When historical books about the Philippines are in discussion, the book "Reisen in die Philippinen” (1873) (2) from the German ethnologist Fedor Jagor appears often on the shortlist. However, there still exists another early publication about the Philippines in German language, which was already published in 1860 in Vienna. It doers not offer such a wealth of details like the book of Jagor and may be rightly considered as ideologically biased. Nevertheless, it enriches the literature about the Philippines in the 19th century. It is the merit of the Austrian-Philippine society to open now this almost forgotten book by a new edition to a broader public.
"To his Imperial Highness – the most serene Gentleman Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, the high traveler in the four parts of the world - , with the most honoring request for a gracious review of this humble work dedicated in deepest respect by his obedient and humble servant Karl Baron von Hügel“ The biographical background First some annotations to the biography of the Baron. After the study of law at the University of Heidelberg Hügel enters in 1813 into the services of the Austrian army and he takes also part as officer in the campaigns against Napoleon. In 1824 he signs off and he is allowed to pursue his muses - as a private scholar and builder of a famous botanic garden. But in 1831 he leaves his Viennese idyll and he is starting a five-year long world tour. His finance – a Hungarian princess – has left him before; she preferred a marriage with the well known Princes von Metternich (3). Years before Hügel was already keen of traveling. He visited for instance the Scandinavian countries and Russia. Moreover, he was very interested in exotic botany. His journey around the world (1831-1836) takes him to Egypt, South India, Java, Australia, the Philippines and the countries of the Himalayan region. The book “Der stille Ocean und die spanischen Besitzungen im ostindischen Archipel” shows mostly diary memos and are referring to his stay in December 1834 in the Philippines. One month - this is a very short time compared with the time of more than two years his colleague Fedor Jagor spent in the Philippines. Hügel stayed only in Manila and visited some parts of Luzon. Traveling companion in Manila was the pharmacist Johannes Andreas Zobel (4), one the German ancestors of the Zobel-Clan (Ayala Group). Furthermore, we have to take into consideration, that Hügel did not have a very good command of Spanish language and that most of his conversationalists have been clergymen in the province Luzon. It is not erroneous to claim that Hügel has adopted fundamental attitudes of the clergy. Scene pictures from Manila and the province Luzon Hügel concedes that he was first not very impressed by the capital Manila and he criticizes particularly the "most dirty and bad streets" and the bad-kept sewerage system. In Manila he meets “a live, southern people” which is "well-fed", clean and well dressed after own standard. No beggar was disturbing him. He calls the majority of the population of Manila “Indier” – we say here “Indians” - , the term "Filipino" appears only once. He is a bit confused about the great number of naked children and the nearly transparent breast cloths of the women. These breast cloths stick out. “Each movement and breeze could uncover the ample breasts”. Our baron is impressed by the well-groomed, deep black hair of the women which can reach to the heels. Their darned slippers permit them only a “waddling” walk. Smoking women is another topic. „Everyone, man and woman, is smoking. The women, as older they become, as bigger and thicker their cigars ... I saw some old wives, which seemed to have a short branch in the mouth" (p.63). Does Hügel follow already the popular south East Asian ideal of beauty from nowadays? Not at all – he judges them: „The faces of older women are without exceptions ugly - those of the young women never pretty" (p. 62). He sees some beautiful gardens and he meets guitarists, going down the streets. They seem to be the only ones, which go a longer distance, because “nobody here in the country walks”. It is more popular to go by coach or to ride a horse. Hügel meets also priests of religious orders “riding little horses ... on both sides of the saddle powerful holster for pistols” – This picture contrasts to his later comments about the peaceableness of the Roman Catholic clergy. Many “Indians” are holding a fighting cock in their hands. The cockfight provides “a never ending pastime” to the residents and the nightly crows of thousand of cocks are fully accepted. The Viennese aristocrat is deeply annoyed when the Spanish governor does not allow him to visit the province of Luzon for security reasons. However, Hügel however built up good contacts to the Spanish clergy which made the journey to Luzon possible for him. „A clergyman has inside the county more power over the natives and achieves more than a regiment of soldiers would be able" (S.72). In Luzon Hügel was also invited from