The Dreyfus Affair: Explained (Short Animated Documentary)

The Dreyfus Affair was the most damaging controversy in France's late nineteenth century. It involved the accusation of espionage against a certain Major Alfred Dreyfus, his false imprisonment and the scandal that surrounded all of it. Find out more by watching this short and simple animated educational documentary.
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Sources:
"En Famille": The Dreyfus Affair and Its Myths by Michael R. Marrus
New Perspectives on the Dreyfus Affair by Paula E. Hyman

[@iapetusmccool]

"His handwriting doesn't match. That _proves_ he's the spy!" That's such ass-backwards reasoning it could have come from a Monty Python movie.

[@michaelk4896]

They had to get their inspiration from somewhere no?

[@Jodonho]

Inspector Clouseau couldn't have done this better.

[@andrewklang809]

@Markos Hernandez But she DID weigh the same as a duck. The joke was, as ignorant as the peasants were, they were inexplicably right, despite themselves. These bigoted French officers were wrong AF. They manufactured their own "evidence" and were still proven wrong. And these were the same reactionaries who EMBRACED Nazi conquest. Giving up 2/3 of France was OK to them if it let them play medieval purity-testing with the little bit they could still play local tyrants with. They led with hatred, and were thus happy to sacrifice most of their nation for the barest bit of absolute authority. It just sucks they never fully went away. This kind of backwardness is almost too stupid to die.

[@Wasserkaktus]

I read his handwriting superficially did resemble what was found on the note, but Esterhazy's handwriting was a much, much closer match.

[@KuK137]

You expect logical thinking from religious right wing conservatives/antisemites? Having room temperature IQ is pretty much requirement for both...

[@PoliticswithPaint]

To go to war for his country even after all the mistreatment he had to endure says a lot about this man's character

[@goncalorodrigues7103]

A man of honour and bravery who would still throw away his life for his fatherland. Much respect

[@patrickwang671]

Yi Sun Shin approves this message.

[@Jame5man]

He loved his country. Not necessarily those who ran it

[@cliffsousa4184]

Well the government is not the country. His loyalty was to the land itself.

[@jesseberg3271]

Members of minorities often deeply love countries that don't love them back. Another example is that thousands of Japanese Americans vooenteered to serve in the US military in WWII while their families were in internment camps.

[@DefenderofFuture]

“Whereas Germany said nothing, oddly enough.” That’s because the Germans knew to never interrupt your opponent when he’s making a mistake. I believe they learned that from *checks notes* ...Napoleon.

[@geovannyortiz147]

DefenderofFuture As one man said “Ironic”

[@Remitonov]

@@geovannyortiz147 He could save others from error, but not himself.

[@JakeandElwoodBlues]

“I know nothing! Nothing!” -Sergeant Schultz

[@oakoakoak2219]

@@colbywankenobii Your notion is quite wrong because the extreme anti-semitic rhetoric in Germany did not manifest itself until the end of WW1. By the turn of the century, Germany can be consider a very tolerant place for Jews relative to its neighbors, of course this doesn't mean Jews were treated well, its just less worse than their neighbors.

[@oakoakoak2219]

@@colbywankenobii Your comment implies that the German did not get involve because Dreyfus is a Jew. This is a wrong notion to make because the German at that time have no more problem with the Jew than anyone else, therefore it is not "because the French went against a Jew"

[@Vienna3080]

“Die please” Failed opportunity to make the the dude say “Non”

[@DukeOfSummerset]

Your name is what Ottomans wanted most 👁👄👁

[@coltonsupergame]

Imperial Drag0nzZ Lol

[@michaelweiske702]

Non, tù

[@DragonHunter24]

Imperial Drag0nzZ well safe to say that at least 1/8 of Vienna is from turkey, they successfully conquered it.

[@danielwoods3896]

@@DragonHunter24 and around 7/8 is Austrian

[@RamanShrikant]

can we just take a second to thank james byzanet for being a patreon for almost every video?

[@jesseberg3271]

There's at least one where he is the only one mentioned. He's definitely in for the long haul.

