Of all the historical landmarks in the Philippines, the Rizal monument in Luneta easily stands out as the most recognizable and most photographed. It is thus an irony that very few Filipinos know the story behind the building of this important national memorial, and how, more than a century ago, some of the world’s leading sculptors participated in an international contest to design and build it.

Bozeto finalists

Built by virtue of the United States Philippine Commission Act No. 243, dated September 28, 1901, the Rizal monument was approved by no less than United States President Theodore Roosevelt. The act stipulated the allocation of land in the Luneta to build the memorial, near where Rizal fell when he was executed by the Spaniards on December 30, 1896. It also specified that the monument bear the statue of Rizal, as well as serve as the final resting place of his remains. To fund the project, a Rizal committee was set up to raise funds from public solicitations. The committee—whose members included Paciano Rizal (Rizal’s brother), and Tagalog novelist Pascual Poblete–was also tasked to hold a design contest for the future monument.

In 1905, when the committee gathered enough funds, it announced the art competition. Local and foreign sculptors were invited to participate, with the year 1907 as the deadline of submission. It was a reasonable period of time to conceptualize and design a scale model for the future Rizal national monument. The grand prize winner would be awarded a cash prize of P5,000, as well as the P100,000-contract to build the monument. It was a huge sum during that time and thus many sculptors, including some of the best in Europe, participated.

Forty artists submitted their bozetos (scale models) in 1907. From these forty, ten bozetos made it to the finals. Some of the bozetos were titled “Noli Me Tangere” (Rizal’s first novel), “Motto Stella” (Guiding Star), “1906”, “Al Martir de Bagumbayan”, “Eripitur Persona Manet Res”, “F.F”, “Victoria”, and “Maria Clara.” The bozetos were exhibited in the Marble Hall of the Ayuntamiento in Intramuros. The judges, all non-artists, were headed by then American Governor of the Philippines Frank Smith.

Extant photographs of the exhibit revealed the superior qualities of the finalists. Most were meticulously made in the Art Nouveau style that was very popular at that time. After thorough deliberation, the jury reached a decision. They awarded the P5,000-grand prize to bozeto No. 21 entitled “Al Martir de Bagumbayan” designed by the famous Italian sculptor Carlo Nicoli of Carrara, Italy. The jury gave the second prize to bozeto No. 9 entitled “Motto Stella” by the Swiss sculptor Richard Kissling. Kissling received a P2,000 cash prize.

Al Martir de Bagumbayan by Carlo Nicoli

Motto Stella by Richard Kissling

As the first prize winner, Carlo Nicoli was supposed to have been awarded the contract to build the monument in the Luneta. However, for some reason the contract went instead to second-prize winner Richard Kissling, for his bozeto.

Some speculated that Nicoli’s intricate design would cost so much more than the P100,000 budget to build the monument. Indeed, Nicoli’s bozeto required installations of intricate parts that were lacking in the Philippines and needed to be imported from Italy. Nicoli also specified that in order to construct the bozeto faithfully, Carara marble (the famed marble that was favored by Italian sculptors like Michaelangelo and Bernini), must be used. Of course, the contract stipulated that all materials would be from local sources.

There was also a theory that Nicoli backed out of the contract because he failed to put up the P20,000-peso bond as guarantee to finish the monument. Or that Nicoli was not able to come to the signing of the contract. Whatever the case, Richard Kissling was eventually awarded the contract, and his “Motto Stella” bozeto was the one upon which construction was started in 1908.

In comparison with Nicoli’s grand prize-winning bozeto, Kissling’s model was more streamlined, and almost lacks the grandeur that befits the greatest hero of the land. Indeed, when news of the change of model spread, some of the local press criticized Kissling’s model. A newspaper caricature poked fun at its design. Some unscrupulous people even put forward the ridiculous suggestion that the famous Filipino painter Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo should inspect and modify the design. In fairness to Hidalgo, he might not even have known of the suggestion and even if he did, would most likely have rejected the idea. Indeed the suggestion was quickly rejected by the jury. Meanwhile the work on the monument was already in progress. The figure of Rizal was cast in bronze while the obelisk and the base were sculpted from unpolished granite.

