In September 1894, a cleaning woman working for French intelligence at the German Embassy in Paris found a torn-up memo in a wastebasket. When pieced together, the note, or 'bordereau', revealed a French officer was selling military secrets. The French General Staff launched an investigation, but their focus quickly narrowed due to prejudice. They targeted Captain Alfred Dreyfus, the only Jewish officer serving on the army's prestigious General Staff. His family's origins in the Alsace region, formerly French but now German, were used to question his loyalty. Despite deeply divided opinions from handwriting experts, the Ministry of War ordered his arrest for high treason in October 1894, setting in motion a twelve-year scandal.
The Dreyfus Affair
A torn memo in a Paris wastebasket sent an innocent French officer to Devil's Island, exposing a nation's deep-seated antisemitism.
Chapter 1
The Torn Memo
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Dreyfus Affair?
The Dreyfus Affair was a political scandal in France from 1894 to 1906. It involved the wrongful treason conviction of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish artillery officer, which was driven by institutional antisemitism and forgery within the French military.
Who was the real spy that Dreyfus was framed for?
The real spy was a French Army Major named Ferdinand Walsin-Esterhazy. His guilt was discovered by Lieutenant-Colonel Georges Picquart in 1896, but the army command suppressed the evidence to protect its reputation.
How did the affair end for Alfred Dreyfus?
After years of public debate and legal battles, Alfred Dreyfus was fully exonerated by France's highest court on July 12, 1906. He was reinstated in the army with a promotion and awarded the Legion of Honor, France's highest order of merit.
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