Ca tot a fost Veterans' Day: the Dreyfus Affair

hai sa vedem ce zice --> The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia:

Dreyfus Affair. In 1894 Capt. Alfred Dreyfus (1859-1935), a French officer, was convicted of treason by a court-martial, sentenced to life imprisonment, and sent to Devil's Island. The case had arisen with the discovery in the German embassy of a handwritten bordereau (schedule) that listed secret French documents and was addressed to Maj. Max von Schwartzkoppen, German military attache in Paris. The French army was at the time permeated by anti-Semitism, and suspicion fell on Dreyfus, an Alsatian Jew. Although Dreyfus protested his innocence, interest in the case lapsed until 1896, when evidence was discovered pointing to Maj. Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy as the real author of the bordereau. After the army's attempt to suppress this information failed, Esterhazy was tried (Jan. 1898) by court-martial, but was acquitted within minutes.

Emile Zola, a leading supporter of Dreyfus, published an open letter accusing the judges of following orders from the military.Zola was sentenced to jail for libel, but fled to England. Meanwhile, the case had become a major political issue. Royalist, militarist, nationalist, and Roman Catholic elements joined the anti-Dreyfus group, while republican, socialist, and anticlerical forces allied to defend Dreyfus and to discredit the rightist government. In 1898 it was learned that much of the evidence against Dreyfus had been forged by Col. Henry of army intelligence. After Henry's suicide (Aug. 1898) and Esterhazy's flight to England, a revision of Dreyfus's sentence became imperative. A new court-martial was ordered, but the military court, unable to admit error, found Dreyfus guilty and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. However, a pardon was issued by Pres. Emile Loubet, and in 1906 the supreme court of appeals exonerated Dreyfus. In 1930 his innocence was reaffirmed by the publication of Schwartzkoppen's papers. The immediate result of the affair was to unite and bring to power the French left wing. Widespread antimilitarism and rabid anticlericalism ensued, leading in 1905 to the separation of church and state in France.

Acest caz, care la inceput nu avea nici o tangentza cu antisemitismul, din cauza unui concurs de imprejurari, devine un puternic simbol al antisemitismului, folosit de toate curentele politice ale vremii, pe toate paralelele globului. O gramada de oameni, din diverse buchete si cercuri politice, culturale, muzicale, juridice s-au implicat cu un elan putin intilnit in istorie.
Mai ales ca majoritatea celor care au ales sa se implice nu erau evrei, ba mai mult, multi dintre ei nici nu prea ii agreau.
L'esprit du coq gaulois a apasat initial pe pedala antisemitismului folcloric francez, fiindca era inadmisibil de acceptat ca Armata si Justitia franceza ar putea gresi (chiar si Dreyfus a fost intimidat de un astfel de gind), ... insa tot acelasi esprit du coq gaulois a fost cel care, o data devenit cunoscuta lipsa de evidentza care a stat la baza condamnarii lui Dreyfus, ba mai mult, cunoscuta identitatea adevaratului vinovat, nu a putut accepta incalcarea principiilor de JUSTITIE, de noblete MILITARA, ale maretei tari cunoscute sub numele de Franta !! si asa se face ca Dreyfus Affair a avut un happy-end si este folosit pina si azi, nu doar ca simbol al antisemitismului francez, dar si ca simbol al triumfului Frantei fatza de acest josnic sentiment !!!

Ce norocoasa e Franta !! Cu o singura istorioara si-a creat o gramada de simboluri care, culmea, se si contrazic unul pe altul !!
P.S. ... altminteri, nimic nou sub soare, istoria nu a generat vreo schimbare de atitudine.
In timpul WW2, nepoata favorita a lui Alfred, Madeline a fost deportata de guvernul Vichy la Auschwitz, unde a murit la virsta de 25 de ani.

Iata aici un articol extrem de savuros , care reviziteaza imprejurarile in care s-a desfasurat Dreyfus Affair.