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Files on ‘Dreyfus Affair’ Released Online French Ministry Posts Online Full File on ‘Dreyfus Affair’
(about 3 hours later)
PARIS — The entire secret military file that was used to wrongly convict Capt. Alfred Dreyfus of spying for Germany in 1894 has been posted online by the historical department of the French Ministry of Defense.PARIS — The entire secret military file that was used to wrongly convict Capt. Alfred Dreyfus of spying for Germany in 1894 has been posted online by the historical department of the French Ministry of Defense.
The Dreyfus case consumed and divided France for more than a decade, and became a litmus test for patriotism, press freedom, individual rights and religious tolerance. With strong themes of xenophobia, anti-Semitism, patriotism and paranoia, the affair was finally resolved, after a fashion, in 1906. Captain Dreyfus was pardoned and restored to the army as a major after a lengthy court battle and nearly five years of solitary confinement on Devil’s Island, the notorious penal colony in French Guiana; he had been sentenced to life. The Dreyfus case consumed and divided France for more than a decade and became a litmus test for patriotism, press freedom, individual rights and religious tolerance. With strong themes of xenophobia, anti-Semitism, patriotism and paranoia, the affair was finally resolved, after a fashion, in 1906. Captain Dreyfus was pardoned and restored to the army as a major after a lengthy court battle and nearly five years of solitary confinement on Devil’s Island, the notorious penal colony in French Guiana; he had been sentenced to life.
Even when new evidence emerged in 1896 pointing toward the guilt of another officer, military leaders who were anxious to protect the army’s reputation suppressed the evidence and concocted forged materials to convict Captain Dreyfus again. The case was widely decried as a miscarriage of justice, most notably in “J’accuse,” an open letter by Émile Zola published on the front page of the newspaper L’Aurore in 1898. Even when new evidence emerged in 1896 pointing toward the guilt of another officer, military leaders who were eager to protect the army’s reputation suppressed the evidence and concocted forged materials to convict Captain Dreyfus again. The case was widely denounced as a miscarriage of justice, most notably in “J’accuse,” an open letter by Émile Zola published on the front page of the newspaper L’Aurore in 1898.
The voluminous files on the case were archived in 1906, but they had never before been published in their entirety. They have now been scanned, transcribed and made accessible to the general public without cost on the Internet. The dossier was never given to Captain Dreyfus or to his lawyer.The voluminous files on the case were archived in 1906, but they had never before been published in their entirety. They have now been scanned, transcribed and made accessible to the general public without cost on the Internet. The dossier was never given to Captain Dreyfus or to his lawyer.
The files contain more than 470 documents, plus another 84 folders and envelopes, some of which have annotations. According to the historical service, the documents include items like investigative notes, witness statements, letters, documents stolen from foreign embassies, reports about some important figures, and information about “homosexual liaisons between certain actors in the affair.” The files contain more than 470 documents, and another 84 folders and envelopes, some of which have annotations. According to the historical service, the documents include items like investigative notes, witness statements, letters, documents stolen from foreign embassies, reports about some important figures, and information about “homosexual liaisons between certain actors in the affair.”
Captain Dreyfus received an honorable discharge after his exoneration. He volunteered to serve again in the French army at the beginning of World War I, and finished the war as a lieutenant colonel of artillery.Captain Dreyfus received an honorable discharge after his exoneration. He volunteered to serve again in the French army at the beginning of World War I, and finished the war as a lieutenant colonel of artillery.