PERCEPTION

PERCEPTION

. . . Something To Think About . . .

        THE SITUATION

In Washington, DC, at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.  During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.  After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing.  He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule. 


About 4 minutes later: 

  
The violinist received his first dollar.  A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk. 

  
 At 6 minutes: 


 A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. 
 

At 10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly.  The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time.  This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.


At 45 minutes:
 
 
The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while.  About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32.

After 1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over.  No one noticed and no one applauded.  There was no recognition at all.

  No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world.  He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.  Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.


 This is a true story.  Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. 

This experiment raised several questions: 

      *In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? 

      *If so, do we stop to appreciate it? 

      *Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

 
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: 

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . .

How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?

WAIT UNTIL SUMMER

ДУЕТ БІЛОНОЖКИ: ПОЧЕКАЙ ДО ЛІТА - Ukrainian song by Vitaliy and Svitlana Bilonozhky duo. Пісня прокохання у дуетному виконанні Віталія і Світлани Білоножків.

СЛОВА:

ПОЧЕКАЙ ДО ЛІТА

Де ти, зоре чарівна?
Тут я де цвіте весна
Де дні радісні й сумні
як роса, сивина, смуток по тобі

ПРИСПІВ

Почекай до літа, почекай до літа,
не кажи прощай, не кажи прощай
Почекай до літа, почекай до літа, та не забувай
Покажи дорогу, покажи дорогу, у щасливії дні
І розвій тривогу у моїй душі

Де ти, ти єдиний мій?
Я, я в памяті твоїй
Де ти? В спогадах живу
Я тебе, я тебе, понад все люблю

ПРИСПІВ

Ти, я, і любов одна
Ти, я, на устах жага
Ти, я, серце молоде
Не журись, усміхнись,
я люблю тебе

ПРИСПІВ (2 рази)

==================

WAIT UNTIL SUMMER
Song by Bilonozhky Duo

Where are you magic star
I am here where the spring blossoms
Where are the days, joyful and sad
As a dew, hoariness, sadness after you

REFRAIN

Wait until summer, wait until summer
Dont say goodbye, dont say goodbye
Wait until summer, wait until summer and dont forget
Show the way, show the way into happy days
And disperse worry in my soul

Where are you, you, my only one
I, I am in your memory
Where are you? I live in recollections
I love you, you above everything

REFRAIN

You, me, and the only love
You, me, thirst on the lips
You, me, young heart
Dont worry, smile
I love you

REFRAIN (2 times)

p

LEADERSHIP TEST FAILURE

EDITORIAL
01/21/2010

Being able to face the music is a true test of leadership, and from the looks of it, Sen. Manuel "Manny" Villar has failed that test - and this, over a mere censure resolution that still would have to be voted upon by the senators.

Instead of frontally challenging the resolution on the C-5 controversy censuring him for unethical conduct and seeking the return of P6.2 billion involved in the changes done in the original road project that moreover were said to have benefited Villar and his real estate corporations, he and his supporters wanted the Senate committee of the whole's (ScoW) resolution covered up, and killed, through the unseating of the Senate President, to get Villar absolved by the Senate.

Clearly, the earlier resolution prepared by the Villar camp that predictably absolved him of any unethical conduct, was meant to cover up and cleanse him from the irregularities in the C-5 road extension project.

But when the ScoW resolution finding him guilty of unethical conduct that caused damage to the Senate as an institution, having gained 12 signatories to bring this up to the plenary for discussion and voting, the Villar camp not only boycotted the session, to ensure that there would be no forum, but also attempted to stage a coup against Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile, which failed.

But these moves from Villar and his supporters are tell-tale signs of what a Villar presidency - if he gets to win the presidency - will be like: A series of cover-ups for irregularities, moves to kill investigations into graft and corruption and perhaps even bribery, which really would be no different from the ways of Gloria Arroyo in Malacañang.

