- Under III th Republic, many political and military crises have erupted.
- The defeat against Germany in 1870 is traumatic. The annexation of Alsace and Moselle reinforces nationalist sentiment, France retains a spirit of revenge.
- Hate of Jews is public, violent and regularly fueled by publications.
1894 - 1906
Characters
Alfred Dreyfus
Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy
Jean Jaures
Georges Clemenceau
Emile Loubet
Georges Picquart
Emile Zola
Procedure
In 1894, Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer in the French army, was accused of having provided, through a bordereau, information on French military secrets to German enemies. During a fabricated trial, Dreyfus was condemned by the military tribunal for treason. He was stripped of his military rank and sent to prison in Guyana. Public opinion thinks him guilty.
In 1895, the real culprit, Major Esterhazy, was unmasked by Lieutenant Colonel Georges Picquart. Tried, he is acquitted thanks to the manipulations of the staff, despite the overwhelming evidence of his guilt.
After a vast press campaign, France is divided into two clans. Around Alfred Dreyfus' brother, Mathieu, the Dreyfusards come to the defense of the officer. The most famous are Georges Clemenceau, Anatole France, Émile Zola and later Jean Jaurès. The anti-Dreyfusards consider him the ideal culprit because of his Jewish and Alsatian origins.
In 1898, after Commander Esterhazy was acquitted, Émile Zola published an open letter entitled “J’accuse…” in the newspaper l’Aurore. . Due to the charges against the General Staff, Zola is sentenced for defamation.
In 1899, thanks to new evidence, the 1894 trial was canceled. Dreyfus was sent back to the Rennes Court of War where he was again found guilty. To calm the tensions, Émile Loubet, President of the Republic, granted him his pardon for health reasons.
Not being rehabilitated, Dreyfus makes every effort to prove his innocence. In 1904, he obtained the revision of his trial. Twelve years after his conviction and a fierce battle, Alfred Dreyfus is finally found innocent. In 1906, he rejoined the army and received the Legion of Honor with the rank of commander.
Consequences
The Dreyfus affair revealed the impact of the press on public opinion. She highlighted the responsibility of intellectuals, scientists, writers and artists in the elaboration of ideas. It also showed that reason could prevail over obscurantism, particularly in the fight against racism:the Human Rights League was born during the Dreyfus affair.