Glossary of Events: Dr (original) (raw)

Dreyfus Case

This case stood at the centre of French political life in the 1900s. It arose out of the false conviction for espionage made against Captain Dreyfus, a Jew. The charge formed a pretext for an offensive by the monarchist elements against the republic, the counter-revolution making use of counterfeit documents. A campaign in defence of Dreyfus was launched by all the left-republican circles headed by Jaurès and the famous writer, Emile Zola, in response to this. Dreyfus was in the end exonerated and released.