It was evident that Villar and his supporters wanted this censure resolution to be killed through a change in the composition of the Senate, where he and his camp will be in a position to trash the ScoW resolution and replace it with his earlier resolution clearing him of all charges. Thus explains the coup attempt and the alleged offer of the Senate presidency to a majority bloc member who had signed the ScoW.

But these moves of Villar and his Senate supporters also say a lot about their integrity as senators of the republic, since they appear to be willing to cover up anomalous transactions and worse, allow transgressions to thrive - all because they are with the Villar camp. Are they serving the interest of the nation and of the Filipino people when they deliberately try to stop a public discussion of the report and the voting in plenary?

They say it is all politics, with the camp of Villar coming out to say that Villar was already closing in on Liberal Party presidential candidate Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino in surveys, but wasn't it also politics behind the resolution the Villar camp engaged in when his supporters in the Senate broke all rules and issued that resolution absolving him of any irregularity, without as much as disproving the evidence presented during the hearings?

It will be recalled that Villar and his senator-supporters refused to participate in the ScoW hearings and Villar himself refused to offer any evidence to disprove the charges.

How then can the Villar supporters even clear him of any unethical conduct displayed by their presidential bet as well as clearing him without even touching on the evidence against Villar then claim this absolution has nothing to do with politics?

But even granting that politics, as claimed by the Villar supporters, is behind this resolution to censure Villar, the fact is that there is that resolution, supported by evidence and up for senatorial judgment, that Villar and his camp want to kill, knowing that this could prove damaging to the campaign of Villar.

Why so, when the supporters of Villar, who claim to believe in his non-involvement in the C-5 road extension controversy, can and should debate on this issue and disprove the charges raised against Villar in the censure resolution?

If they have proof that Villar is squeaky clean and not guilty of unethical conduct and making the people suffer a loss of some P6 billion while enriching himself and his companies at the expense of the Filipino people, then disprove these charges, not kill the resolution.

But perhaps they can't disprove these charges, which is why they fall back on claims of this censure resolution being all about bringing down Villar's survey ratings.

And by trying to kill it, Villar may just have proved that he doesn't have what it takes to be a president who will do right by the country and the people.

TIME TO MOVE FORWARD Without Corrupt Practices in the KOR

Allcon,

Again and again, we see familiar things happening in the corrupt Philippine gov't mirrored in the KOR!

The RESPONSIBILITY lies squarely upon the shoulders of a KOR Triad, who brought UNIMAGINABLE SHAME to the KOR, but are NEVER investigated for their ABUSE by a consenting Supreme Pursuivant, Samuel Samuela, making him one of the Triad:

Council of Elders member Rogelio Quiambao
Supreme Commander Virgilio Esguerra
Supreme Pursuivant Samuel Samuela

The above-mentioned KOR officials, singly or in cahoots with one another, violated RA 646:

- Sec 4 (bad morals, unethical behaviour, conduct unbecoming of Council of Elder/Supreme Council officers!)

- Sec 7 (COVER-UP of the Mushake donation, non-investigation of missing funds, donated amount not in the KOR Books of Accounts!)

- Sec 8 (MIS-representation of the KOR in public and/or abuse of official KOR letterhead for questionable purposes, acquiescing thereto!)

Instead of disproving that the above TRIO didn't VIOLATE the KOR Law (RA 646) and/or the KOR Manual with respect to questionable/UNDESERVING KGOR promotions, IHQ would rather stay SILENT, if not send out memoranda or other individuals who do not necessarily bring ANSWERS to Lazir's (and/or the general membership's) valid questions.

If there's no Mushake donation of approx. Euro 5,000 WHY was MUSHAKE calling jurist Dr Sir Hans Hack-Ullmer and other European Knights, asking/telling them to STOP Lazir from asking questions about this particular "personal" donation?

Why call the Fire Department when there's no FIRE???

In addition, COMMON SENSE dictates that anything donated to the KOR loses its "personal" character, once a KOR official vested as such receives it!

Once in KOR hands, it must be POSTED as donation in the KOR Books of Accounts, per PICPA accounting rules! Any KOR member can ASK VALID questions about said donation! Lazir started asking about this particular Mushake donation since about RY2008!

