What was Alfred Dreyfus accused of?
At the end of 1894 French army captain Alfred Dreyfus, a graduate of the École Polytechnique, a Jew of Alsatian origin, was accused of handing secret documents to the Imperial German military. After a closed trial, he was found guilty of treason and sentenced to life imprisonment.
How did the appearance of Dreyfus affect his supporters and opponents?
On the appearance of Dreyfus, emotions ran high. His physical appearance disturbed his supporters and some of his opponents. Despite his deteriorated physical condition, he had a complete mastery of the files acquired in only a few weeks. All the General Staff testified against Dreyfus without providing any proof.
What was the evidence for the Dreyfus affair?
The physical evidence consisted of a slip of paper discovered in a German military trashcan on which was written a promise, in French, to deliver a valuable French artillery manual to the Germans. Handwriting experts could not definitively link the note to Dreyfus, but the captain was vulnerable on other accounts. Dreyfus was rich and Jewish.
Why was Alfred Dreyfus convicted of treason?
In December 1894, French officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason by a military court-martial and sentenced to life in prison for his alleged crime of passing military secrets to the Germans.
What was Dreyfus falsely accused of?
passing military secrets toA scandal that rocked France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Dreyfus affair involved a Jewish artillery captain in the French army, Alfred Dreyfus (1859-1935), who was falsely convicted of passing military secrets to the Germans.
Who was Alfred Dreyfus and what was he accused of in 1894?
The controversy centred on the question of the guilt or innocence of army captain Alfred Dreyfus, who had been convicted of treason for allegedly selling military secrets to the Germans in December 1894. At first the public supported the conviction; it was willing to believe in the guilt of Dreyfus, who was Jewish.
Why was Alfred Dreyfus framed?
In 1894, following the Franco-Prussian War, French Army captain Alfred Dreyfus of Alsace was framed for being a German spy by his comrade Ferdinand Esterhazy, the true criminal.
What evidence did picquart discover that proved Dreyfus innocent?
Picquart discovered that the evidence used against Dreyfus was in fact a forgery (the fake bulletin had been written by Henry, not Dreyfus), and Dreyfusards became more convinced than ever of Dreyfus's innocence. The forgery discovered in 1898 led to the retrial.
Is Alfred Dreyfus related to Julia Louis Dreyfus?
She is also a great-great-granddaughter of Léopold Louis-Dreyfus, who in 1851 founded the Louis Dreyfus Group, a French commodities and shipping conglomerate, which members of her family still control; and is distantly related to Alfred Dreyfus of the infamous Dreyfus affair.
What happened to Dreyfus during the degradation ceremony?
Before being shipped to Devil's Island, the army put Dreyfus through a humiliating ceremony known as a "degradation." In front of assembled troops, scores of journalists, and 20,000 citizens, he was stripped of his military insignia and his sword was broken in half.
Who saved Alfred Dreyfus?
However, due to public opinion, Dreyfus was offered and accepted a pardon by President Émile Loubet in 1899 and released from prison; this was a compromise that saved face for the military's mistake.
Why was Dreyfus sent to Devil's Island?
It was a matter of life or death, for Dreyfus feared that he would not survive the notorious penal colony on Devil's Island, where he had been sent after a military court convicted him of betraying his country. Those who believed that he was innocent and had called for his exoneration were deeply disappointed.
Is Richard Dreyfuss related to Alfred Dreyfus?
He was born in Brooklyn as Richard Dreyfus. Note the altered spelling. Dreyfuss, who is Jewish, claims to be a distant relative of Alfred Dreyfus, the captain wrongfully dispatched as a spy to Devil's Island in French Guiana.
What did the Dreyfusards want?
They wanted to republicanize the army and put it under parliamentary control. From 1898 to 1899 the Dreyfusard cause gained in strength.
When was Dreyfus pardoned?
When a new court-martial, held at Rennes, found Dreyfus guilty in September 1899, the president of the republic, in order to resolve the issue, pardoned him. In July 1906 a civilian court of appeals (the Cour d’Appel) set aside the judgment of the Rennes court and rehabilitated Dreyfus.