[@seanegan8150]

It's not a History Matters video without James Byzanet

[@dndboy13]

Jimmy boy of the Byzanetian Empire

[@alvingillarlera]

I love spinning 3 plates

[@paireon3419]

Let's not forget Maggie Paxkowski(?) either.

[@napisg1906]

And he went back to fight in Verdun... Talk about asserting dominance.

[@merrittanimation7721]

Nothing says "I'm not supporting Germany you idiots" like fighting Germany in one of the most famous battles of the war.

[@icecoldpolitics8890]

Napis G talk about loyalty

[@leonardofranzinribeiro4220]

@@icecoldpolitics8890 And here i was thinking only women created simps hahah.

[@kaiserkhosrow3724]

he was guilt-tripped. His dignity had been smeared so he had to prove himself, just like a good dog. this syndrome is actually quite common

[@johnalexander651]

He fought throughout the entire First World War and received a Legion of Honor for his actions at Verdun.

[@numbskull4899]

"Dreyfus handwriting doesnt match the note" French court: *imma pretend i didnt see that*

[@MrRushhour4]

French court: They just makes him just more guilty

[@alexandredupond1224]

Dude, remember you watch a 5 minutes video that try to explain a VERY complex affair. This is not about the fact that the handwriting doesn’t match. First, the note contained information from all the French service. That was impossible because there was no possibility from someone of a services to go in another. Impossible not really it was possible for people in internship. And Derfus was in an internship. Secondly, the note show a good knowledge of artillery. And Dreyfus was from an artillery regiment. And the note was signe the letter D and a coma. So the evidence pointed towerd only couple of people. Thus, it was decide to test Drefus handwriting to see if it matched the note. Drefus was summoned by a superior with a broken arm. The superior us is disability to make Drefus write a letter. A letter were he put some part of the note to compare the different handwriting after. The fact is that in the first part the handwring match but while it become more and more obvious that the superior is using part of the note Drefus change is Handwriting!!! He will later claim that it was because of the cold temperature in the room. If you are convince by the argument well…

[@sol2544]

@@alexandredupond1224 can you stop spamming the same reply to every single comment? Post your information in an individual comment and be done with it, stop waving your information without a source or anything as if it's the sole answer. Everyone knows that information in history is unreliable, the fact that you keep spamming without a source is both infuriating and setting an improper precedent. You could at least simplify your answer, and not copy paste it over and over without any changes

[@andrewmoody4476]

Day R On top of that, why is he trying so hard to condemn someone who (I’m assuming) is dead, who fought for France in WW1 despite the accusations, then on top of this was (probably) innocent, especially after they caught a REAL German spy.

[@alexandredupond1224]

@@sol2544 I just reply to 2 comment that was on the same point of the video.

[@blazaybla22]

Footnote: Emile Zola was initially buried in the Cimitiere de Montmartre (a large necropolis), but five years later his remains were moved to the Paris Pantheon and interred in the same crypt as Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo. Alfred Dreyfus attended the ceremony, where a follower of Edouard Drumont, the founder of the Antisemitic League of France and Dreyfus's most outspoken accuser, attempted to assassinate Dreyfus, but only managed to shoot him in the arm. In the trial, the court accepted the would-be assassin's claim that he actually only intended to shoot Dreyfus in the arm, and acquitted him on all charges.

[@unlapras9365]

Émile Zola himself was probably assassinated by the far-right for siding with Dreyfus, even if we will never know for sure.

[@hugobatista9541]

Ok I can see anti semites quashing the murder charges. But wasn´t illegal to shoot people anyway? I mean he still shot someone. You would think there would be a charge for that.

[@taan1424]

@@hugobatista9541 a few years ago in France a Muslim man killed a Jewish woman after breaking into her apartment while shouting "allahu akbar" and "death to Jews". He, however, was acquitted, because he smoke marijuana before the offense and therefore, according to French court, was not responsible for his actions. So France has a proud tradition of protecting their anti-semites.

[@vladimiralexanderlagos1477]

I just have to ask, did Edward Drumont also go on to bravely fight in Verdun like Dreyfus or did he just hide under the rock were his kin normally hide from the sun?