Supreme Commander Esguerra even wrote a Memo/Letter addressed to Mushake, asking about said donation!

Why is Esguerra now SILENT about Mushake's answer? Mushake will NEVER ignore any Supreme Commander!

Why is Quiambao silent? Mushake said he donated the approx. Euro 5,000 sometime in RY1999/2000! Quiambao was Supremo that time! Is Euro 5,000 (about DM 10,000!) immaterial? If Quiambao doesn't KNOW about this donation, why SILENCE from him, a lawyer?

Why is Samuela, also a lawyer, not investigating? Did he read Sec 7, RA 646? If yes, what is he waiting for? If not, he is a bad lawyer then!

Isn't Rogelio Quiambao (Mister 5x!) CORRUPT, for

- showing BAD EXAMPLE (unwarranted SILENCE as in the missing MUSHAKE Donation!; exalted unethical Plueckebaum to KGOR shortly after Plueckebaum denounced Lazir to the latter's employer, like a ) to the Youth, conduct unbecoming of a member of the Council of Elders?!
- pushing for Paras' appointment as Europe Reg Cdr RY 2006-2008, when Paras knows practically NOTHING about Dr Jose Rizal, the hero's life & works, causing many prominent Knights to RESIGN en Masse from the KOR?

Infamous KOR Resignations ATTRIBUTABLE to Rogelio Quiambao and to Virgilio Esguerra:

1. Europe’s Representative to the KOR Supreme Council & KGCR Sir Hans Schoof, heavy financier of numerous KOR Projects (financed Fili's translation to German, which is nearing publication!)

2. Former European Regional Commander Sir Klaus Hartung

3. Great grandson of Dr Jose Rizal's bosom friend, Pastor Karl Ullmer Dr Sir Fritz Hack-Ullmer, Order of Sikatuna Recipient, Rank of Maginoo

4. Grandson of Ferdinand Blumentritt Sir Ernest Blumentritt, 98 yrs old, but with very active memory, better than many half his age!

5. Retired Wilhelmsfeld Lord Mayor Sir Manfred Holtzmann, adopted "Son of the City of Manila" (Bagatsing period)

6. Retired Dossenheim, Germany "Polizei" Chief Sir Helmut Merkel, recipient of the "Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany" for his worldwide Project "Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe - Dritte Welt e.V." (Jose Rizal Clinic in Cebu is just one! Other Projects are in different countries/continents!)

ABUSE of Lying Virgilio Esguerra (author of Open Letter titled "How to be un-Rizalian", RY 2007):

- personally SUPPORTED the Paras' appointment as Europe Region Cdr, w/o even verifying if Paras will bring SHAME or FAME to the KOR!

- personally exalting Paras' friend RACIST Boy Alcoba to KGOR, about 3 months AFTER Esguerra wrote in 2007 that he and the Supreme Council are for "non-Racism"; about 3 months AFTER Esguerra wrote he doesn't "tolerate" abusive language of which Alcoba is the AUTHOR!

- personally exalted UNDESERVING Paras boys Guansing, Nollas to KGORs, Paris, July 2007.

Why is Esguerra AFRAID to WITHDRAW these undeserving KGOR promotions, now that he knows it was CONTRARY to what he wrote/stood for?
Does he ADMIT he is an INCOMPETENT Supreme Commander, for his ACTION/INACTION?

Didn't Esguerra wrote in his 18 June 2009 Memo that he has (will have?) a Court Case against Lazir?

Did he (officially) lie again, even using KOR Letterhead?
Soon it will be 18 June 2010!

ABUSE of Partisan/One-Sided Samuel Samuela:

- had the guts to investigate small fry (Moreno/Sir Jun Zerrudo), but has no balls investigating top Honchos Quiambao and Esguerra, despite validated grounds for the conduct of an impartial investigation, RA 646 being the KOR's Consitution & By-Laws!

