It was close to dawn when Dr. Blumentritt took his friends back to the Krebs. Rizal and Lolo’s visit became something of a news sensation that week as can be gleaned from the pages of the Leitmeritzer Zeitung. The newspaper reported: “Today, two gentlemen from the Philippines, Dr. Jose Rizal and Dr. Maximo Viola, arrived for a visit to Professor Blumentritt. Both belong to the Tagalog branch of the Malayan race, and might be the first ones among their people to step on Leitmeritz soil.
Kasama rin ang ilan pang biograpiya na sinundan si Retana: Ang Man of the Century ni Pedro Gagelonia at The Great Malayan ni Carlos Quirino na bagama’t nagtamo lamang ng honorable mention sa Commonwealth Biography Contest ay pinaboran naman ng Pang. Manuel Quezon, kaya ibinigay sa kanya ang premyong katumbas ng sa unang gantimpala, Php 3,000. Isa sa rekomendadong biograpiya ni Rizal ay ang Rizal: Philippine Nationalist and Martyr ng Briton na si Austin Coates na isinalin sa Filipino ni Nilo Ocampo.