In 1828 Frederick William III of Prussia requested the Berlin University to invite the most eminent natural philosophers to take part in a congress to be held in that city under the presidency of Alexander von Humboldt.

Nicholas Chopin's friend Dr.Jarocki, the zoologist and professor at the Warsaw University, who had studied and obtained his degree at Berlin, was one of those who were honoured with an invitation.
The favourable opportunity which thus presented itself to the young musician of visiting in good company one of the centres of civilisation--for the professor intended to comply with the invitation, and was willing to take his friend's son under his wing--was not allowed to slip by, on the contrary, was seized eagerly.

With what feelings, with what an infinitude of youthful hopes and expectations, Chopin looked forward to this journey may be gathered from some expressions in a letter of his (September 9, 1828) addressed to Titus Woyciechowski, where he describes himself as being at the time of writing "like a madman," and accounts for his madness by the announcement: "For I am going to-day to Berlin." To appear in public as a pianist or composer was not one of the objects he had in view.

His dearest wishes were to make the acquaintance of the musical celebrities of Berlin, and to hear some really good music.

From a promised performance of Spontini's Ferdinand Cortez he anticipated great things.
Professor Jarocki and Chopin left Warsaw on the 9th of September, 1828, and after five days' posting arrived in Berlin, where they put up at the Kronprinz.