What was Esterhazy accused of?
The accusations against Esterhazy resulted in a court-martial that acquitted him of treason (January 1898). To protest against the verdict, the novelist Émile Zola wrote a letter titled “ J’accuse ,” published in Clemenceau’s newspaper L’Aurore.
What was Émile Zola's trial?
Newspaper depiction of Émile Zola in court during his trial for defamation of the French military, 1898. The 1890s also saw the Third Republic’s greatest political and moral crisis—the Dreyfus Affair. In 1894 Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a career...
Who was the leader of the cabinet in the Dreyfus case?
In response to continuing disorders and demonstrations, a cabinet headed by the Radical René Waldeck-Rousseau was set up in June 1899 with the express purpose of defending the republic and with the hope of settling the judicial side of the Dreyfus case as soon as possible.
Who was the Captain of France in 1894?
In 1894 Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a career... By the time of the Zola letter, the Dreyfus case had attracted widespread public attention and had split France into two opposing camps.
What was the Dreyfus trial?
v. t. e. The trial and conviction of Alfred Dreyfus was the event that instigated the Dreyfus Affair, a political scandal which divided France during the 1890s and early 1900s. It involved the wrongful conviction for treason of Alfred Dreyfus, a French artillery officer of Alsatian Jewish background. Dreyfus was sentenced to life in prison on ...
Where was Dreyfus sentenced?
Dreyfus was sentenced to life in prison on Devil's Island . The report of Major Bexon d'Ormescheville [ fr], handed in on December 3, was prejudiced and illogical. He had vainly tried to deduce a proof of some sort out of a heap of "possibilities" and numerous insinuations.
What is the second dossier that Dreyfus stole?
Allusion has been made several times (since 1894) to a second "ultra-secret” dossier that was composed of photographs of papers stolen from, and then given up to, the German embassy; namely, seven letters from Dreyfus, and one said to be from the Emperor of Germany to Count Münster, naming Dreyfus.
What is the secret dossier?
Among the other papers of the secret dossier were the fragments of Schwartzkoppen 's note alluding to an informant who pretended to take his knowledge from the ministry, and, according to Commander Freystaetter, the first and false interpretation of Panizzardi's despatch.
What did Dreyfus do to keep up his physical strength?
To keep up his physical strength, he compelled himself to take regular exercise.
What was the last hearing of the Bordereau?
The last hearing on December 22 was devoted to the public prosecutor's address and to the pleading of Demange, who spent three hours arguing that the very contents of the bordereau showed that it could not be the work of Dreyfus. In his reply, Brisset asked the judges to take their "magnifying-glasses".
When was Dreyfus discharged?
Alfred Dreyfus being dishonorably discharged, 5 January 1895. The military degradation took place on the Champ de Mars on January 5, 1895. During the parade of "execution”, Dreyfus preserved a military attitude which shocked some onlookers.
What was Alfred Dreyfus accused of?
After a closed trial, he was found guilty of treason and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was deported to Devil's Island. At that time, the opinion of the French political class was unanimously unfavourable towards Dreyfus.
What year was Dreyfus Affair?
1994 (in French) The Dreyfus Affair, French film in two episodes by Yves Boisset – Produced by France 2 – Colour. 1994 (in French) Rage and Outrage, by George Whyte, French film – Produced by ARTE – Colour. 1995 (in English) Dreyfus in Opera and Ballet, German and English film by arte – Produced by WDR – Colour.
When did Dreyfus declare there is no Dreyfus affair?
Jules Méline declared in the opening session of the National Assembly on 7 December 1897, "There is no Dreyfus affair. There is not now and there can be no Dreyfus affair.".
What was the significance of the affair in France?
The Affair brought the confrontation between two sides of France to life. However, according to most historians, this opposition served the republican order. There was indeed a strengthening of parliamentary democracy and a failure of monarchist and reactionary forces.
Who led the Dreyfusard movement?
The Dreyfusard movement, led by Bernard Lazare, Mathieu Dreyfus, Joseph Reinach and Auguste Scheurer-Kestner gained momentum. Émile Zola, informed in mid-November 1897 by Scheurer-Kestner with documents, was convinced of the innocence of Dreyfus and undertook to engage himself officially.
