Lot 108
Dreyfus, Alfred. Autograph Note Signed "A Dreyfus," on Dreyfus' engraved visiting card, in French (Paris), January 13, 1910. On the twelfth anniversary of the publication of Emile Zola's famous "J'accuse" letter, Dreyfus writes to Zola's widow ((Alexandrine-Gabrielle Meley Zola) in affectionate memory of Zola: "I cannot, as always, let this date go by without sending you the echo of my eternally expressed tenderness for our much missed Zola and of my inalterable affection."
In 1894, Dreyfus, a Jewish French army officer, was wrongfully convicted of treason. The Dreyfus Affair became a cause célèbre when, on January 13, 1898, Zola published a letter to French President Félix Faure on the front page of the newspaper "L'Aurore," giving the actual facts of the case and charging a cover-up at the highest levels. The article electrified France and brought the attention of the world to the case, exposing the antisemitism and militarism which had perverted justice. Zola was himself tried and conviced of criminal libel (he escaped to England), but the letter was the impetus for Dreyfus' exoneration and reinstatement in the military in 1906.
Estimated Value $1,500 - 2,000.
Obtained directly from Zola's family.
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| Realized $4,230 |
