Africa in the Age of Imperialism - Saskatoon Public Schools
Africa in the Age of Imperialism - Saskatoon Public Schools
Africa in the Age of Imperialism - Saskatoon Public Schools
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
The ‘Dreyfus Affaire’<br />
• In 1894, Capta<strong>in</strong> Alfred Dreyfus (1859-1935), an<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficer on <strong>the</strong> French general staff, is accused <strong>of</strong><br />
spy<strong>in</strong>g for Germany, France's opponent <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> last<br />
war. The only evidence is a scrap <strong>of</strong> paper,<br />
retrieved from <strong>the</strong> wastebasket by a clean<strong>in</strong>g<br />
woman, with handwrit<strong>in</strong>g that does not much<br />
resemble that <strong>of</strong> Dreyfus. But Dreyfus is Jewish,<br />
<strong>the</strong> only Jew on <strong>the</strong> general staff. And Jews are<br />
considered people without a fa<strong>the</strong>rland,<br />
<strong>in</strong>sufficiently loyal to <strong>the</strong> country <strong>the</strong>y live <strong>in</strong>.<br />
• Dreyfus is convicted, partly on evidence forged by<br />
anti-Semitic <strong>of</strong>ficers, and sentenced to life<br />
imprisonment on Devil's Island <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> coast <strong>of</strong><br />
South America.<br />
The Dreyfus Affair sent France<br />
<strong>in</strong>to yet ano<strong>the</strong>r crisis. Writers<br />
everywhere began to speak out<br />
aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> wrongful<br />
conviction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jewish<br />
capta<strong>in</strong> and divided France<br />
<strong>in</strong>to two political camps:<br />
Dreyfusards and Anti-<br />
Dreyfusards.