Where is the statue of Dreyfus?
Hernu claimed that this was because the École Militaire is not open to the public, but it was widely believed that this was done to avoid provoking the army. It was instead installed at Boulevard Raspail, No. 116–118 at the exit of the Notre-Dame-des-Champs metro station, where it can be found today. A replica is located at the entrance of Paris's Museum of Jewish Art and History , housing the Fond Dreyfus, more than three thousand historical documents donated by the grandchildren of Captain Dreyfus.
What was the significance of the Panama scandal?
The Supreme Court considered the affair in the context of press campaigns against the Criminal Division, the magistrates being constantly dragged through the mud in nationalist newspapers from the Panama scandals. On 26 September 1898, after a Cabinet vote, the Minister of Justice appealed to the Supreme Court. On 29 October 1898, after the submission of the report from the recorder Alphonse Bard, the Criminal Chamber of the Court stated that "the application is admissible and will proceed with a supplementary investigation".
What happened to Dreyfus?
He was sentenced to life imprisonment. At a public ceremony on January 5, 1895, Dreyfus was dishonorably discharged and demoted. As (according with tradition) his stripes were torn and his sword was broken, Dreyfus maintained his innocence, crying out: "Soldiers, they are degrading an innocent man!
When was Dreyfus arrested?
Nonetheless, on the basis of handwriting analysis and out of anti-Jewish prejudice against Dreyfus, he was arrested on October 15, 1894, and court-martialed. Dreyfus had no hope of a fair trial.
What school did Dreyfus go to?
Alfred Dreyfus graduated from the Ecole Polytechnique military school in Paris in 1880. After receiving specialized artillery training, he was promoted to Lieutenant in the French military in 1885.
What was the secret document that was sent to the German embassy in Paris?
This was an act of treason. At the time, there was some evidence that made it unlikely Dreyfus was the author of the traitorous memorandum. Nonetheless, on the basis of handwriting analysis and out of anti-Jewish prejudice against Dreyfus, he was arrested on October 15, 1894, and court-martialed.
Why was Dreyfus' sentence reduced?
At the retrial in August and September 1899, the court-martial still found Dreyfus guilty of treason but reduced his sentence due to “extenuating circumstances. ”. The President of the Republic, Emile Loubet, granted Dreyfus a pardon.
When was Dreyfus' case reopened?
In the summer of 1898, the case was reopened and the original forgeries used to convict Dreyfus were discovered. Public opinion began to shift in favor of Dreyfus. The Supreme Court ordered a retrial. At the retrial in August and September 1899, the court-martial still found Dreyfus guilty of treason but reduced his sentence due to “extenuating circumstances.” The President of the Republic, Emile Loubet, granted Dreyfus a pardon.
Where was Alfred Dreyfus born?
Alfred Dreyfus was born in Mulhouse, Alsace, on October 9, 1859. He was the youngest of nine children of Raphael and Jeannette Dreyfus. Raphael Dreyfus was a prosperous textile manufacturer who moved his family to Paris in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian war when Alsace was annexed to the German Empire. Alfred Dreyfus graduated from the Ecole ...
What was the Dreyfus case?
The Dreyfus case demonstrated the anti-Semitism permeating France’s military and, because many praised the ruling, in France in general. Interest in the case lapsed until 1896, when evidence was disclosed that implicated French Major Ferdinand Esterhazy as the guilty party.
Why was Dreyfus sentenced to life in prison?
In December 1894, French officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason by a military court-martial and sentenced to life in prison for his alleged crime of passing military secrets to the Germans.
How long was Dreyfus in prison?
The military was forced to order a new court-martial for Dreyfus. In 1899, he was found guilty in another show trial and sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, a new French administration pardoned him, and in 1906 the supreme court of appeals overturned his conviction.
Who discovered the letter to Dreyfus?
In 1898, Major Hubert Henry, discoverer of the original letter attributed to Dreyfus, admitted that he had forged much of the evidence against Dreyfus and then Henry committed suicide. Soon afterward, Esterhazy fled the country. The military was forced to order a new court-martial for Dreyfus.