[@sakshamsharma5429]

@@vladimiralexanderlagos1477 he was in his 70s when Verdun happened, died in 1917.

[@blackhatfreak]

That poor bastard is a prime example of honor, loyalty, and integrity. After everything he was put through he fought at Verdun. Smashing good show old boy.

[@Freedmoon44]

@Penderyn created by elite? Sure, but like thats the basis for every single war, policies etc... The banks? Probably, but in the case of WW1 it was only part of the reason, Nationalism (and revanchism in case of France) or the need to stay relevant on the international part etc all played a part. Remember in the early XXth Capitalism was only just starting on a continental scale, absolute monarchy and aristocratie played a big part still so its not like "huh banks are nulber one reasons for all thing bas"

[@kingleech16]

@Penderyn If you actually bothered to research what the banks were doing before the war, you would realize they were caught off guard and took quite a shellacking because of it.

[@gadaboutunited]

And the victim of thinly-veiled anti-Semitism.

[@cannonball666]

Major Dreyfus: "Devil's Island wasn't bad at all. Tropical breezes, clear blue water, coconuts, bananas, malaria, and leprosy"

[@cannonball666]

@@philiphoyle If you remember the movie "Papillon" with Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen, Louis Dega was on Devil's Island and occupying the same little shack with a fenced-in garden. It was Dreyfus's old place.

[@NarquelieNarmo]

He left out the part when he was tied up to his bed the whole time

[@TheFiresloth]

"-You said it was just a name ! -Actually it's the Devil's Peninsula."

[@richardalex4516]

The Firesloth Excellent Simpsons reference

[@rebbeshort]

Gotta like bananas!

[@Aeyekay0]

Poor guy, spent so many years of his life away from his family, and in the end fights for his country in WW1 in one of the worst battles. Much respect

[@Pugiron]

A Frenchman never passes on a chance to so something self destructive

[@ronmaximilian6953]

Fighting for France was both an act of loyalty a way to prove his innocence, and away to show the treason of those who condemned him in the French military. The great irony is that treason is what allowed France to win the battle of Verdun. Most of those from Alsace and Lorraine were loyal to France. Not understanding this, the German high command put a division from this area into Operation Execution, the planned assault on Verdun. When the attack was delayed due to a storm comma a number of these ethnic French drafted into the German army defected to France and warned them of the impending assault. The loyalty of these French to France may have saved France during the war. anti-Semitism is a mental disease that made the French military distrust those loyal to it and protect a traitor. Antisemitism causes one to betray themselves and eventually everything they formerly believed. It is a disease that destroys the mind and soul.

[@11Survivor]

@@ronmaximilian6953 Well technically... French is not an ethnicity, Alsatian _is._ The reason Alsatians deserted towards France is because throughout history, Germany has consistently made France look like the good guys for Alsatians (just for Alsatians, I'm not saying for absolutely everything). Both Germany and France haven't really been very... supportive... of Alsatian locals, but Germany by far, was the worst (there's even a History Matters video on the subject, suprisingly enough). Sometimes the French government screws us over, but it has never done so on the scale of the 47 years spent under Germany's iron fist.

[@ronmaximilian6953]

@@11Survivor I haven't seen that particular History matters video, but I did have a French teacher who was from a town near Metz in Lorainne. Her grandparents and great-grandparents had moved to France from German occupied Metz. Her father and some uncles served and I can't remember how many uncles died in World War I. She lost two brothers in World War II. Even in 1991, she said that the Germans would always try to dominate France in Europe and opposed German re-unification. Dreyfus is another issue, because while he was from Alsace, we was not Alsatian.

[@kerim.s8801]

@@ronmaximilian6953 Well because germany CAN dominate France in europe. France can not do that to germany anymore. They did it in the past before a united german country existed.

[@RKNGL]

I love the irony that the side that claimed to represent "honor" would knowingly argue to keep someone innocent imprisioned. When their actions could be seen as one of the most dishonorable options you could take.

