Rizal finished writing his novel Noli Me Tangere while living in poverty and sickness in Berlin in 1886. At his lowest moment, he considered burning the unfinished manuscript. Fortunately, his friend Dr. Maximo Viola arrived from the Philippines and loaned Rizal funds to publish the novel. With Viola's financial support, Rizal was able to print 2,000 copies of Noli Me Tangere in Berlin in 1887, bringing his work to publication during a time of great personal hardship.