When was Esterhazy acquitted?
The army attempted to suppress this information, but a national uproar ensued, and the military had no choice but to put Esterhazy on trial. A court-martial was held in January 1898, and Esterhazy was acquitted within an hour.
What was the evidence for Dreyfus's promise?
The physical evidence consisted of a slip of paper discovered in a German military trashcan on which was written a promise, in French, to deliver a valuable French artillery manual to the Germans. Handwriting experts could not definitively link the note to Dreyfus, but the captain was vulnerable on other accounts. Dreyfus was rich and Jewish.
How long was Dreyfus sentenced?
The court was willing to reduce his sentence, however, from life to 10 years due to “extenuating circumstances.”.
What was the reaction of the liberals to Dreyfus's verdict?
The liberal reaction to this verdict both in France and the rest of Western Europe was one of shock and some violence. The liberal president of France, Emile Loubet, hastened to silence the uproar by promptly pardoning Dreyfus. Complete judicial exoneration of Dreyfus’ record came seven years later.
Where did Dreyfus live?
After the area was returned to Germany, the Dreyfus family moved to Paris.
Who wrote the letter to Dreyfus?
Emile Zola, the famous French novelist, published an open letter to the president of France entitled J’accuse, which ran on the front page of a leading Parisian newspaper. Zola argued that the government and the army had conspired to convict Dreyfus on false grounds.
Did Dreyfus go to Devil's Island?
Dreyfus was brought back from Devils Island for a retrial. As his trial proceeded, army officials and the royalist Catholic press released startlingly anti-Semitic statements, including a warning that the Jews could face mass extermination. Despite these scare tactics, Dreyfus had the evidence–including the papers, the handwriting, and Henry’s forgeries–working for him during the retrial.
Was Dreyfus an assimiled Jew?
The fact that the public, including nobles and members of the clergy, saw Dreyfus–an assimilated Jew–as an outsider seemed to suggest that assimilation was no longer a defense against anti-Semitism. The Dreyfus affair also personally impacted a significant figure in Jewish history.
When was Dreyfus arrested?
Despite the lack of evidence, Dreyfus was arrested on October 15, 1894. 17 The Minister of War, General Auguste Mercier, announced in November that he had “positive proof of Dreyfus’s treason.”. The trial was held in private, without the public’s access.
Where was Dreyfus imprisoned?
He was imprisoned in a small stone hut, surrounded by a high wall. Vermin and scorpions inhabited the same enclosure.
When did Dreyfus become captain?
In 1889 he was promoted to captain and made adjutant to the director of the École Centrale de Pyrotechnie Militaire. 6. As a captain, Dreyfus was accepted to the École Supérieure de Guerre in 1890. A few days later, at the age of 31, he married 20-year-old Lucie Eugénie Hadamard, 7 whose family was religious.
How long was Dreyfus in prison?
Dreyfus was shackled for prolonged periods of time, and his food, usually foul, was cooked and eaten in rusty cans. In total he endured 1517 days on Devil’s Island, from April 13, 1895, to June 9, 1899. 22 Dreyfus, unaware of the great tumult happening in France on his behalf, was a model prisoner. 23.
Where was Alfred Dreyfus born?
Early Life and Family. Alfred Dreyfus was born on October 9, 1859, in Mulhouse, in the Alsace region of France, to Raphaël and Jeannette Dreyfus (née Libmann), the youngest of nine children. Raphaël, once a peddler, had become a successful textile manufacturer. Jews had lived in the region since the fifth century, ...
Why did the Jews disappear in 1349?
In 1349, most Jews disappeared from Alsace due to violence and expulsion. The few that returned were often attacked and expelled due to blood libels or other fallacious accusations. The communities in this area were always fluctuating, but by the sixteenth century, 160 families lived there. 1.
What newspaper published the arrest of Dreyfus?
The Arrest. “High Treason: Arrest of the Jewish Officer Alfred Dreyfus,” read the November 1, 1894, headlines of the La Libre Parole newspaper.
