The Captain Dreyfus case as a symbol of anti-Semitism in France at the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries

The Captain Dreyfus case is a trial that took place in France at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. It became one of the most notorious political scandals of the era, directly related to the high level of anti-Semitic sentiment within French society.
Captain Alfred Dreyfus was an officer of the French General Staff. Moreover, he was of Jewish origin. It is worth noting that in those days it was unprecedented for a Jew to occupy such a high position. However, they could not not appoint Dreyfus to it due to his outstanding abilities and education.
Probably, spiteful critics at the General Staff decided to get rid of the hated captain differently. In July 1894, Dreyfus was arrested on suspicion of spying for Germany by passing military secrets to the German attaché in Paris.
Ultimately, the captain was accused on the basis of French documents allegedly found on him, translated into German.
In reality, everything was fabricated by high-ranking army officers, and they were interested in shutting it down as quickly as possible. As a result, in January 1895, Dreyfus was sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to hard labor.
However, already in 1896, new evidence was discovered indicating that Dreyfus was innocent, and in 1899 his case was reviewed. As a result of the investigation, it was revealed that the real traitor was the French major Ferdinand Esterhazy.
In 1906, Dreyfus was officially rehabilitated and restored to his rank. In turn, Esterhazy committed suicide after his true role in the scandalous case became known.
The Captain Dreyfus case became a symbol of anti-Semitism and injustice in France and directly affected the political and social situation in the country. It also brought public attention to the issue of human rights and justice.
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