Noli Me Tangere published in Berlin (1887)

The bleak winter of 1886 was memorable in the life of Rizal for two reasons: first, it was painful episode for he was hungry, sick, and despondent in a strange city and second, it brought him great joy, after enduring so much suffering, because his first novel Noli Me Tangere came off the press in march, 1887. Like the legendary Santa Claus, Dr. Maximo Viola, his friend from bulacan, arrived in Berlin at the height of his despondency and loaned him the needed funds to publish the novel. Idea of writing a Novel on the Philippines. His reading of Harriet Beecher Stowes Uncle Toms Cabin, which portrays the brutalities of American slave-owners and the pathetic conditions of the unfortunate Negro slaves, inspired Dr. Jose Rizal to prepare a novel that would depict the miseries of his people under the lash of Spanish tyrants. He was then a student in the Central University of Madrid. January 2, 1884, Rizal proposed the writing of a novel about the Philippines by a group of Filipinos. -His proposal was unanimously approved by those present, among whom were the Paternos (Pedro, Maximino, and Antonio), Graciano Lopez Jaena, Evaristo Aguirre, Eduardo de Lete, Julio Llorente, Melecio Figueroa, and Valentine Ventura. The Novel was designed to cover all phases of the Philippine life. However, almost everybody wanted to write on women. 1884- Rizal began writing the novel in Madrid and finished about one half of it. When he went in Parish, 1885 after completing his studies in the Central University of Madrid, He finished the Last fourth of the novel in Germany. April-June, 1886-He wrote the last few chapters of the Noli in Wilhelmsfeld February 1886. Rizal made the final revisions on the manuscript of the Noli. Years later he told his good friend and former classmate Fernando Canon:I did not believe that the Noli Me Tangere would ever be published when I was in Berlin, brokenhearted, weakened, and discouraged from hunger and deprivation. I was on the point of throwing my work into fire as a thing accursed and fit only to die. February 21, 1887, the noli was finally finished and ready for printing. With Viola, the savior of the Noli Rizal went to different printing shops in Berlin to survey the cost of printing. After a few days of inquiries, they finally found a printing shop Berliner

Buchdruckrei-Action-Gesselschaft which charged the lowest rate, that is 300 pesos for 2,000 copies of the novel. Printing of the Noli Finished. After the incident of his aborted deportation as a suspected French spy Rizal, with the help of Viola, supervised the printing of the Noli. march 21,1887-the Noli Me Tangere came off the press. Rizal immediately sent the first copies of the printed novel to his intimate friends, including Blumentritt, Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, G. Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, and Felix R. Hidalgo. In his letter to blumentritt. March 29, 1887, Rizal in token of his appreciation and gratitude, gave Viola the galley proofs of the Noli carefully rolled around the pen that he used in writing it and complimentary copy, with the following inscription: To my dear friend, Maximo Viola, the first to read and appreciate my work-Jose Rizal. The title of the Novel. The title Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase which means Touch me Not. He admitted taking at the Bible. March 5, 1887, Rizal writes to Felix R. Hidaldo in French. He said Noli me Tangere, words taken from the gospel of Saint Luke, signify do not touch me. Rizal made the mistake in citing the Biblical source, it should be the Gospel of Saint John(Chapter 20, Verses 13 to 17). The Authors Dedication. Rizal dedicated his Noli me Tangere to the Philippines To My FatherLand.

Rizals Grand Tour of Europe with Viola (1887) Rizal had received Pacianos remittance of P 1,000 which was forwarded by Juan Luna from Paris. He immediately paid Viola the sum of 300 which the letter kindly loaned so that the Noli could be printed. May 11, 1887-Begins the tour of Rizal and Viola, two brown-skinned doctors on a roaming spree, left Berlin They visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, who was overjoyed to see them. In the Museum of Art, which they also visited, Rizal was deeply impressed by a painting of Prometheus Bound and recalled seeing a representation of the same idea in an art gallery in Paris. May 13, 1887- the train, with Rizal and Viola on board, arrived at the railoard station of Leitmeriz, Bohemia. Professor Blumentritt, who had received their wire, was at the