What is Samuela WAITING for, just carrying the title of Supreme Pursuivant, but not investigate KOR anomalies?
Why was Moreno ILLEGALLY expelled for alleged KOR Manual violations?
Why were Quiambao/Esguerra not investigated by Samuela for going against the same KOR Manual, which provides for KGOR promotions?
Why didn't Samuela investigate the COVER-UP of the Mushake Donation?
Why could Samuela use KOR Letterhead (words "Non-Partisan" emblazoned on it!) yet he is PARTIAL to the Quiambao/Esguerra side, working in cahoots with the duo for Moreno's ONE-SIDED investigation, prosecution and illegal expulsion?
If not accessory to abuse, did Samuela use stolen KOR letterhead?

A Rizalist claiming IMPARTIALITY must investigate ALL involved, not only a SELECT few!
Excluding Quiambao/Esguerra from an investigation is exact opposite of "NON-PARTISANSHIP". Therefore, abusive and un-Rizalian!
Through his own actions, Samuela makes himself a FAKE Rizalist and his claim just an empty lie!

KOR Voters on 30 May 2010 must see to it to NOT VOTE for Quiambao/Esguerra/Samuela supporters and do something GOOD!

For country and people!

:)
Lazir
-proud and untiring Filipino Knight not afraid to identify the crooks in this KOR RY2008-2010!

Source: http://groups.google.com/group/kor-world/msg/5d1794fbd9038d50?pli=1

BEING FILIPINO

Being Filipino
If I were President
By Veronica Uy on January 17, 2010 8:01 AM
By Andrea Teran


The speech that somehow wrote itself: For this and no other.

Or, A draft campaign speech for any of the next possible Philippine presidents, provided he who takes it up, makes it happen;

And if no one does, then: If I were President because you all refused to do your jobs, goddammit.

Strangely enough, when I began writing this speech, I could not stop thinking about the word ad hoc. I had always thought this word meant temporary, hastily put together for one purpose or another. I had imagined this meaning on to the word because of how we have always created, and treated, the numerous ad hoc committees to deal with and try to solve single parts of our multifarious problems.

Imagine my surprise, when upon closer inspection, I discover that, from the Latin, ad hoc literally means for this, toward this and no other. And it is for this and no other that I am more than willing to work and work hard in the next six years, as your leader and servant, as your next president: I am Filipino.

If not us, then who else?

And these are the things we need to do, that I will initiate, not in June, but starting right now:

(1) I will not only fight, but eradicate, corruption. I will punish those who have and will use the country's resources to their own ends--past, present, future. I will punish those who have used their power to abuse others. I will punish and punish heftily, that everyone will unlearn this habit. And I will eradicate it, by not making it easy, by not allowing it to be part of our everyday, by refusing to think it our culture. I will expedite government transactions and services, without shortcuts or short-cutting any one, and build a government that is not only happy to serve her people, but knows what an important job it is. I will get rid of all unnecessary procedures and payments, and make sure that everyone who approaches a government office gets served and served well, without having to be passed on to another office, or another person, or on to oblivion.

It is not only that we currently have corrupt officials in our government, but that we have a government that officially encourages corruption. I will speed things up that no one will have to pay extra to get what they deserve, when they need it. And I will pay our public servants well that they will not need you to pay them any more than what is fair and just.

Our current government only makes one thing easy: It makes it easy for us to leave the country. And though I will not refuse anyone who is not a criminal this choice, I will do better and make them want to stay.

(2) I will make Filipinos want to stay in the Philippines. I will do this not only by giving them jobs, but decent jobs worthy of their education and skills and inclination. I will make it worthy of their time. I will not give them "pwede na yan" jobs, just because the family needs to eat, or the eldest is about to start college, or God knows, because they need pambaon for elementary school tomorrow. And if and when they want to stay, I will give them every reason and opportunity to do so.

(3) I will give the best of the Philippines to the Filipinos, and not to the foreigners. I will ensure that the country and its people cater to the Philippines and to the Filipino. I will ensure that if Boracay is the best beach there is, or Sagada the best mountain getaway, then Filipinos can afford to enjoy them if they are so inclined, to their taste and financial capability. The hotel and department stores and all commercial establishments will serve both the local and the foreigner, the native and the foreign. The flight attendants will be kind and efficient to both the domestic helper coming home and the businessman from Hong Kong.

