Dreyfus affair

1. A scandal in France at the end of the nineteenth century involving a Jewish army officer, Alfred Dreyfus. Dreyfus was falsely convicted of betraying French military secrets and was sentenced to life imprisonment. French society was deeply divided over Dreyfus, with liberals , including Émile Zola and Georges Clemenceau , arguing that he was innocent, and conservatives defending the French military authorities. Dislike of Jews (see also Jews ) also affected the opinions of many in France about the incident. Zola's article “ J'accuse ” (“I accuse”) strongly influenced the public in Dreyfus's favor. Dreyfus was eventually cleared of all charges, reinstated in the army with a promotion, and publicly honored.

Example Sentences

Now dying of cancer, the Dreyfus Affair jolts him self-rediscovery.

From The Daily Beast

The Strauss-Kahn affair is obviously unrelated to the Dreyfus affair.

From The Daily Beast

It is a worldview that takes its name from the French nationalist writer, contemporary of the Dreyfus Affair, Maurice Barrès.

From The Daily Beast

Among the circumstances which contributed to the continuance of the anti-Christian spirit must be reckoned the Dreyfus affair.

From Project Gutenberg

Socialism, also, found in the Dreyfus affair, a pretext for the solidification of its forces.

From Project Gutenberg

The Dreyfus affair broke, and set the very foundations of France quivering.

From Project Gutenberg

We have a recent and very striking instance of this kind in the origin and evolution of the notorious Dreyfus affair.

From Project Gutenberg

Their influence in the land, according to the anti-clericals, had been proved by the Dreyfus affair to be excessive.

From Project Gutenberg