station, For the first time, the two great scholars Rizal and Blumentritt who came to know each other by correspondence, met in person. May 13 to May 16, 1887 The two Filipino tourist spent many pleasant houts at the home of their kind host. They stayed in Leitmeritz, Rizal had beautiful memories of his visit to Leitmeritz. He enjoyed the warm hospitality of the Blumentritt family. May 16, at 9:45 A.M- Rizal and Viola left Leitmeritz by train. Blumentritt, his wife, and children were at the railroad station to see them off, they all shed tears in parting as the train slowly departed. May 24, 1887- Rizal expressed his and Violas concern for the illness of Dora, the professors little daughter, Viola and I, thus wrote Rizal, are very sad because our little friend Dora is sick. May 19, 1887- three days after leaving Leitmeritz, Rizal wrote to Blumentritt: I shall make my good friends of Leitmeritz the objects of my thoughts and I shall say of myself: You are not alone, Rizal; in a small corner of Bohemia there are good, noble, and friendly souls who like you; think of them; consider them as if they were with you, as if they saw you; they will rejoice over your good for me, express my greetings to your wife, and to your good father and the friends in Leitmeritz. May 20-Rizal and Viola arrived in the beautiful city of Vienna, capital of AustriaHungary. Famous in song and religious images, haunting waltzes, and majestic charm. Vienna was truly the Queen of the Danube. May 24- Rizal and Viola left Vienna on a river boat to see the beautiful sights of the Danube River, We particularly noticed that the passengers on the river boat were using paper napkins during the meals, which was a novelty to him. His fellow passenger, Viola, commented that the paper napkins were more hygienic and economical than cloth napkins. June 2 to 3, 1887- They continued their tour to Basel (Bale), Bern, and Lausance. Rizal and Viola left on a little boat, crossing the foggy Leman Lake to Geneva. This Swiss city is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, visited by world tourists every year. The people of Geneva were linguists, speaking French, German, and Italian. Rizal conversed with them in these three languages. June 19, 1887- Rizal treated Viola to a blow-out. It was his 26th birthday, according to a Filipino custom, he celebrated his birthday with a sumptuous meal.

June 23-they parted ways Viola returned to Barcelona while Rizal continued the tour to Italy. Rizal Resents Exhibition of Igorots in 1887 Madrid Exposition. Upon reaching Geneva (Switzerland), he received sad news from his friends in Madrid of the deplorable conditions of the primitive Igorots who were exhibited in this exposition, some of whom died, and whose scanty clothing (G-strings) and crude weapons were objects of mockery and laughter by the Spanish people and press. Being a champion of human dignity, Rizal was outraged by this degradation of his fellow countrymen the Igorots of Northern Luzon. June 19, 1887-Rizal said he was in favor of holding an exposition, but not an exhibition of odd individuals, showing our countrymen as a curiosity to entertain the idle inhabitants of Madrid. June 27, 1887- he reached Rome, the Eternal City and also called the City of the Caesars", He was thrilled by the sights and memories of the Eternal City. Describing to Blumentritt, the grandeur that was Rome, he wrote on June 27, 1887. June 29- the Feast Day of St. Peter and St. Paul, Rizal visited for the first time the Vatican, the City of the Popes and the capital of Christendom. He was deeply impressed by the magnificent edifices, particularly of St. Peters Church, the rare works of art, the vast St. Peters Square, the colorful Papal Guards and the atmosphere of religious devotion that pervaded the Vatican.

August 1887-he returned to the Philippines in August 1887 and practiced medicine in Calamba. He lived the quiet life of a country doctor. But his enemies, who resented his Noli, persecuted him, even threatening to kill him. June 19, 1887,-Rizal said: Your advice that I live in Madrid and continue to write from there is very benevolent but I cannot accept it. I cannot endure the life in Madrid where everything is a voice in a wilderness. June 29, 1887- In Rome, Rizal wrote to his father, announcing his homecoming. On the 15th of July, at the latest, he wrote, I shall embark for our country, so that from the 15th to the 30th of August, we shall see each other. July 3, 1887, he boarded the steamer Djemnah, the same steamer which brought him to Europe five years ago. There were about 50 passengers, including 4 Englishmen, 2 Germans, 3 Chinese, 2 Japanese , man Frenchmen, and 1 Filipino(Rizal).