natives. The unrestricted hospitality of the "Indians" impressed him very much. „I feel at home with these Indians”. And what his main impression? He realizes a “modest still life of a happy people ... The scenes, which can be seen inside the hats, are those of an innocuously, undisturbed, domestic luck, which can only be conceived and enjoyed by a simple, peaceful disposition of mind. This peaceful mind is far away from wishes, feverish aspirations, introduced by the European education. Its vanity, pride and ambitions are destroying irretrievably the heart of man“ (p. 112). This remembers on Rousseau’s critic of civilization and his description of the “Noble Savage”. He discovers that families with 10 -12 children are not unusual. The characterization of the ethnic groups This brings us to the characterization of some ethnic groups by Hügel. Today, observers are probably more careful at such "nature statements" and stereotyped ascriptions but our Baron rushes ahead with military guts – not considering possible oversimplifications and discriminations. Following Hügel - the Indians immigrated at different times from the Malaysian archipelago and constitute the majority of the population. Their main virtues are modesty, peaceable nature and hospitality. The missing physical strength is compensated by skills. „The Indian is peaceful, ingratiating and his mind is vivid” (p. 193). His modesty is, however, under economic aspects of disadvantage. „If he has sufficient rice and dried fishes, a shirt and breeches, then all his needs are satisfied and nothing spurs him on to further work”(p.194). The "vivid mind" - praised at first - has also its dark side. In principle, the Indian can study all scientific disciplines: however, he has “no endurance in any kind of science" (p. 193). Our author particularly warns to allow them to study of the law. With regard to the “quarrelsomeness of the people” – which contradicts their ascribed “peaceable nature” - they would change to badly educated "devil advocates" living from the work of their fellow citizens. The Moros - Muslim living in the southern part of the country – are only seen as pirates. „The Moros live from piracy Moros which drag them of the invasions with themselves to the peaceful islands live of the piracy and its spoils. They cause plenty of damages and are the fright of the visayian seas" (p. 197). The author says, that is a shame, that the Spanish rulers are not resolute enough in the suppression of the Moros. And the armed forces strategist Hügel recommends to send the "underemployed troops and gunboats" immediately to the south. When speaking about the Negrillos (Negritos) Hügel passes the borderline to Nazism. It is very seldom to read such inhumane sentences: „This Negrillo lives like a wild animal in the mountains and forests; he is very unattractive ... and is not a sociable creature. This peculiarity explains the difficulty, to civilize them or to make them a kind of domestic animal. In Manila they are seen as monkeys and treated in such way" (S.192). On the other side Hügel complaint in another book the bad treatment of the Australian Aborigenes. From the Philippine history we know, that in the middle of the 19th century the Mestizos (following Hügel: Chinese-Philippine half-casts), successfully engaged in the agricultural sector, gain considerable fortune and influence. Many “Illustrados” (5) are Mestizos and they are becoming a more and more self-confident strata in the Philippine society and history. Hügel confirms the Mestizos also talent, abilities and activity - if there would not be such "vices" like addiction for pleasures, sense of superiority and vanity. „They generally die young, a result of their dissipations" (p. 198). - Creoles are descendants of European fathers and other races. „This class prospers badly and the descendants are weakly creatures," thinks our race expert, ”an early death is given to the weakly bodies” (S.198). The clergy in the country Hügel writes that the role and importance of the clergy in the country should not be underestimated.” The good administration of the parishes and the admiration for the parish priests are the cause of the deep peace which can be found in the Philippine islands" (S.188). The writer praises particularly the Spanish Augustinian monks. After the visit of an Augustinian cloister in the province Luzon he realizes: „I do not remember to have ever seen at a place such excellent heads and active persons" (S.92). They are the real rulers in the country. “One could say with full right, that the islands belong to the Spanish clergy because their power surpasses such of the government" (p. 162). Hügel denies any private money-making and enrichment of the clergy. "Their superfluous income is distributed under the poor" (p. 188). The author does not mention the economic power of the monastic orders and the connected drudgery services, taxes and economic dependences for the native farmers. The monastic power (frailocracia), which is criticized later so much, is not a topic for Hügel.