In retrospect, looking at the extant photographs of the two bozetos now, the change in the design was, in my opinion, highly propitious. Nicoli’s design was, of course, aesthetically speaking, more beautiful to look at. No one will ever doubt that it was designed by a master, as indeed Nicoli was. But it also looked very European with all its elaborate designs. It would have been perfect in a city such as Rome or Vienna. But in Manila’s Luneta—with its then grassy fields– it would have looked totally out of place.

The strength of Kissling’s design—which was perhaps well appreciated by the jury who adjudged it second prize—was its stark simplicity. Rizal’s posture in the bozeto was subtle but heroic. The hero, attired in his usual overcoat and holding a book in his hand, was depicted as if looking towards the breaking of dawn after the long troubled night. The figures beside him are very strong symbols of a struggling nation’s hope for a better future through progress and education—a mother rearing her beloved child, and the evocative figures of two young Filipino boys ardently reading. Of all the entries, it was the only one that approached the embodiment of the very ideals of Rizal: family, education, and enlightenment.

Every time I visit the Rizal monument, I always feel proud and fortunate to be a Filipino, having been born a free man because of Rizal’s martyrdom. Our forefathers—our beloved Rizal among them– were not so fortunate to see the light of dawn emerge from the darkness.

On the sixteenth death anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal on December 30, 1912, as the monument was nearing completion, the remains of the national hero was transferred through a solemn procession from the Ayuntamiento to the Rizal monument. A year later, on December 30, 1913, the monument was unveiled to the public.

The Rizal Monument today

Photos by author. Some rights reserved.
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Special screenings of feature films inspired by the life and heroism of National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal will be held starting today as part of the country’s celebration of his 150^th birth anniversary on Sunday, June 19.

The event is being organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), together with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), and the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), which will be holding special screenings at the Rizal Open Air Auditorium in Rizal Park, Manila.

The list of movies is headlined by the movie Rizal sa Dapitan directed by Tikoy Aguiluz, to be shown today, June 17. The film, which stars Albert Martinez and Amanda Page, presents the hero’s exile in Dapitan where he stayed from 1892 to 1896. It depicts the experiences of Rizal (played by Martinez) in mingling with the locals, his efforts in educating young students, and how he met his “last love”, Ms. Josephine Bracken (Page).

The following day, Saturday, Marilou Diaz Abaya’s Jose Rizal will be shown. The multi-awarded movie, which stars Cesar Montano in the title role, bagged various citations in year 1999, including the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award of the Metro Manila Film Festival, the FAMAS Award for Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography for the Gawad Urian Award. The film shows Rizal’s life and works as a writer, propagandist, lover, friend, brother, doctor, and as a man that inspired a revolution.

Sisa, a 2008 film, will meanwhile be shown on June 19. The movie, which stars Jodi Santamaria, Jay Manalo, Aleck Bovick, and Carlo Maceda, presents the story of the fictional character Sisa (Santamaria) from Rizal’s novel Noli Me Tangere.

A 15-minute documentary film, Lolo Jose: The Family Carries On will also be shown before the screening of each movie. The documentary was produced by Vibal Foundation, and tells the stories of Rizal from the point of view of his modern-day descendants. Story upon story are layered in a rich collage of history, experience and memory, until Rizal comes vividly to life in all his humanity: as a son, brother, lover, friend, and grand uncle.

These screenings, which are open to the public, are also co-presented by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), Vibal Foundation, VIVA Films, GMA Films, and OnCam Productions.

Noong nasa Alemanya pa kami nakatira, at napapasyal sa kilalang lugar na Heidelberg dahil ito ay malapit lamang sa aming baryo, kay dami kong kababayan na nasasalubong doon.

Marami sa kanila ay mga taga-Heidelberg o kalapit na lugar, pero ang kadalasan ay mga bisita o mga turistang Pinoy.