July 30, he transfer to another steamer Haiphong which was Manila-bound. On August 2, the steamer left Saigon for Manila. Arrival in Manila. Rizal voyage from saigon to manila was pleasant. on August 3rd the moon was full, and the slept soundly the whole night, near midnight of august 5, the Haiphong arrived in manila. Rizal went ashore with a happy heart for he once more trod his beloved native soil. August 8th- he returned to Calamba. his family welcomed him affectionately, with plentiful tears of joy. Writing to blumentritt of his homecoming, he said i had a pleasant voyage. i found my family enjoying good health and our happiness was great in seeing each other again. -In Calamba, Rizal established a medical clinic. his first patient was his mother, who was almost blind. he treated her eyes, but could not perform my surgical operation because her eyes cataracts were not yet ripe. Rizal, who came to be called "Doctor Uliman" because he came from Germany, treated their ailments and soon he acquired a lucrative medical practice. within the few months, he was able to earn P900 as a physician. by February, 1888- he earned a total of P5,000 as medical fees. Rizal did not selfishly devote all his time to enriching himself. he opened a gymnasium for young folks, were he introduced European sports. he tried to interest his town mates in gymnastic fencing and shooting so as to discourage the cockfights and gambling. Aside from practicing medicine, attending to his gymnasium which he established, and taking part in towns civic affairs he printed several beautiful landscapes and translated the German poems on Von wildernath in tagalog. 1885-88- Rizal went to manila and appeared at Malacaang. When he was informed by Governor General Terrero of the charge, he denied it, explaining that he merely exposed the truth, but he did not advocate subversive ideas. Pleased by his explanation and curious about the controversial book, the Governor General asked the author for a copy of the noli so that he could read it. Rizal had no copy then because the only copy brought home was given to a friend. Attackers of the Noli. The battle over the noli took the form of a virulent war of words. Father front printed his report and distributed copies of it in order to discredit the controversial novel. Another Augustinian, Fr, Jose Rodriguez, Prior of Guadalupe, published a series of eight pamphlets under the general heading Cuestiones de Sumo Interes(Questions of supreme Interest) to blast the noli and other anti-Spanish writings.

In Hong Kong and Macao 1888 Hounded by powerful enemies, Rizal was forced to leave his country for a second time in February 1888. He was then a full-grown man of 27 years of age, a practicing physician, and a recognized man-of-letters. the first time he went abroad in June 1882, he was a mere lad of 21, a youthful student in search of wisdom in Old World, a romantic idealist with beautiful dreams of emancipating his people from bondage by the magic power of his pen. Times had changed. Rizal at 27 was an embittered victim of human iniquities, a disillusioned dreamer, a fraustrated reformer.

February 3, 1888, after a short stay of six months in his beloved calamba, Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong on board the Zafiro. February 16, 1888 Rizal wrote a letter to blumentritt, expressing his bitterness. This letter runs as follows:
At last i can write freely. At last I can express my thoughts without fear of censorship from the chief! They forced me to leave my country. Half sick i left the house. Oh, dear Blumentritt, you have no idea of my minor odyssey. Without the aid of my friend Lieutenant Taviel de Andread, what would become of me! Without the sympathies

of the Governor General, the directors of civil administration and civil government, i would now be in some dungeon. A Spaniard, Jose Sainz de Varanda , who was a formersecretary of Governor General Terrero, shadowed Rizal's movement in Hong Kong. It is believed that he was commissioned by the Spanish authorities to spy ion Rizal. February 18, Rizal, accompanied by Basa, boarded the ferry steamer Kiu-kiang for macao. he was surprised to see among the passenger a familiar figure sainz de Varanda.. Macao In Macao, Rizal and Basa stayed at the home of Don Juan Francisco Lecaros , a Filipino gentleman married to a Portuguese lady. February 20, Rizal and Basa returned to Hong Kong, again on board the ferry steamer Kiu Kiang. Rizal studied Chinese life, language, darama, and customs. He wrote down in his own diary the following experiences.

February 22, 1888, Rizal left Hong Kong on board the oceanic, an American Steamer, His Distination was Japan.

February 28-April 13, 1888- he was enchanted by the natural beauty of japan, the charming manners of the Japanese people, and the picturesque shrines. Moreover he fell in love with a Japanese girl, whose loveliness infused joy and romance in his sorrowing heart. her real name was Seiko Usui.Rizal affectionately called her O Sei San. Fate, however, cut short his happy days in japan. he had to sacrifice his own happiness to carry on his work the redemption of his oppressed people. February 28, 1888-Early in the morning of Tuesday, Rizal arrived in Yokohama. Shortly after Rizals arrival in Tokyo, he was visited at his hotel by Juan Perez Caballero, secretary of the Spanish Legation. The latter invited him to live at the Spanish Legation, During his first day in Tokyo, Rizal was embarrassed because he did not know the Japanese language. To avoid further embarrassment, Rizal decided to study the Japanese language. Being a born linguist, he was able to speak it within a few days. April 13, 1888- Rizal boarded the Belgic, an English steamer. At Yokohama, bounded for the United States. He a left Japan with a heavy heart. For he knew that he would never again see this beautiful Land of the cherry blossoms and his beloved O-sei-san. About 1897- a year after Rizals execution, she married Mr. Alfred Charlton, British teacher of Chemistry of the Peers school in Tokyo. -their wedlock was blessed by only one child., a daughter named Yuriko. Mrs. Charlton (O-Sei-San)- as a widow, he lived in a comfortable home in Shinjuko district, Tokyo.She Survibed World war II, but her home was destroyed in 1944 by the U.S bombing of Tokyo. May 1, 1947- She died at the age of 80, she was buried in her husbands tomb at Zoshigawa Cemetery. April 13-December 1, 1888- Tetcho came to admire Rizal, whose patriotism and magnificent talents greatly fascinated him and influenced him to fortify his own crusade for human rights in his own country.