However, Hügel sees also some negative aspects. This concerns particularly the world clergymen who substituted the expelled Jesuits in the province parishes. They are mostly “Indians” and fulfill seldom their profession. “Sometimes they lead a dissipated life”, giving so bad examples to their parishioners. We know already that Hügel approves a military crusade of Spanish troops against the Muslims in the south. But also in the mountains of the province Ilocos there are "still many heathens" and he hopes, "that the heathendom will be stamped out in that province very shortly" (p.191). We could also say that the author supports more or less the usurpation of an endogenous culture.
Painting:: Danilo de Asis: Christendom
Colonial administration The Baron transfigures the Spanish colonial regime. „It was never necessary for the Spanish military to use force in order to control the peaceable inhabitants of the Philippine islands" (S.170). Hügel does not seem to know or is ignoring, that there have been, nevertheless, smaller, local revolts in the Philippines carrying the protest against certain abuses. We have not only to remember Lapu-Lapus resistance against the conqueror Magellan (1521), but also the following clashes: ● 1603: Chinese inhabitants try a futile coup d`etat against the Spanish colonial regime. 23,000 Chinese are killed by Spanish troops. · 1621 – 1622: The native priest Tamblot calls on Bohol together with 2000 companions for the return to the old religions and for the liberation from the oppression by the Spaniards; the rebellion is suppressed brutally. · 1744 – 1839: Again a rebellion on Bohol. Approx. 2000 Boholians under the conduct of Francisco Dagohov are founding a rebel state. The Spanish armed forces destroyed this resistance movement only a long time. · 1762 - 1763 rebellion under the conduct of Diego Silang with the aim of the abolition of the taxes and the drudgery · 1807: Rebellion against the state wine monopoly in Ilocos Norte · 1815: Revolt of 15000 Ilocanos under the leadership of Simon Thomas against the abolition of the liberal Spanish constitution of 1815 · 1840: Apolinario de La Cruz tries the foundation of a Philippine brotherhood. He and his followers are massacred by Spanish troops (6). So Hügel cuts out unpleasant incidents. He is right, that up to his time in the Philippines there was no broader nationwide rebellion against the Spanish colonial regime with the demand for national independence. The small number of Spanish troops is also an indication for little unrest. Hügel estimates the strength of the Spanish armed forces in Manila at round about 1380 men and the total population at round around five million. „In every province the governor has only 25 soldiers, mostly “Indians”, which stand in front of the magazines and the register sentry (p. 73). Hügel assumes that the Filipino inhabitants are "Spaniards in mind, belief and ethos"; there they would “always” be ready to help the Spanish armed forces if there would be an attack from outside (S.170). It is the firm belief of Hügel that Spain can be proud on its Philippine possession. “Thanks the wisdom of Spanish kings” the colonial governments “taught the population modesty, treated them as independent subjects, took into account their wishes for luck and joy, trained, educated and ennobled them and taught them to believe in the true God“ (S. IV). The Spanish sovereigns let prosper their overseas possession, "without egoism, without self-interest, without a material profit for the mother country" (p.163). Other sources are confirming that the Spanish administration was for a very long time dependent from subsidies coming from New Mexico (4). And there were also praiseworthy steps of the Spanish rulers, i.e.: ● the ban of the slavery on application of the bishop of Manila, Domingo Salazar (1589); ● the various attempts of the Spanish General Governor Jose Basco, to develop the Philippines economically and to give the native farmers more legal protection (1781-1784) ● and the temporary participation of Philippine representatives in the Spanish Cortez Liberal general governors were, however, rather the exception during the Spanish colonial times. The Spanish general governor Rafael de Izquierdo (1871-1873) still boasted at a time of enlightenment and liberalism that he has come onto the Philippines "with the crucifix in this hand and a