I lived in Berlin almost 25 years. Together with my wife we did join also the Philippine Community. During that time I “met” Jose Rizal for the first time.

Rizal went to Berlin on October 30, 1886. He stayed at the first class Central Hotel, Room 294. In his “Reminiscences and Travels”, Rizal wrote:

“The hotel is beautiful and first class. It is the hotel which has the largest numbers of rooms. I occupied number 294. The heating system is by steam. The bed is good but I think it is meant that the rug should be covered with cloth to prevent its being worn out and it is crafty to require the guests to take breakfast at the hotel, otherwise one mark is well regulated; the dining room is large… .” (page 125).

Realizing that his stay in this hotel would drain his pocket (as Hermogenes E. Bacareza writes, p. 70), he looked for a cheaper one. At Jaegerstrasse 71 Rizal found a pension for 30 marks a day without breakfast. He occupied one of the rooms at the fourth floor, which became the historically significant place, for in this house Rizal wrote the final portion of his novel “Noli me Tangere”. Since long time I am happy to get the English and german version of it.

(To be continued!)