Dear Sir Lucien:

Can you send this article of yours including the pictures for possible publication in the Bagumbayan? We might not use all the photos but just send them to us so we can make choices.

The latest issue of Bagumbayan came out last Monday. We have printed a news article on your lecture at the NHI. We are coming out with the next issue in March. The articles are now on layout in the press. We'll see if we can still accomodate this article on Blumentritt-Rizal documents in the Czech Republic.

Fraternally,

Edgar R.

Dear Mr. Lucien Spittael,

Congratulation for finding the "hidden treasures" of the Blumentritt archive in Ceske Budejovice.

I have heard the story of the possible existence of historical materials on the attic of a school in Ceske Budejovice from Mrs. Marianne Blumentritt in 1995, when we have organised a meeting in Kufstein/Tyrol with the former Philippine Ambassador to Austria, his Excelleny Jose A. Zaide Jr.

Incidentally, Marianne Blumentritt sadly passed away last November 26, 2009. She was the wife of Kurt Blumentritt, a grandson of Ferdinand Blumentritt.

This reminds me to continue my work on the Blumentritt -A. B. Meyer Correspondence, a convolute of about 200 letters which have never been published before. Some interesting details of this correspondence show some new light on the role of Germany during the Philippine-American War.

One of the most interesting finding in this correspondence is about the famous Filipino painter Juan Luna who stayed for a week in Vienna in April 1899. Actually the sketch of Ferdinand Blumentritt shown on this page and dated of April 8, 1899 was made just a couple of days after Juan Luna visited Adolf Bernhard Meyer in the Dresden Museum, Germany [Wednesday, April 5, 1899]. He was accompanied by Ferdinand Blumentritts son Friedrich ["Fritz"].

Keep on the good work, so we might be able to solve the Blumentritt puzzle.

All the best!

Johann Stockinger
Austrian Philippine Society

Dear Sir Lucien,

As we know you, you are like a "bull terrier"; biting yourself into the material and never let loose...
My sincere congratulations, not only for this article but for your continuous research of the life of Jose Rizal.
With regard to our talk last Saturday on the 10th Chartering anniversary of the Belgian Diamond Chapter, I will wait for your book...

Ronny Felix
Diamond Chapter

Dear Sir Lucien
It is with great interest but also with deep emotion me and Leah read the fantastic article and background regarding the Blumentritt-Rizal documents in our favourite Philippine-European magazine Munting Nayon. We really feel you respect the goals and the trials in the life of Dr. Jose Rizal, the hero of the Philippines, which has become now also my second home country. Your research and non-stop controlling like only true historicans do, is rare in times where 'hurry' seems to be the word. I also truly hope that your research may benefit the relations between Filipinos and other nationalities all over the world. Congratulations also to Munting Nayon for showing a deep interest in the roots and goals of the Philippine national hero, so Rizal can be an example for all humans.
Yours sincerely
Sir Dominiek & Lady Leah SEGAERT-GALLEGO & Magalie, KCR, incoming KGOR,
Chapter Commander Knights of Rizal Diamond Chapter - Antwerp
Deputy Area Commander Belgium - Europe

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!

Sir Lucien, ako at ang lahat ay alam namin na kayo ay tunay na Rizalist,
Sir M., Brussels.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

greetings from Germany

Bernd

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

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