Rizal was already a physician at the age of 24 after finishing his study in Central University in Madrid.

He went to Paris right away to study Opthalmology, aiming to cure his mother s eye ailment. Before going to Paris, he stayed in Barcelona for a week to visit his friend Maximo Viola where he also met Seor Eusebio Corominas,editor of the newspaper La Publicidad. In November 1885, he started to live in Paris for 4 months. He became the assisstant of the leading Opthalmologist named Louis de Weckert where he improved his knowledege proved by the letter he sent to his parents dated January 1, 1886. Outside his working hours, he visits his friends Pardo de Taveras, JuanLuna and Felix Hidalgo. At the studio of Juan Luna,they dicuss about arts and to improve Juan Lunas skill in paiting, Rizal served as his model like in the death of Cleopatra where Rizal was an egyptian priest and in the painting The Blood Compact, he was Sikatuna and Trinidad served as Legaspi. When it comes to music, Rizal admits to himself that he has no natural talent but he took up music lesson because most of his classmates in Ateneo took it up too. He studied flute and because of his determination he became a great flutist and able to perform during reunios of Filipinos in Paris. He also composed songs like Alin Mang Lahi, a patriotic song and La Deportacion, which he composed in Dapitan during his exile. After Opthalmogy experience ,he went to Heidelburg on February 3, 1886 and rent in a boarding house together with german law students. They found out that iRzal was a good chess player tha made him a member of Chess Players Club and so he became popular in playing chess, beer drinking and friendly saber duels. After a few days, he transferred to a boarding house near the University of Heidelburg. He worked at the University Eye Hospital under Dr.Otto Becker, a distinguished german opthalmologist. Rizal wrote a letter to Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt, Director of Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria dated July 31, 1886 because he heard that the ethnologist was interested in learning about Philippine languages. With the letter, Rizal also sent a book entitled Aritmetica that was published in two languages, Spanish and Tagalog, by the University of Sto. Tomas Press in 1868. The author of the said book was Rufino Baltazar Hernandez. Professor Bluumentritt replied to the letter of Rizal by sending two books. It marked the beginning of their long friendship that lasted all their lives. The Austrian became Rizals bestfriend. He spent his 3 months summer vacation at Wilhelmsfeld, a mountainous village near Heidelburg. He stayed at Dr. Karl Ullmer, a good friend and admirer. Because of Rizals pleasant personality and talents in languages and sketching endeared him to the pastors wife, who was a good cook, and two children, Etta and Fritz. He came back to Heidelburg on June 25, 1886 carrying with him beautiful memories and the familys hospitality to him. The following day, he wrote a thank you letter to the Pastor and promised them to receive the same hospitality if they visit to Rizals home town at Laguna.

Chapter 7 Paris to Berlin (1885-11887)

Reported By:

Irish E. Locre Ellaine M. Pateo

Submitted To:

Prof. Benjamin Asakil