(Eagle News) — Know more about Heidelberg and Wilhemsfeld in Germany, and how these places were an important part of the life of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero.
Wilhelmsfeld is where Rizal wrote the last chapters of his novel, “Noli Me Tangere” from April to June 1886. Heidelberg is a university town in Germany which was also close to the heart of our national hero. Both belong to the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg.
EBC Europe Bureau’s Malou Francisco and Marie Francisco Weir revisit these places and share to us videos and photos of Heidelberg and Wilhemsfeld taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are republishing this post today, June 19, 2021, to remember the 160th birth anniversary of the country’s national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. The video was first posted in June last year.
We are also republishing photos of the vicarage in Wilhelmsfeld, Germany where Rizal stayed and wrote the last chapters of his novel Noli Me Tangere. This post was first published on Dec. 31, 2019.
Fotos: Das Pfarrhaus, wo Dr. Jose Rizal die letzten Kapitel von Noli Me Tangere schrieb
By Malou Francisco
EBC Europe bureau/ Eagle News Service
(Eagle News) – While in Wilhelmsfeld, Germany, Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal went to the University of Heidelberg to practice ophthalmology. He would walk through the Odenwald Hills for three hours covering 12 kilometers.
(Während seines Aufenthalts in Wilhelmsfeld besuchte der philippinische Nationalheld Dr. Jose Rizal die Universität Heidelberg, um Augenheilkunde zu praktizieren. Er würde drei Stunden durch die Odenwälder Hügel laufen und dabei 12 Kilometer zurücklegen.)
Rizal stayed in Wilhelmsfeld from April to June in 1886. He was a guest of the family of pastor Karl Ullmer whom he met while taking a walk in Heidelberg in the slopes of Odenwald.
(Rizal hielt sich von April bis Juni 1886 in Wilhelmsfeld auf. Er war ein Gast der Familie von Pfarrer Karl Ullmer, den er bei einem Spaziergang in Heidelberg an den Hängen des Odenwaldes kennenlernte.)
From there a lasting friendship was born.
(Von da an entwickelte sich eine tiefe Freundschaft..)
It was while he was staying in the vicarage of Pastor Ullmer as his guest that Rizal wrote the last chapters of his novel Noli Me Tangere.
(Während er im Pfarrhaus von Pastor Ullmer zu Gast war, schrieb Rizal die letzten Kapitel seines Romans Noli Me Tangere..)
A historical marker can be seen outside the vicarage, with these words: “Jose Rizal (1861-1896) Nationalheld der Philippinen verfasste den letzten Teil seines Romans ‘Noli Me Tangere’ in diesem Haus, während er Gast von Pfarrer Ullmer war” (Jose Rizal [1861-1896] National hero of the Philippines wrote the last part of his novel ‘Noli Me Tangere’ in this house while he was guest of the pastor Ullmer)
(Eagle News Service)