The Mystery Surrounding the Dreyfus Affair
The Mystery Surrounding the Dreyfus Affair The Dreyfus affair was the result of many unfortunate circumstances, not the planned premeditated intervention of the French Army. It was the outcome of reasonable suspicion, acted on by contempt, some circumstantial evidence, and instinctive prejudice. However, the intentional army coverup, and shady courtroom procedures, were responsible for suppressing important evidence and keeping an important French Army officer incarcerated in hellish conditions. Alfred Dreyfus was born into a wealthy Jewish family on October 9, 1859 in the town of Mulhouse located in the province of Alsace, under French rule. However the Dreyfus family moved after the Franco-Prussian War in order to remain French citizens. Dreyfus choose a Military Career, and entered the E cole Polytechnique in 1878. As a young officer, Dreyfus was competent and hardworking, although not brilliant or popular. In 1889, Dreyfus attained the rank of artillery captain, and was assigned as a trainee to the general staff. On July 20, 1894, a French officer, Marie Charles Ferdinand Walstin-Esterhazy, offers
Esterhazy left a note, or bordereau as it came to be known, for the German attache in his mail box, but it was retrieved by a French agent. Major Marquis, summoned a handwriting expert from the Banque de France, who was equally uncertain. Dreyfus was so committed to the honor of France and it's officers, he was sure they would not fabricate evidence and would soon realize the mistake and release him. Henry responded with a smile, " There are secrets in an officer's head that even his cap must not know. Colonel Henry, was a friend of Esterhazy's, might have recognized the similarity between the two hand writings, but be as it may it was the first of several unfortunate circumstances that, resulted in Dreyfus's conviction. Dreyfus's lack of friends and odd appearance left him in a vulnerable position. The coincidence that Alfred's last name started with the letter D. Picquart soon realized, due to Boisdeffre and Gonse's unwillingness to either prosecute Esterhazy or release Dreyfus, that the French Army's honor was at stake. Dreyfus became emotional and demanded to know who his accuser was. This then became the third illegal, and disgraceful courtroom conduct, because the contents of the dossier were never revealed to Dreyfus's attorney, Charles Demange, which discredits the whole trial and renders it illegal. Here he stated he had "proofs that cried aloud the treason of Dreyfus" and he reiterated Dreyfus's "guilt with absolute certain. His demeanor, the opposite of flamboyant, seemed to be the perfect cover for a spy. Picquarts' officers brought him a letter, written by Colonel Schwartzkoppen to a French infantry officer, Esterhazy. General Mercier understood a conviction would be based upon one of two things: a confession or indisputable handwriting identification. It ended up in the hands of Colonel Sandherr, who torn it to pieces, to make it appear that Lt.
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