WHO WAS RIZAL'S GIRLFRIEND IN BRUSSELS?

An excerpt from Lucien Spittael's article The complete story of Suzanne Jacoby.

All Rizal’s biographers mention that Rizal had a romance in Brussels with Suzanne Jacoby... I wondered if Rizal had an affair with another Belgian lady. Or were Suzanne Jacoby and Suzanne T. one and the same person? So I started my research on Suzanne T.

My attention was caught by an undated love letter sent to Rizal in Madrid in August 1890. The letter was written in French and was signed by Suzanne T. Two other letters dated in August 1890 were signed by “Petite Suzanne”.

As Suzanne T. is nowhere mentioned in any of Rizal’s biographies, I wondered if Rizal had an affair with another Belgian lady. Or were Suzanne Jacoby and Suzanne T. one and the same person? So I started my research on Suzanne T.

I personally went to the municipal archives of Brussels and searched in the registers of 1890. I was very excited when I found the names of the persons living in Rue Philippe de Champagne, 38 in the municipal archives of Brussels. My research revealed that three ladies were registered on this address:

Catherine Jacoby was born on February 27, 1835 and her sister Suzanne Jacoby on July 17, 1845. Their niece Suzanne Thill was born on April 4, 1872.

This means that when Rizal arrived in Brussels, Catherine Jacoby was 55, Suzanne Jacoby 46 and Suzanne Thill 18 years old. None of them was married.

Suzanne Jacoby was registered in Brussels, Rue Philippe de Champagne, 38 on July 31, 1867. Catherine Jacoby joined her sister on the same address on 21 December 1877.

The niece Suzanne Thill was registered on the same address on June 13, 1881.

The three ladies were born in Asselborn, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Pablo S. Trillana III in his book: “The loves of Rizal” wrote:

“Zaide Gregorio F. and Sonia M. Zaide in their work: ‘Jose Rizal, Life, Works and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero’ claim, in relation to the affair with Suzanne Jacoby in Brussels that it was petite Suzanne and not Tante Suzanne who fell in love with Rizal. This is not consistent with the versions of authors like Carlos Quirino and Leon Ma. Guerrero. One could sense a hint that both Suzannes harbored certain affection for the hero but I am inclined to consider that Tante Suzanne appeared to be the one more attached to Rizal.”

The statement of Pablo S. Trillana is not consistent. Rizal who was 29 years old at that time had more affection for the younger Suzanne (18 years old) and not for the older aunt Suzanne Jacoby (46 years). Prove for this are the letters signed by Suzanne T. or petite Suzanne, which clearly refers to the youngest Suzanne THILL.

It is clear that all biographers wrongly refer to Suzanne JACOBY as Rizal’s girlfriend in Brussels.

In a response to my letter in 1995 to the archives of the town of Brussels it was confirmed that the three ladies and Dr. Rizal lived in "Rue Philippe de Champagne, 38 in 1890.

Editors Note: For the complete version of the above article, please log on to: http://www.jose-rizal.eu/thille.html