12 January 1887

Berlin

Translation of the Ethnography — Our race is not like that described by Fr. San Agustín, Cañamaque, and others — German and English scholars judge us fairly — We can improve ourselves through education — Unhappy news — “I’m consoled thinking that there is a God who, sooner or later, will know how to avenge us.” — A brutal case in a Manila café — Negligence at the Spanish Legation in Berlin — The great anthropologist Virchow jesting with Rizal — Rizal among professors and scholars in the Ethnographic Society.

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Jaegerstrasse 71. III, Berlin

12 January 1887

Esteemed Friend,

I received your letter with my translation, which you have certainly annotated well. I thank you of your work of correcting the errors and filling in the gaps. I wanted to buy a copy of Cartas de los Misioneros Jesuitas and fill in the aforementioned gaps, but you have already done it properly, I have nothing more to do. I find your observations very does and I believe that they can all be utilized just as you put them, only I will change perhaps some words, as for example, in the place of fabricar I will use esculpir which you suggest, or tallar, in the sense of carving wood, etc.

We are very glad (and our compatriots will also be glad) to know some day that foreign scholars esteem us and treat us better than Spanish writers. Our race has its defects and vices, but it is not as Fr. San Agustin, Mr. Sinibaldo de Mas, Mr. Cañamaque, Fr. Casimiro Terrero and others describe it. We are indebted to German and English scholars for letting a little light penetrate our dark country. It is really marvelous that these strangers, without having visited our country, do not judge us according to deep-rooted prejudices, as others do, but rather with a liberal criterion and in a humanitarian sense. We are all human and we can improve ourselves through education and culture, as other peoples did which only some centuries ago were still savages. I have received some unhappy news from my country which make me very sad, but I’m also consoled by the thought that there are also unfortunate people outside of the Philippines and that there is a God who, sooner or later, will know how to avenge us. If I were not a Filipino I would have published these news so that it may not be said that they are of vicious origin and that they are vain lamentations or oraciones pro domo sua.[1] Let us be grateful to God that thanks to the Spaniards and the Catholic religion we have not fallen into the hands of their slave traffickers, but also, for the very same reason, they ought not to treat us brutally, as in the case which occurred recently in a Manila café.[2] We do not owe them greater gratitude than the Hebrews owed the Pharaoh, for they lived in the country of the Pharaoh and received lands from their predecessors. But, enough of that; I don’t wish t embitter your good heart with these sad stories.

We, my compatriot and I, are very glad that Bohemian cuisine resembles the Philippine, because we are already tired with the cooking of North Germany, which spoils our stomach. With regard to Bohemian wine, we do not drink much wine; I prefer water. At the restaurants I drink beer in order not to attract public attention.

On New Year’s night I did not have any accident. I was at a house of a family that I know where they sang, drank, danced, and made music.

What you said about Spanish employees is very little compared with the case of our Legation here. I know all the employees of the Legation with the exception of the minister, Conde de Benomar, and some of them are almost my friends. Three weeks ago a policeman paid me a visit to look over my papers and gave me three weeks to fix them, otherwise, he said, I would be expelled. I went to the Embassy and I informed them of the requirement. They calmed me and they promised me that they would intercede in the matter and would inform the minister. The minister said that I was all right and that he wanted to see only my papers. I send them through young Moret. But now, after a long time, the minister tells me that I ought to go to the consul inasmuch as he has nothing to do with the matter. Only now the minister finds out his duties! And he has been minister in Berlin for about fifteen years! Draw your own conclusions!

I have already visited Mr. Jagor who was very affable towards me. He invited me to attend a meeting of the Geographic Society and introduced me to the most famous professors and scholars. He made me join their monthly dinner where I met the famous Virchow. The scholar told me jestingly that he wished to study me ethnographically. I replied that I was willing to submit to his study for the love of science and I promised to introduce him also another example, my compatriot. At the table I was seated beside him and he understood my German chabacano[3] fairly well. Afterwards we took beer with Feriherr von Dankelmann and two other gentlemen until 12:30. It was a happy and memorable evening that I spent among German scholars.

Next Saturday we shall attend the session of the Ethnographic Society as spectators and also as participants. My compatriot greets you and hopes to be able to write you within a month as he is trying very hard to learn the difficult German language, and he is really progressing in his studies.

My compatriot and I greet you and your family and we thank you for having been able to meet the famous German professors through your intercession.

Very sincerely yours,

José Rizal

02-191 [Blumentritt V.1]