Alfred Dreyfus
The Bordereau
French 120 mm Gun
Maximilian von Schwartzkoppen Military Attache German Embassy Bordereau found in his trash can by Madame Bastian - French Spy in German Embassy Addressed to Colonel von Schwartzkoppen Gay – Also Wrote to lover Italian Military Attache—Major Allesandro Panizzardi in coded language: “the scoundrel of a D…” Reference to Dreyfus or .. Offered “plans of Nice” “Don’t exhaust yourself with too much buggery” Letter submitted to judges as part of “secret dossier” along with Bordereau
Madame Marie Caudron Bastian
Alphonse Bertillon Criminologist Suspect had to be an artillary officer Dreyfus made regular visits to family (from Alsace—now German) Criminologist Bertillon testified that the LACK of resemblance between Dreyfus writing and Bordereau proof of “self-forgery”
Drumont – Publishes article on Dreyfus – October 31, 1894
Dreyfus Secret Court Martial Guilty of Treason December 22, 1894
Degradation Ceremony – January 5 1895
Affair Becomes a Media Affair
Dreyfus in Prison
Madame Bastion Continues to Collect Garbage All intelligence to go to Major Henry until Colonel Georges Picquart is chosen as new Chief of Intelligence Picquart wants all espionage before Henry gets it Reveals little except that espionage didn’t stop with Dreyfus’ arrest
Col. Picquart Shows “Le Petit Bleu” written by Esterhazy - 1896
Adam Gopnik: Esterhazy “had done everything short of wearing a nametag on his shirtfront reading ‘Spy.’” Gambling Debts Debauched son of an Illegitimate daughter of an illegitimate claimant to the Hungarian throne Written to mistress that he hated the French Army Notorious for being a drunk He was everything Zola would find in the most degenerate
Cover Up Begins Word of Esterhazy-Panizzardi letter gets out Lucie Dreyfus calls for reopening case General de Boisdeffre transfers Picquart to Tunis in North Africa Eventually, Piquart gets his story to Senator Auguste Scheurer-Kestner, who is convinced Dreyfus innocent
Colonel Henry and His “Faux Henry” - 1896
The Plot Thickens War Minister General Billot –forces Esterhazy to retire Billot, Col. Henry, and Officer Paty de Clam (left) –warn Esterhazy of suspicions Esterhazy meets Paty de Clam in disguise in a park-Paty de Clam says he will support him
Bernard Lazare Tells all to Zola – Nov. 1897 Mathieu Dreyfus begins to publish case for Dreyfus innocence – gets bordereau published in Newspaper Mr. de Castro, Esterhazy’s South American stock broker recognizes writing and contacts Mathieu Dreyfus
Mathieu Dreyfus and Scheurer-Kestner get Together
“The Affair” Blows Up November 1897 – after conversation with Scheurer-Kestner- Mathiew Dreyfus writes letter to Minister of War Army recalls Picquart but keeps him under surveillance Le figaro begins to publish Esterhazy’s letters to his mistress
“The Affair” December 4 – Chamber of Deputies reaffirms Dreyfus’s guilt Jules Meline – Premier: “there is no Dreyfus Affair” December 11 – Ravery Inquiry concludes there is not enough evidence to pursue Esterhazy