressed by the way the Spanish Mason openly and freely criticized the government policies and lambasted the friars, which could not be done in Philippines - March 1883- Rizal joined the Masonic lodge called Acacia in Madrid - Rizal's reason for becoming a mason was to secure Freemansory's aid in his fight against the friars in the Philippines - Lodge Solidaridad (Madrid) -- Rizal transferred where he became a Master Mason on November 15, 1890 - February 15, 1892- Rizal was awarded the diploma as Master Mason by Le Grand Orient de France in Paris - Science, Virtue and Labor- Rizal's only Masonic writing; a lecture which he delivered in 1889 at Lodge Solidaridad, Madrid - After Rizal's departure for Spain, things turned from bad to worse in Calamba: (1) harvests of rice and sugarcane failed on account of drought and locusts (2) the manager of the Dominican-owned hacienda increased the rentals of the lands (3) a dreadful pest killed most of the turkeys. Due to hard times in Calamba, the monthly allowances of Rizal in Madrid were late in arrival and there were times when they never arrived. - June 24, 1884- a touching incident in Rizal's life in Madrid wherein he was broke and was unable to take breakfast - Rizal attended his class at the university, participated in the contest in - Evening of June 25, 1884- a banquet was sponsored by the Filipino community to celebrate the double victory of the Filipino artist in the National Exposition of Fine Arts in Madrid---Luna's Spoliarium winning the first prize and Hidalgo's Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace (Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho), second prize - November 20, 21, and 22, 1884- the serene city of Madrid exploded in bloody riots by the students of theCentral University - These student demonstrations were caused by the address of Dr. Miguel Morayta, professor of history, at the opening ceremonies of the academic year on November 20, in which he proclaimed "the freedom of science and the teacher" - The Rector, who also took the side of the students, was forced to resign and was replaced by Doctor Creus, "a very unpopular man, disliked by everybody" - November 26, 1884- Rizal wrote the recounting tumultuous riots to his family - June 21, 1884- Rizal completed his medical course in Spain; he was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the Universidad Central de Madrid - The next academic year (1884-1885), Rizal studied and passed all subjects leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine but he did not present the thesis required for graduation nor paid the corresponding fees, he was not awarded his Doctor's diploma - June 19, 1885- on his 24th birthday, Rizal was awarded the degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters by the Universidad Central de Madrid with the rating of "Excellent": (Sobresaliente) - **November 26, 1884** - a letter to Rizal's family written in Madrid wherein he said "My doctorate is not of very much value to me... because although it is useful to a university professor, yet, I believe they (Dominican friars---Z) will never appoint me as such in the College of Santo Tomas. I say the same thing of philosophy and letters which may serve also for a professorship, but I doubt if the Dominican fathers will grant it to me." PARIS TO BERLIN (1885-1887) =========================== - Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in ophthalmology---Rizal chose this branch of medicine because he wanted to cure his mother's eye ailmen IN GAY PARIS (1885-1886) ======================== - Maximo Viola- a medical student and a member of a rich family of San Miguel, Bulacan, Rizal's friend - Señor Eusebio Corominas- editor of the newspaper La Publicidad and made a crayon sketch of Don Miguel Morayta, owner of La Publicidad and a stasman - Rizal gave Editor Corominas an article on the Carolines Question, then a controversial issue, for publication - November 1885, Rizal was living in Paris where he sojourned for about four months - Dr. Louis de Weckert (1852-1906)- leading French ophthalmologist wherein Rizal worked as an assistant from November 1885 to February 1886 - Paz Pardo de Tavera- was a pretty girl, who was engaged to Juan Luna - At the studio of Luna, Rizal spent many happy hours. Rizal helped Luna by posing as model in several paintings - In Luna's canvas "The Death of Cleopatra," Rizal 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 - November 27, 1878- Rizal told Enrique Lete that he "learned the solfeggio, the piano, the voice culture in one month and a half" - 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 - Alin Mang Lahi (Any Race)-a patriotic song written by Rizal which asserts that any race aspires for freedom - La Deportacion (Deportation)- a sad danza which Rizal composed in Dapitan during his exile IN HISTORIC HEIDELBERG ====================== - February 1, 1886- Rizal reluctantly left gay Paris fro m Germany - February 3, 1886- Rizal arrived in Heidelberg, a historic city in Germany famous for its old university and romantic surroundings - Chess Player's Club- a club wherein the students made Rizal as a member because of being a good chess player - Dr. Otto Becker- distinguished German ophthalmologist where Rizal worked University Eye Hospital - April 22, 1886- Rizal wrote a fine poem "A Las Flores de Heidelberg" (To the Flowers of Heidelberg) - In the spring of 1886, Rizal was fascinated by the blooming flowers along the cool banks of the Neckar River. Among them was his favorite flower---the light blue "forget-me-not" - Wilhelmsfeld- a mountainous village near Heidelberg where Rizal spent a three-month summer vacation - Dr. Karl Ullmer- a kind Protestant pastor where Rizal stayed, who became his good friend and admirer - June 25, 1886- Rizal ended his sojourn at Pastor Ullmer's home - May 29, 1887- Rizal wrote from Munich (Muchen) to Friedrich (Fritz), son of Pastor Ullmer - July 31, 1886- Rizal wrote his first letter in German (which he had improved after his stay with the Ullmers) to Professor Blumentritt, Director of the Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria - Aritmetica (Arithmetic)-Rizal sent this book he mentioned 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 - August 6, 1886- the famous University of Heidelberg held itsfifth centenary celebration IN LEIPZIG AND DRESDEN ====================== - August 9, 1886- Rizal left Heidelberg - August 14, 1886- boarded by a train. Rizal arrived in Leipzig - Professor Friedrich Ratzel- a famous German historian, Rizal befriend with him - Dr. Hans Meyer- German anthropologist, a friend of Rizal - In Leipzig, Rizal translated [Schiller's William Tell from German into Tagalog] so that Filipino might know the story of that champion of Swiss independence - Rizal also translated into [ Tagalog for his nephews and niece Hans Andersen's] [Fairy Tales] - Rizal found out that the cost of living in Leipzig was cheapest in Europe so that he stayed two months and a half - Because of his knowledge of German, Spanish, and other European languages, Rizal worked as proof- reader in a publisher's firm - October 29, 1886- Rizal left Leipzig for Dresden where he met Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, Director of the Anthropological and Ethnological Museum - Rizal heard Mass in a Catholic church; evidently, this Mass impressed him very much, for he wrote on his diary: "Truly I have never in my life heard a Mass whose music had greater sublimity and intonation." - Morning of November 1, 1886- Rizal left Dresden by train reaching Berlin in the evening - Rizal met for the first time Dr. Feodor Jagor, celebrated German scientist-traveler and author of Travels in the Philippines, a book which Rizal read and admired during his student days in Manila - Dr. Rudolf Virchow - introduced to Rizal by Dr. Jagor; famous German anthropologist - Dr. Hans Virchow- son of Dr. Rudolf Virchow, professor of Descriptive Anatomy - Dr. W. Joest- noted German geographer - Dr. Ernest Schweigger (1830-1905)- famous German ophthalmologist where Rizal worked - Rizal became a member of the Anthropological Society, the Ethnological Society, and the Geographical Society of Berlin, upon the recommendation of Dr. Jagor and Dr. Meyer - Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art)- Rizal wrote this scholarly paper in German which he read before the society in April 1887 - this paper was published by the society in the same year, and elicited - Rizal lived in Berlin, famous capital of unified Germany for five reasons: (1) to gain further knowledge of ophthalmology (2) to further his studies of sciences and languages (3) to observe the economic and political conditions of the German nation (4) to associate with famous German scientists and scholars (5) to publish his novel, Noli Me Tangere - Madame Lucie Cerdole-Rizal's professor of French in order to master the idiomatic intricacies of the French language - Unter den Linden- the most popular boulevard of Berlin wherein Rizal enjoyed promenading, sipping beer in the city's inns and talking with the friendly Berliners - March 11, 1886 - one of Rizal's important letters written while he was in Germany that addressed to his sister, Trinidad - in this letter, Rizal expressed his high regard and admiration for