The Dreyfus Affair [Hardcover]

Leslie Derfler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0313317917 | ISBN-13: 978-0313317910 | Publication Date: March 30, 2002

On October 15, 1894, Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish artillery captain attached to the French General Staff, was arrested on charges of having betrayed his country by selling military secrets to the Germans. He was convicted of treason by military court-martial and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island, but over the next 12 years a small group of human rights supporters was able to clear him and identify the real traitor, and Dreyfus was pardoned. The most sensational case in French history, it pitted national security interests against individual rights, exposed the anti-Semitism that permeated France, and influenced the course of Europe as it rumbled toward the first of two world wars. This work provides the first comprehensive examination of this incident for students, including a narrative historical overview, essays on major aspects of the event, lengthy biographical profiles of the key players, the text of important primary documents contemporary to the time, a timeline of the event and list of French Presidents and Ministers of War during the Affair, a glossary of terms, and a bibliography of print and electronic sources and films suitable for students. This is an ideal resource for student use.

Leslie Derfler, the foremost American authority on the Dreyfus Affair, puts the Affair in historical and social context for the reader. In addition to an historical overview, other essays examine the French political context before Dreyfus, the issue of anti-Semitism in the Affair, the Socialists' position, and how historical perceptions of the Dreyfus Affair have shifted over the last hundred years. Lengthy biographies of key players enrich the reader's understanding of the role of the protagonists and antagonists in the Affair. A wide range of primary source documents, from Alfred Dreyfus's diary descriptions of the torment he suffered on Devil's Island to Emile Zola's famous J'accuse! letter accusing the Army high command and the French government of conspiring to hide the truth and protect the guilty party, bring to life the emotional content of the Affair. A selection of rare photographs and newspaper illustrations and cartoons provides a valuable visual component.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Here is one of the first titles in Greenwood Guides to Historic Events, 1500-1900, a companion to Greenwood Guides to Historic Events of the Twentieth Century. The series is designed "to serve as resources for student research and to provide clearly written interpretations of topics central to the secondary school and lower-level undergraduate history curriculum."

Following a chronology is a "Historical Overview" containing several chapters of background and analysis. These chapters provide context for what is commonly known as the Dreyfus affair, discuss how anti-Semitism and socialism played into and were affected by the affair, and summarize how the affair has been viewed through history. The next section is an A-Z collection of biographies of almost 20 key individuals. These biographies are especially valuable for providing information on people not often covered in American reference sources.

Primary documents comprise the next chapter and most documents are accompanied by short explanations. The volume concludes with a brief glossary, annotated bibliography, and index. The bibliography lists selected English-language sources, Internet sources, and films.

This guide is useful for researchers who need more information than they can find in an encyclopedia but don't know where else to turn. The blend of reference material and essays that provide background and context is particularly helpful when applied to topics that may be unfamiliar or are not heavily covered elsewhere. This new series should be useful in high-school, college, and large public libraries. RBB
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Review

.,."useful for researchers who need more information than they can find in an encyclopedia but don't know where else to turn. The blend of reference material and essays that provide background and context is particularly helpful when applied to topics that may be unfamiliar or are not heavily covered elsewhere....should be useful in high-school, college, and large public libraries."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood (March 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313317917
• ISBN-13: 978-0313317910
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,297,799 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Leslie Derfler was born in New York City. Having taught at CCNY, Carnegie Mellon University, the U. of Massachusetts, and Florida Atlantic University, he has won numerous awards in teaching and scholarship. His interests have expanded fronm European to world history, and he prefers a biographical approach that places stress on the uniqueness of events.