I will make us proud to be Filipinos here and around the world, and I will make the world proud of the Filipino. And I will do this without wanting or pretending to be America, or insisting on America, or asking what America, or any other country, thinks.

And so that the Philippines, in turn, can give her best to her people, (4) I will pass the Reproductive Health Bill. I will pass this bill because we need to control our population, and so much of our problems are rooted in this one problem. And we need to ensure that our natural resources are enough to support our people, now and in the future.

And I refuse to enter into any pro- or anti-life debates regarding this. I will not allow abortion during my rule, and this bill does not allow it either. What it does instead is give the woman control over her body, the option to refuse her husband or lover sex, and provide her the option not to get pregnant should she wish to have sex. Neither does the bill judge her for it. Because what this bill ultimately wants, not just for women but for every single Filipino, is a chance at a fair and equitable share to our country's natural resources, a beginning of a life of quality.

And to be able to continue to that life of quality, (5) I will provide them with quality health care whether they can afford it or not. I will ensure that PhilHealth works to the advantage of both rich and poor, and is used in both public or private hospitals. I assure the poorest of the poor universal coverage. I will ensure too that our social security systems, whether public or private, work for everyone, that our premiums will result in returns when we need them.

(6) I will provide free and quality basic education, and ensure sources of scholarships and study-now-pay-later schemes for college and post-graduate degrees. I will ensure quality education is available to all Filipinos, whatever their economic class, and that information is available to them, and that it is waiting for them and not the other way around.

To do this I will pay the teachers well, and make sure they deserve it. I will ensure that history books teach them more than just dates and places, science books correct and updated science, that they learn to read well and learn to love to read.

I will incent multinationals to train our workers and make them into world-class assets, in order to build on a high-value economy here that rests on its high-value workforce.

(7) I will make this country rich by making our farmers rich, by providing them with the help and support they need, whether it be science or subsidy, or to weather the storm or the world markets. I will make it their option if they want to own their own land, or if land is not enough, the option to work as a collective. I will support their cooperatives, and watch the corporations that employ them.

(8) I will encourage green growth, not only because we need to cut down on greenhouse gases, but because we need to be energy-independent. Nor will I allow the first world to influence our decisions regarding our energy sources, because while climate change is a global problem, excessive green house gas emissions is not. Instead, I will promote energy efficiency, and natural resources management, because my priority is our development, and the quality of life of our people. I will build on the examples of some of our excellent local government units, who have done comprehensive land-use planning, disaster management, community development, and self-sufficiency outside of Metro Manila.

And I encourage this because (9) I want to move development to other parts of the country, not just in the capital. I will decongest Metro Manila by moving development to the other regions, ensure that most opportunities available in the capital are available elsewhere. And I will spend on the necessary efficient infrastructure that will allow all this.

Lastly, I will do all this without sacrificing what makes us Filipino, and democracy--whether it be in terms of culture or customs, beliefs, religion, region or tribe. If utang na loob is inherent to us, then I will encourage it because we need to help each other, not because help needs to be repaid. If ningas cogon describes our short-lived passions all too well, then we will do everything to fan the fire, and that the fruits trickle down to the bottom of the pyramid. If we have forgotten our Bayanihan culture, then we will teach it to ourselves and our kids again. And if this is trabaho lang like any other job, then let us do good work every single time.

And if we need to do more, when have we ever turned our backs when it is family that asks and needs? We just need to widen our circles a little bit, and slowly widen the scope and capacity of who and how we love.

Let the next six years be temporal and not temporary, our responses to our problems urgent and not hasty. And if it be necessary that the next government act like an ad hoc committee, so be it. If I be judged by these promises, and measured by their fulfillment, bring it on. This is the call, and I will answer, and be answerable.