Kapag nakasalubong mo sila, nagtama ang inyong paningin at nagkaroon sila ng lakas ng loob ng magtanong ng “Pilipina ka ba?” ang susunod na itatanong nila ay “Saan ba dito sa Heidelberg ang estatwa ni Jose Rizal?”

Ilang beses na akong napagtanungan ng ganyan. Minsan nga, sa isang restoran, talagang nilapitan pa ako ng isang waiter na Aleman. Kung Pilipina ba daw ako. Sagot ko ay oo. Tuwang-tuwa sya sa positibo kong sagot. Kasi daw ay may mga kababayan daw ako na nagtatanong kung saan matatagpuan yung estatwa ng Pilipinong bayani na si Rizal sa Heidelberg. Hindi daw nya alam, sigurado daw na mas alam ko!

Nakakahiya man e umamin ako: hindi ko po talaga alam. Basta ang napag-alaman ko sa history teacher ko sa unibersidad na talaga namang fan na fan ni Jose Rizal ay nasa Heidelberg daw ito.

E sa laki ng Heidelberg, at sa dami ng university buildings na nakapalibot dito – mahirap tukuyin kung nasaan nga ang kanilang hanap. Yun ang nagiging sagot ko kapag napagtatanungan ako. Na ang ibig sabihin lamang ay, hindi ko po alam, pasensya na po!

Minsan, sunod -sunod ang nagtanong sa akin. Sa e-mails, sa mga forums at pati sa mga kausap kong Pinay na nakatira sa ibang sulok ng Alemanya. Asan nga ba daw ang sikat na estatwa ni Rizal sa Heidelberg?

Sa pamamagitan ng pagbabasa ko ng mga libreng dyaryo na parating isinusuot sa aming mail box at sadyang nakumpirma ko naman sa internet — nalaman ko na ang estatwa pala ni Jose Rizal ay nasa Wilhelmsfeld, isang lugar na malapit sa Heidelberg pero wala mismo sa Heidelberg. Ang Wilhelmsfeld ay matatagpuan sa bundok ng Odenwald.

Nang nagkapanahon kami, hinanap nga namin at inabot pa kami ng halos kalahating oras na biyahe galing Heidelberg bago namin marating ang Jose Rizal Park sa Alemanya.

Ibig sabihin noon, araw-araw na naglalakad nang mahigit na tatlong oras si Jose Rizal papunta sa kanyang eskwelahan sa Heidelberg. Ganoon kalayo ang Wilhelmsfeld mula sa Heidelberg!

At nakakakiliting malaman namin na hindi lamang estatwa meron dun si Jose Rizal kundi meron pa syang parke!At eto pa, meron ding Jose Rizal Strasse (Jose Rizal Street). Sikat na sikat pala talaga doon ang ating national hero.

Tinahak muna namin ang buong tumbok ng Jose Rizal Street. Ang gumulantang sa amin ay isang bahay na may memorial plaque. Nakalagay na dun pala tumira si Jose Rizal nung nag-aaral sya ng medisina sa Heidelberg.1964 nung ipinangalang Jose Rizal ang kalye na iyon; ang kauna-unahang kalye sa labas ng Pilipinas na nabinyagan ng pangalan niya.

Nuong 1886, nag-aral si Jose Rizal sa Heidelberg ng pagiging optometrist kasabay ng pag-aaral niya ng salitang Aleman. Tatlong buwan siyang nagpalipat-lipat ng matutuluyan, bago siya lumipat sa Wilhelmsfeld sa bahay ng Protestant Pastor na si Karl Ullmer. Tumira doon ng dalawang buwan pa si Rizal.

Dito rin nya natapos ang pagsusulat ng Noli me Tangere na linimbag sa Berlin makaraan ang ilang buwan. Sa bahay na ito rin nya natapos ang kanyang tulang “A las Flores de Heidelberg.” Nagkaroon ng memorial plaque para kay Jose Rizal nuong 1960 sa mismong bahay na ito.