[@paireon3419]

This is why I'm always deeply suspicious of any person or organisation citing "honor" as a reason to do anything. Doing honorable things is one thing, but the things you do to ostensibly gain or preserve honor as a primary goal almost never are honorable and are more prone to make you lose it even more.

[@jefffinkbonner9551]

I think this is what happens when people are more concerned with appearances and thinking that the ends justify the means. They may have said they cared about honor, but they really cared about prestige. And had no honor.

[@papito8273]

Xenophobes gonna xenophone

[@enteryourname8340]

@@paireon3419 yep, the actions should have come from ones honour, not reversed where honour "needs to be proven" by actions

[@RedXlV]

That's because conservatism is innately evil.

[@jesseberg3271]

The irony is that, at the start of the 20th century, Germany was a "good place" to be a Jew, whereas France (and especially Russia) were not. My how things changed, there.

[@armorsmith43]

Jesse Berg contrary to propaganda, Jews were statistically *more* likely than the average German to join the military. It makes sense: - Some Jews read about this nonsense in France - Some heard their parents tell of fleeing Anatevka and the Czar’s pogroms. - Many felt affection for their fatherland. Fritz Haber is a particularly poignant story.

[@mokkorista]

Back then, anti-Semitism was viewed as something normal. I was horrified when I found out that beloved 19th century Czech writer Jan Neruda was deeply anti-Semite. :/

[@brandonlyon730]

@@mokkorista I can understand what you mean. I had a similar reaction to H.P Lovecraft and his “beliefs” on immigrants and blacks.

[@dirtypure2023]

@@mokkorista What were Neruda's reason for bias against Jews?

[@samueljay4632]

@@armorsmith43 My great-grandfather was actually a Jewish soldier who fought for the Kaiser, and for his service in the Battle of Verdun was awarded the Iron Cross.

[@MattWiesenthal]

“France, like much of Europe, was going through a bit of an anti-Semitic phase for the last 2,000 year.” Hahaha. Great line!!

[@Friddle]

A short 2000 year phase 😂

[@zimriel]

As a Jew, umm... owch. Well at least it isn't Egypt which has been antiSemitic since before the Jews even existed, as the comments on Canaanites will attest.

[@GAMER123GAMING]

@@zimriel As a Jew? uh everyone knows the Jews are one of the MOST anti-semetic groups. heh

[@partydave1067]

​@@zimrielActually it had a not anti-semetic phase when Joseph son of Jacob(Israel) was an advisor to the Pharoh

[@thefrenchkiwi9435]

When I first learned of the affair, there was a caricature in are school books called "un dîné en famille", it go's like this. Their is a large family that have gathered for dinner. One of the members sais, "Surtout ne parlons pas de l'affaire Dreyfus" (Above all let's not talk about the Dreyfus affair). Cut to the next image where the family members are fighting each other. The description read's "Ils en on parlé" (They talked about it).

[@ryubix5724]

It's very popular here in France, every children have learned about it in history books.

[@אוהדאריאליופה]

@@ryubix5724 do you learn about Theodor herzl and the effect of the affair on the Zionist movement?

[@ryubix5724]

@@אוהדאריאליופה I don't know what you're talking about so I guess it's a no

[@elpignouf4760]

I have spent years trying to find that caricature after I got rid of my school history book. I absolutely love it and I want to thank you, good sir, for helping me find it again

[@אוהדאריאליופה]

@@ryubix5724 Theodor Herzl was the founder of Zionism. The main reason that led him to Zionism was the Dreyfus affair.

[@skystoner5853]

Let's not forget that Esterhazy, the guy who actually leaked the information, literally confessed to a newspaper 8 years before Dreyfus was pardoned. Also, Zola was trying to go to trial by writing J'accuse so he could bring up witnesses who would support Dreyfus.

[@GRBoi1993]

He reminds of Admiral Yi, constantly unfairly disgraced but still a loyal patriot and at least he got justice in the end

[@lahavmorris9919]

Yes its very similar. Only admiral Yi died in battle and is remembered as a legendary admiral in Korea till today while this guy is remembered as a scandal and is hated by anti Semites till today.