Through no choice of ours, we were born into this country. And for whatever reason or lack of choice, have remained her citizens. Who else will answer for us? We are the Philippines, we are Filipino. For this. No other.
#

This is a result of lack of sleep, my current job, and more importantly, conversations with people around me, whom I did not mean to plagiarize, but I think feel the same way. Ayan, sinulat ko na.


(Andrea Teran works for a congressional commission on science & technology and engineering, and writes poetry--and essays like these--on her not-so-free time.)

RIZAL IS PROUD OF YOU SIR LUCIEN!

It is a BIG BIG mistake that the top European KOR officials blocked, hindered, stopped, prevented Sir Lucien Spittael from making a Presentation of these very significant and magnificent findings in the Prague, Czech Republic KOR European Assembly of mid-September 2009!

Sir Noubikko and the Prague Chapter were reportedly for it, but top European officials turned the Presentation down, for reasons known only to them!

Attendees were rather showered with BLAH BLAH BLAH about themselves, to show off their sashes/trinkets/medals, rather than share KNOWLEDGE of immense historical importance -- the Rizal-Blumentritt connection!

Must we wonder WHY many so-called Knights of Rizal are IGNORANT about Dr Jose Rizal, about Rizalian symbols, on Rizalism, about Rizalian ideas/ethics/teachings?

Those who know you personally, your honesty, integrity and love for the Philippine national hero, hold you in HIGH ESTEEM for your great, untiring RESEARCH work which is so far never been achieved in Europe! Some impostors even have the audacity to try to steal the laurels and claim them as their own, Sir Lucien!

Filipinos in the know SALUTE & THANK YOU and of course your wife too, Lady Madeline, kind Sir! Research work like yours entail great SACRIFICE/use of Resources!

Special THANKS likewise to Mr Eddie Flores and Munting Nayon for publishing all these hard facts!

Lazir

MUNTING NAYON FEATURES SIR LUCIEN

The Ferdinand Blumentritt/Rizal documents in the Czech Republic

Sir Lucien Spittael, El Filibusterismo Chapter, Belgium

Belgium
January 16, 2010

Graphics/photos: Sir Lucien Spittael

Ferdinand Blumentritt

As it appears that there is quite some misinformation and confusion in circulation surrounding the Rizal/Blumentritt documents in the Czech Republic I decided that it was time to clarify this matter once and for all. I give below the true and accurate story of the Rizal/Ferdinand Blumentritt documents in Ceske Budejovice.

The Blumentritt collection was immense. According to a letter of Friedrich Blumentritt from 1924 it consisted of:

A library of more than 800 titles

17.400 notes and sources referring to the scientific work of Blumentritt

1721 scientific and political letters from Blumentritt’s friends

More than 100 manuscripts

123 letters from Rizal to Blumentritt

More than 100 old maps

A part of the Ferdinand Blumentritt/Rizal collection was sent to Manila. The Philippines obtained those documents from Friedrich Blumentritt, son of Ferdinand Blumentritt in 1935 before the country had even been granted Commonwealth status by the USA.

The part of the Blumentritt collection sent to the Philippines contained: 293 letters, books, maps, cards, manuscripts, etc., a total of 56 Kg in fact. Included were the three sculptures Rizal had carved and sent to Blumentritt, Prometheus bound, Triumph of Death over Life and Triumph of Science over Death (unfortunately the original statuettes were either lost, misplaced or vanished otherwise).

During a Rizal Rhine boat trip with Dr. Karl-Heinz Wionzek (one of the great Blumentritt specialists in Europe) in 1995 he informed me about the existence of four boxes with Rizal/Blumentritt documents in Ceske Budejovice. In the year 1996 I started my Rizal research in the Czech Republic.

During my second trip in 1997 I met PhD Zdenka Vasiljevova and H.E. Ambassador Salas at the Philippine Embassy in Prague.

Meeting with PhD Zdenka Vasiljevova, March 1997

Meeting with H.E. Salas at the embassy in Prague, March 1997

Those meetings were the start of an extraordinary friendship with PhD Zdenka Vasiljevova and a new chapter in my Rizal research.