sword in the other one"(4). The author of the book has also to admit - and in this respect he is not consistent - , that in the past there have also been Alcademayors (provincial governors), „which oppressed the poor Indians very ruthlessly, ruined families and considered Indians as slaves" (p.168). They had their office only a few years and before their return to Spain they tried to pull a maximum profit out of their short-term possessions. „So it happened, then, that the Indians have a cordial disgust of the governors of the provinces” (p.168) and that they applied to the priests for protection. Hügel does not take any notice of the drudgery services connected with the Ecomiendas (7). He declares the tax burden of the natives as tolerable. „Generally the Spaniard treats the Indians well and the personnel is regarded like own children" (p. 199) – “Nobody has great riches" and "no Spanish official or merchant returns to his home country loaded with treasures” (p. V). The following sentences are like a reminiscence of the legend of the Holy Unity of the Christian Roman Catholic Emporium: "The Philippines are not considered as foreign country by the Spaniards . ., but as an independent whole of the Spanish Empire" - It was possible for the Spaniards to transform the natives by help of the clergy “into Spaniards, which consider the government not as a strange one but as their own" (p.72). Warning about an own nation-state Of course it has not remained unknown to Hügel that - particularly under the influence of the freedom fighter Simon Bolivar - there have been strong independence movements in Middle and South America, demanding for a break away from the Spanish crown. So Peru declared independence in 1824 and Venezuela in1830. Out baron warns the Filipinos of such a development. „In our time", he writes, "blinded liberty preachers attacked the innocent population of Spanish South America, fired them with enthusiasm for hollow theories and brought about them a storm, which crashed these beautiful creations into a chaos .... May the Filipinos be withhold from such cheering theories” (p. V, VIII). These theories are for Hügel only "mad ideas produced by a one-sided education in politics" (S.223). The conservative monarchist maintains the credo, that in Luzon "religion, people and monarch are a mutually dependent whole" (p. 223). To follow the “the firebrands of a chimaeran liberty” is like choosing the chaos and decline (p. VIII). Round about forty years after the publication of the book of Hügel, the underground movement Katipunan under the its leaders Andres Bonifacio (5) and Emilio Aguinaldo will, however, take up arms to realize the national independence of the Filipinos. Concluding remark Freiherr von Hügel surely has enriched with his book the picture of the Filipinos with this or that facet. He underlines the power and the influence of the Roman Catholic clergy in the colony. Nevertheless, when he is writing about the different groups of the Philippine society he remains an aristocratic, a bit arrogant bachelor, who wants to describe and to educate "simple souls". Von Hügels Weltanschauung remains under the wings of the double-headed eagle of the Habsburg monarchy. The trend to the nation-state in the 19th and 20th century is passing him by. ©Wolfgang Bethge, in 2006 All quotatations in this article are translations from German language (1) In the English literature his name sometimes appears also as “Baron Charles von Hugel”. (2) English title: “Jagor´s Travel in the Philippines” (3) Both reconcile later and in the revolution year of 1848 von Hügel helped the conservative-reactionary statesman Metternich at his flight to England. (4) Compare: W. Bethge, The Zobel dynasty, in: http://bethge.frepage.de/zobeldt.htm (5) collecting term for Philippine intellectuals in this time (6) M. Payer, Geschichte der Philippinen, in: http://www.payer.de/hbiweltweit/weltweit43.html (7) The Spanish crown rewarded the services of Spanish soldiers and sailors with the ecomiendas. The beneficiaries usually lived in in Manila and intermediaries collected the yields from the for one or two generations granted estates. (8) W. Bethge, in: The tragic fight Andrea Bonifacio, in: http:// bethge.freepage.de/bonifacio.htm
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Author
is the conservative monarchist Karl Freiherr von Hügel (1795 - 1870).
