Berlin
9 December 1886
Esteemed Friend,
Pardon me for not having answered at once your welcome letter which I received together with your photograph, because I was sick then, but it did me much good to hear how you talk about me and of my modest work.
I have placed your photograph, which I value highly, among those of my relatives and friends in my album of Filipinos. The inclusion of your photograph in this album would have no value for you, but for me it is of utmost importance, because, if I want to refresh my pleasant memories, I will always find you among them. I hope that Spain will also honor with honorary citizenship distinguished foreigners who studied her history.
Enclosed is a sketch of myself that I am sending you as an advance. It is said that is has a certain resemblance of me but I am not sure if it really has. As soon as I have a good photograph, I will send it to you. Those that I have are all retouched or badly taken.
Referring to my visit with Professors Jagor and Virchow, I have changed my mind. The son of Minister Moret, a semi-friend of mine, is here and has recommendations of T.H. Pardo de Tavera to both professors. As Mr. Moret does not yet know German, he wants me to accompany him when he pays his calls. A recommendation from you, or an announcement of our visit by you, I believe would be of great help to me.
I cannot work as much as I would like. I am suffering from pains in the chest and by the symptoms that I have, I fear that I am liable to have a serious ailment. When I was still a small boy, the physician of the Ateneo Municipal said that I had incipient tuberculosis.
I’m waiting for a countryman of mine[1] to keep me company so that I will not be so lonely.
Your very affectionate friend,
José Rizal
NOTE OF BLUMENTRITT’S SON:
Attached to this letter is a drawing in pencil of Dr. Rizal, a self-portrait with his signature and below the following dedication:
“To my distinguished friend Mr. Fernando Blumentritt as a token of affection.”
José Rizal
With this letter is a photographic copy of it, as I am keeping the original in the family in memory of Rizal and of my father.
(Signed) FEDERICO BLUMENTRITT
Budweis, October 1920
02-187 [Blumentritt V.1]
[1] Dr. Máximo Viola. See Reminiscences and Travels of José Rizal, Centennial Edition, Vol. I, Appendix I. Viola would later diagnose Rizal not with tuberculosis but with simple malnutrition due to his overexerting and under nourishing himself while paying for the printing of the Noli in Berlin.