At nasundan din ito ng mga Rizal memorial plaques sa Heidelberg, sa Grabenstrasse 12 (Buchhandlung Ziehank) kung saan sya tumuloy din at sa Bergheimer Street 20 na kinatatayuan ng lumang University Eye Clinic kung saan sya nag-aral.

Hindi lamang iyon. Ang kanilang sikat na bisita ay pinahalagahan ng mga taga-Wilhelmsfeld sa pamamagitan ng pagtatayo ng sarili nilang Jose Rizal Park nuong 1978. Nandoon ang estatwa ni Jose Rizal na kaharap ang isang fountain na may mga nakapaligid na mga bato na simbulo ng mga isla ng Pilipinas.

Sa kabilaan ay may mga busts ng mga naging kaibigan nya na sina Pastor Karl Ullmer at Ferdinand Blumentritt, isang Czech professor at historian. At ng mga naging guro nya na sina Otto Becker, isang sikat na professor ng medisina at isa pang professor at sikat na pathologist na si Rudolf Virchow.

Dito sa maliit na baryo na ito ng Wilhelmsfeld ang sentro ng selebrasyon kapag araw ng kaarawan ni Jose Rizal tuwing ika-19 ng Hunyo at sa araw ng kanyang kamatayan tuwing ika-30 ng Disyembre.

Nuong 1997 ng Disyembre din nagkaroon ng grupong Knights of Rizal, Wilhelmsfeld Chapter sa Alemanya. Ngayon ay marami na itong chapter na matatagpuan sa Bonn, Berlin, Cologne, at Hamburg.

Bumalik kami sa Jose Rizal Park noong araw ng kanyang kaarawan. Alam ninyo ba kung ano ang aming nasaksihan? Ang daming tao. Wala nang parking space. Talagang naglakad kami ng malayo bago namin marating ang Jose Rizal Park.

Ang mga Aleman na miyembro ng Knights of Rizal ay naka-barong tagalog lahat. At may mga bagong miyembro silang pararangalan ng araw na iyon. Nakagayak ang buong parke. Takbuhan ang mga bata, at ang mga bisitang halo-halong lahi ay may kanya-kanyang responsibilidad nuong araw na iyon. Karamihan ay taga-dala ng pagkain, may mga nagbebenta ng tradisyonal na Pinoy items, may mga tagasalubong sa mga bisita, may mga tagaayos ng dekorasyon, at kung anu-ano pa. Bayanihan spirit din.

Nagkaroon ng wreath-laying sa harap ng estatwa ni Rizal. Nagkaron ng pasasalamat. Nagkaroon ng konting salu-salo. Parang piyesta talaga.

Ano namang pinagsalu-salohan? Halo-halo din, pero umangat ang lutong Pinoy tulad ng lumpiang shanghai, dinuguan at puto, afritada, menudo, pansit, cassava cake, sapin-sapin, at kung ano-ano pang kakanin. Sinamahan na din yan ng mga tradisyonal na pagkain ng Alemanya tulad ng currywurst, potato salad, at ang mga cakes na pandagdag ng sarap!

Kaya sa mga kababayan natin na nasa Alemanya, o malapit lamang sa bansang Alemanya – bisitahin nyo na ang Jose Rizal Park sa Alemanya. Lalo na kapag Hunyo 19 at Disyembre 30 – nandun ang isa pang Jose Rizal Park kung saan makakatikim kayo ng tunay ng piyestang Pilipino.

Photos from Raquel Erhard’s collection. Some rights reserved.
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A former stay-at-home mom in Germany who loves to share her parenting and expat stories by blogging about them at Homeworked; Raquel Erhard is now back in the Philippines where she is a publisher of The International Filipino, a newspaper for overseas and migrant Pinoys; and has an advocacy to promote the Philippines as a tourism haven and is deep into creating a model community for retirement and healthcare of expatriates in the Philippines.

Article originally appeared here.