PhD Zdenka Vasiljevova (1935-2004) was a historian, specialist in Japanese studies and the history of East Asia, graduated from Charles University in 1958. She was a student of Professor Josef Polisensky. In fact, he was the first to point to the Blumentritt documents at the museum of South Bohemia in 1963.

However, the documents were first studied by PhD Zdenka Vasiljevova and confirmed the existence of the Rizal/Blumentritt boxes. End 1997 she informed me about the discoveries in Ceske Budejovice. The Noli and Fili dedicated to Ferdinand Blumentritt were located in the museum.

Letter PhD Vasiljevova, 30 December 1997

PhD Zdenka Vasiljevova published a Rizal biography in the Czech language in 1998 with some pictures of her discoveries.

How the Rizal/Blumentritt documents came to Ceske Budejovice?

When Friedrich Blumentritt had finished his studies he left Leitmeritz (Litomerice) for Budweis (Ceske Budejovice).

Friedrich Blumentritt did not sent all documents to Manila in 1935 and kept a personal collection of his father’s inheritance consisting of letters, postcards, envelopes, objects, sketches, sculptures and paintings. They were kept in the Blumentritt family.

After WW2 thousands of people were forced to leave the country by the Czechoslovak government, among them the Blumentritt descendants.

During my many visits to Ernst Blumentritt (98 years old!), the only living grandchild of Ferdinand, told me that the whole family, he himself included, were expelled and had to leave behind all their belongings. They left the country with only some suitcases. Part of the Blumentritt collection was confiscated and was stored at the Bohemian Museum in Ceske Budejovice. Due to the efforts of PhD Vasiljevova and the museum in Ceske Budejovice the Blumentritt collection was made known.

Ernst Blumentritt.

In 1998 I was invited for a visit and the gala opening of the first and only exhibition of Ferdinand Blumentritt /Jose Rizal collection and the Philippines at the museum in Ceske Budejovice. The collection was exhibited in the main hall and the entire left wing of the museum. Too many to mention all of them but let me sum up the most special one:

Original Noli me tangere with dedication to Blumentritt

Original El Filibusterismo with dedication to Blumentritt

Original Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas with dedication to Blumentritt

The gold pen the people of Pampanga donated to Blumentritt

Self-portrait Rizal, sketch Blumentritt by Rizal, boat with children by Rizal

Blumentritt collection exhibition in Ceske Budejovice February 1998.

Vida y ecritos Dr. Jose Rizal by W.E. Retana

Noli me tangere dedicated to Ferdinand Blumentritt

El Filibusterismo dedicated to Ferdinand Blumentritt

Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas dedicated to Ferdinand Blumentritt

Gold pen donated by the people of Pampanga to Ferdinand Blumentritt

There are 5 letters from Rizal and Blumentritt in which the gold pen is mentioned.

Blumentritt, Leitmeritz, 22 December 1890

They also have sent a gold pen for me.

Rizal, Brussels, 23 April 1891

Have you received a gold pen with diamonds incrustations? It was sent to you some time ago, but you have not written me anything about it. It is a gift of the Pampangos.

Blumentritt, Leitmeritz, 26 April 1891

The gold pen has not yet arrived. They wrote me that it was coming on the same boat that brought Isabelo’s letter with the draft. This came on the 21ste or 22^nd of December, but the pen has not yet come.

Blumentritt, Leitmeritz, 20 June 1891

The gold pen is now in Europe. Ponce brought it from Barcelona to Madrid from where it will be sent to me opportunely.

Rizal, Paris, 9 October 1891

I have nothing more to do with the golden pen. It is still in Madrid. You will certainly receive it later, but at present there seems to be no chance for it.

No further correspondence is to be found in the Rizal/Blumentritt correspondence about the gold pen. The gold pen was considered to be lost.

Mag. Stejskalova of the Ceske Budejovice museum

Part of the Blumentritt collection

In the Blumentritt collection there are also some original paintings/sketches of Juan Luna.

