The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt, led by Consul General Marie Yvette Banzon Abalos, was joined by friends and family for their Philippine Independence Day hike of the Rizal Historic Trail in Wilhelmsfeld and Heidelberg on 12 June 2026
WILHELMSFELD, Germany – In commemoration of the 128th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence, personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt hiked the 10-kilometer Rizal Historic Trail from Wilhelmsfeld to Heidelberg on 12 June 2026. The trail begins from Hinterbergweg in Wilhelmsfeld and ends at the old bridge of Heidelberg.
The trail commemorates Dr. José Rizal’s stay in Germany in 1886, when he resided with the family of Pastor Karl Ullmer in Wilhelmsfeld while pursuing ophthalmology studies and clinical training in nearby Heidelberg. During this period, Rizal regularly travelled between the two communities and completed the final chapters of Noli Me Tangere.
Along the route, participants encountered three interpretive information boards providing historical context on Rizal’s life, studies, writings, and experiences in Germany. Newly installed trail markers and directional signs likewise enabled hikers to easily follow the route.
Consul General Ivy Banzon-Abalos noted that “Walking these same paths reminds us that Rizal’s ideas were shaped not only by books and study, but also by the people and places he encountered during his time in Germany”, she said.
The activity highlighted the enduring historical links between the Philippines and Germany and offered participants an opportunity to engage directly with a landscape closely associated with one of the Philippines’ foremost national heroes.
The Rizal Historic Trail is a project made possible through the efforts of the Knights of Rizal Wilhelmsfeld-Heidelberg Chapter, with PCG Frankfurt serving as official partner, and with support from the Office of Senator Loren Legarda and various private sponsors. END
Philippine Consulate General team at the first information board at the start of the trail; a depiction of Rizal and the Ullmer family poodle along the trail, by artist Dominic Urbano
