José Rizal's New Years Card

Dr. José Rizal (1861-1896), the Philippine national hero, sent a New Year's card from London to Dolores (“Loleng”), the daughter of Ferdinand Blumentritt in Leitmeritz (Litoměřice), Bohemia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, today the Czech Republic.

Once the fundraising target has been reached, the original card will be donated to the National Museum of the Philippines.

Rizal probably sent the card during the Christmas (season) in 1888.

This original (object/card) is in the possession of the descendants of Ferdinand Blumentritt in Kufstein, Austria.

They have now made this card available for a fundraising campaign. The net proceeds are to be used to continue awarding the "Ferdinand Blumentritt Medal". Since 2023, this medal has been awarded to individuals or institutions that have rendered outstanding services for the social, ecological, economic and spiritual development as well as research into the history, present and future of the Southeast Asia region, in particular the archipelago of the Philippines, or have made outstanding scientific, humanitarian and/or artistic achievements in relation to this region.

The medal is intended to keep alive the memory of Ferdinand Blumentritt, ethnographer-historian, writer and school principal in Leitmeritz (Litoměřice) and whose family Rizal visited in 1887 while he was in Berlin specializing in ophthalmology after completing his medical studies in Madrid. From then on, a close friendship developed and Blumentritt engaged himself avidly in supporting Rizal as well many other Filipino patriots until his death in 1913, thus becoming one of the best connoisseurs of Philippine history and development during his lifetime.

To recognize and honor Blumentritt’s wide-ranging interests and his lifelong dedication to ethnographic and cultural studies, the award is intended for persons and institutions that have made scientific, humanitarian or artistic achievements.

The Blumentritt descendants in Austria and the Austro-Philippine Society would like to make a contribution to the Philippine cultural heritage with this fundraising campaign.

Once the fundraising target has been reached, the original card will be donated to the National Museum of the Philippines.

Austro-Philippine Society

Vienna, Austria

www.philippinen.at