The Dreyfus Affair is the story of Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer falsely accused of treason. Evidence was forged. Trials were rigged. Dreyfus was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison on Devil's Island.
That could have been the end of the episode except for the involvement of people willing to fight for what was right, led by the novelist Emile Zola.
Zola risked his reputation, his career, and his fortune to declare Dreyfus's innocence. He exposed the real traitors and conspirators, although they were men of immense power. For his efforts, he was forced to flee France.
Zola's courage places him among those contemporary heroes—Ghandi, Schindler, Sharansky, and Martin Luther King Jr.—who took a stand, often at great personal risk, simply because it was the right thing to do. It serves as an important reminder that some principles are too important to compromise.
Important historical lessons
A century ago, the Dreyfus Affair involved corruption of the media, perjury, and injustice on a massive scale. The lessons of that moment in history are just as meaningful today as they were at the turn of the last century.
Now, there is an opportunity to bring this historical event alive through a series of 16 dramatic full-color posters, a video, and a guide available from the Association of College Unions International.
Each poster is a montage of illustrations, prints, letters, and newspaper clippings accompanied by text exploring the chronology of the case. With an accompanying video, this exhibit offers a look at a lesson that is truly timeless: that courageous people must fight to stand up for justice and truth in the face of bigotry and intolerance.
Learning through metaphor
The Dreyfus Affair provides a learning experience that explores the accusations, framing, arrest of Dreyfus, "trials," cover-up, and heroic crusade that exposed the truth. It is a story of the abuse of power and the destructive role of biased media in an atmosphere of scandal and lies. Yet ultimately, it is a story of moral courage. The Dreyfus case is a metaphor for good and evil. Institutions, obsessed with self-interest, can easily become corrupt; the media's power to persuade is immense; society eagerly seeks scapegoats to blame for its problems; individuals have an obligation to exhibit moral courage to change the tide of injustice. These lessons of the historic Dreyfus case are contemporary imperatives.
Get this great resource for your program
The entire series which includes 16 informative posters, a 12-minute educational video, and an illustrated guide with timelines and a bibliography, and is available from ACUI for $500 including shipping and handling. For more information or to place an order, contact the ACUI Central Office at 812.245.ACUI (812.245.2284) or acui@acui.org.
All photo and text reproductions of The Dreyfus Affair are Copyright © 2003 by Anti-Defamation League and the Beitler Family Foundation. Used with permission.
Copyright © 2003 ACUI (unless otherwise
noted). All rights reserved.
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