The German Embassy in the Philippines recently recalled the historical ties between Germany and Philippine national hero José Rizal as the country marked his 165th birth anniversary.
In a statement, the embassy recalled Rizal’s connection to Germany, where he completed and published his landmark novel Noli Me Tangere in Berlin in 1887.
The embassy noted that during his recent visit to the Philippines, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier viewed the original manuscript of Noli Me Tangere, one of the most important works in Philippine history.
Germany also played a role in preserving the manuscript, supporting its restoration decades after Rizal published the novel, according to the embassy.
The restoration helped safeguard an important historical document for future generations, it added.
“On the 165th birth anniversary of José Rizal, we remember the enduring ties between the Philippines’ national hero and Germany,” the embassy said.
The embassy said Rizal’s legacy continues to connect the Philippines and Germany through a shared commitment to education, culture, and the exchange of ideas.
Rizal, regarded as the Philippines’ national hero, spent time in several European countries during his years as a scholar, writer, and reform advocate.
His stay in Germany was considered a significant period in his intellectual and literary development, culminating in the publication of Noli Me Tangere, a novel that exposed abuses under Spanish colonial rule and helped inspire the Philippine reform movement.
