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Sunday, September 27, 2009

SIR LUCIEN SPITTAEL DISCOVERS RIZAL IN BRUSSELS

Prof. Emilio C. de Catalina gave due credit to Sir Lucien Spittael for his research on Rizal in his book entitled “Rizal – A Textbook For College Students” as shown on page 251.

On 20 February 1995, Sir Lucien went to the Brussels City Hall archives to research on the true identity of the Belgian girl that Rizal was believed to be in love with. However, he stumbled on a stunning revelation which the Philippine historians must have missed that Suzanne Jacoby was not what everybody believed to be his Belgian girlfriend but the younger lady who lived with her by the name of Suzanne Thill. Taking into consideration the wide difference of age between Jacoby (1845) and Rizal (1861), he could have had very likely succombed to the charms of Suzanne Thill (1872).

What was also most important in his research was his discovery of the exact location where Rizal stayed in Brussels at 38, rue de Philippe de Champagne, which was renumbered to 42 on 10 August 1900.


Please note that Sir Lucien will be in the Philippines on 24 September and he is tentatively to give a 2-hour presentation in Negros in connection with his major researches and discoveries on Rizal in Europe, including several of his unpublished letters and many of the newly discovered objects he sent to Europe.


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