December 1, 1888- after a last warm handshake and bidding each other Good bye Rizal and Tetcho parted ways never to meet again. Rizal remained in London to conduct historical researches on Mora at the British Museum, while Tetcho returned to Japan. In 1889, shortly after his return to japan, he published his travel diary which contained his impressions of Rizal, As follows: Mr. Rizal was a citizen of Manila in the Philippines. Age about 27 to 29. Young as he was proficient in seven languages. It was in S/S Belgic that we first met, I came to England by way of America with Him. Ever since I had been intercoursing with him Rizal was an open hearted man. He was not hair-splitting. He was an accomplished, good at picture, skillful in exquisite wax work, especially., April 28, 1888- His arrival in this Great country was marred by racial prejudice, for he saw the discriminatory treatment of the Chinese and the negroes by the white American. He kept notes of what he observed, from his notes and his letters to his friends, we get a wealth of first hand impression of America, some of which were rather unfavorable but true. May 4, 1888- the day he was permitted to go ashore, Rizal registered at the palace Hotel , which was then considered a first-class hotel in the city. May 1888 to March 1888- Rizal lived in London, he chose this English city to be his new home for three reasons: To improved his knowledge of the English Language,. To study ND annotate Morgas Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, a rare copy of which he heard to be available in the British Museum. London was a safe place for him to carry on his fight against Spanish tyranny.

May 25, 1888,-a day after docking at Liverpool, Rizal went to London. For a short time, he stayed as guest at the home of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor an exile of 1872 and a practicing lawyer in London. Short Visit to Paris and Spain. Early in September, 1888, he visited Paris for a week, in order to search for more historical materials in the Bibliotheque Nationale.

December 11, 1888- he went to Spain, visiting Madrid and Barcelona. He contacted his compatriots and surveyed the political situation with regards to the agitation for Philippine reforms. Rizal Becomes leader of Filipinos in Europe- While busy in historical studies in London, Rizal learned that the Filipinos in Barcelona were Planning to establish a patriotic society which would cooperate in the crusade for reforms.
-This society called Asociacion La Solidaridad (Solidaridad Association) was inaugurated on December 31, 1888 with the following officers: Galicano Apacible, President Graciano Lopez Jaena, Vice-Pres. Manuel Santa Maria, Secretary Mariano Ponce, Treasurer and Jose Ma. Panganiban accountant. February 15, 1889- Graciano Lopez Jaena founded the patriotic newspaper called La Solidaridad in Barcelona, were he was then Residing. This was a fortnightly periodical which served as the Propaganda Movement. First Article in La Solidaridad- Rizal first article which appeared in La Solidaridad was entitled Los Agricultores Filipinos (The Filipino Farmer). It was published on March 25, 1889, six days after he left London for Paris. March 1889- it was extremely difficult for a visitor to find a living quarters in Paris. The approaching Universal Exposition of 1889 which was scheduled to open on May6, 1889 attracted thousands of tourists so that all hotel accommodations were taken. Rizal and Paris Exposition of 1889- Like any ordinary Filipino tourists in a foreign land, Rizal was fascinated by the Universal Exposition of Paris which opened on May 6, 1889. The Greatest Attraction of this Exposition was the Eiffel Tower, 984 feet high, which was built by Alexander Eiffel, celebrated French engineer. March 19, 1889- the same day when he arrived in Paris from London, Rizal organized his paisanos (Compatriots) into a society called Kidlat Club. Kidlat Club was purely a social society of a temporary nature. It was founded by Rizal simply to bring together the young Filipinos in the French capital so that they could enjoy their sojourn in the city during the duration of the Universal Exposition.