Drawing of a Filipina by Juan Luna

Sketch of Ferdinand Blumentritt by Juan Luna made in Leitmeritz, 8 April 1899

There are still some objects which are still “lost or misplaced”. More research is needed to clarify this.

Many thanks to the persons who helped me in my Rizal/Blumentritt research: PhD Zdenka Vasiljevova and her husband PhD Ivo Vasiljev, Dr. Karl-Heinz Wionzek, Ernst Blumentritt, Mag Helena Stejskalova and the South bohemian Museum.

See Also

He learned Europe through friendship with a European - Jose Rizal and Blumentritt

Sir Carlos Arnaldo, KCR Deputy Area Commander France

September 24, 2009

8M Dollar Rizal-Blumentritt Documents Found

Sir Issak Sangre

July 1, 2009

Add a CommentEarlier Comments First

Lino Reyes

Sat 16th January 2010

Ontario, Canada

I had seen some of your other discoveries about the life of Rizal in Europe when I was in Belgium about 5 years ago. Your research work shown here just confirmed my belief that you are a true Rizalist. More power to you, Sir Lucien and to your research on the life of Dr. Jose Rizal.

Antonio Repotente

Sat 16th January 2010

Germany

Thank you very much Lucien for sharing wit us the otherwise
unknown documents relevant to beter knowledge of this
particular stage of our hero. Kudos to your untiring effort to
shade light on dr. Rizal's life. More power to you.

Kris VT

Sat 16th January 2010

Belgium

Beste Lucien,

Proficiat, heel mooi onderzoekswerk !!
Zoals we van u gewoon zijn, tot in de puntjes uitgewerkt en uitgezocht.
Allerbeste groeten en tot spoedig,

Kris VT en familie.

Sir Francois

Sat 16th January 2010

Geel Belgium

Well done Sir Lucien,

I’m very proud to be one of your friends and it was very difficult for me to accomplish something after I hade to take over the El Fili Chapter as Chapter commander.
Its only a pity that the leadership of the European OKOR never responded on your invitation to come to your place and observe the study you are doing on Dr. Rizal.
To be frankly its there lose the rest of Europe know that the true historian on Rizal is you.

Sir Francois

Günter Hecker

Sat 16th January 2010

Heidelberg

Dear Sir Lucien:
You have all my respect for your tireless and remarkable research efforts on our hero.
Regarding the golden pen.....it is amazing to have indeed arrived with F.Blumentritt and to find that out only after so many years.

Bastiaan Vonckx

Sat 16th January 2010

Belgium

Outstanding research Mr. Spitael. Truly a work of major importance on the Blumentritt / Rizal correspondence and Philippine [and Czech] modern history in general
Kind regards,
Bastiaan Vonckx

Andreas Dufresne

Sat 16th January 2010

Stuttgart

I am amazed by this article. I've already heard about that Mr. Spittael and the many discoveries he did about the Filipino national hero. Hopefully we see ,hear more of Mr. Spittael. Congratulations to him and Munting Nayon.

Heiß Bernd

Sat 16th January 2010

München

Very interesting story.
Incredible.
Mabuhay Sir Lucien. Can I have his personal e-mail address ?

greetings from Germany

Bernd

Lucien Spittael

Sat 16th January 2010

Eeklo, Belgium

Hi, Sir Choy, the book was NOT the "Imittation of Christ." It was a German text book Blumentritt earlier had sent to Rizal which, the day before his execution, Rizal donated the FB

Sir Noubikko, Prague Chapter Commander, Deputy Area Commander for Czech Republic

Sat 16th January 2010

Prague

Sir Lucien has the most detailed information about this subject. He also has the most accurate information ever published. Kudos!

choy arnaldo

Sat 16th January 2010

paris

Sir Lucien Spittael,

Thank you for this historical view and the very essential clarifications. In the Ceske collection, was there the Imitation a Christo, which was the last book Rizal had in his hands. He wrote in his last letter to Blumentritt, I send you a book. Was this the book?

Sir CHoy Arnaldo