[@Admiral45-10]

That's actually a story of every Polish general and Independence formations after WW2.

[@felipea1399]

​@@lahavmorris9919lol the dude was promoted to the legion of honour for his service in WW1. Hes also a hero even if hes not a legend like Yi was

[@tximino_baztanga]

France when the handwriting doesn't match: *you outsmarted my outsmarting, but I outsmarted your outsmarting*

[@samrevlej9331]

Not France. The rigged military tribunal in charge of judging him.

[@plolsteg7705]

History matters should make merch with the words “fun fact: no”

[@carlrevans]

1,000/10 would buy.

[@houjisaifeddine5524]

thats a really good idea !

[@Realkeepa-et9vo]

He allready did iirc

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

And "Soon..."

[@somedude5422]

@@Realkeepa-et9vo No, only mugs

[@eternalgreed5953]

3:13 probably the main reason why Germany didn't criticize France was that it wouldn't help Dreyfus but rather harm him. The French military could propagate it as evidence that Germany wanted to protect its spies for french justice.

[@ellieadele3769]

Eternal Greed that occurred to as well; assuming it's true, that's genuinely commendable of them to ignore potential political gain in order to try and protect an innocent man.

[@paireon3419]

@@ellieadele3769 Highly doubt that, personally. Pretty sure they couldn't care less, plus putting their oar in on whichever side would probably have reminded the French that they hated them. Much better to let them waste time and energy on internal squabbles.

[@Meshakhad]

Behind closed doors, Wilhelm was basically screaming at everyone to explain what the fuck was going on.

[@thundercheckov9782]

Saying anything would have meant 1- that they openly admitted they spied France 2- that their actual spies would feel less safe when dealing with them 3-not change anything about the whole affair I think it was just not a good idea To issue any official statement about how you spy on other countries. (That + the fact France was making itself appear ridicule on the world stage which is a win for Germany)

[@ronmaximilian6953]

The Germans had no reason to do anything. Winter enemy has formed a circle and is firing at each other, walk away and laugh

[@jic1]

3:13 Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake...

[@rogerforsberg3910]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that this can be attributed to Napoleon. He might have learned it from an earlier source, but I have no difficulty attributing the sentiment to him.

[@niaraa8378]

@@rogerforsberg3910 it is from him, yes!

[@rogerforsberg3910]

@@niaraa8378 Thank you for confirming, M. le Bougnat!

[@hmmhm6620]

I actually read a long article about this. That article said that at the end, Dreyfus still loved the French nation and army. He only quit because he was imprisoned in Devil's Island and was physically too tired to stay there.

[@NineWorldsFromDrew]

By now you would think I’d have got tired of History Matters using the same one-line joke in nearly every video that they make. But fun fact: No

[@cshairydude]

On the other hand I think this is the first episode I've seen where no one drops dead with a 'thud'.

[@t3ss33]

You see History matters like much of KZbin had been going through a bit of a running gag phase for the past 2000 videos

[@dondewitt8880]

Literally belly laughed at this

[@USSFFRU]

It consistently gets delivered perfectly and somehow appears when you least expect.

[@elliotflores723]

More video ideas: - Why did Romania switch alphabets from Church Slavonic to the Latin alphabet? - How did Sweden go from a major European military power to a completely neutral country since the 1800s? - Mao Zedong supporting the Civil Rights Movement in America - How actually democratic was veche system in the Novgorod Republic? - The Taiping Rebellion (As always)

[@furrywarriors]

King of Kings & Ruler of Rulers they adopted the latin alphabet in the 18th century to strengthen its perception as a romance language descended from latin. scholars didn’t really draw the connection until then and it became crucial for romanian nationalism, which has incorporated it into the national founding myth

[@based6819]

@King of Kings & Ruler of Rulers no they aren't

[@manooxi327]

@King of Kings & Ruler of Rulers fantastic civil discourse

[@alvingillarlera]

Sweden lost their status as a major military power, that’s literally the only reason why. Made the mistake of attacking Russia in winter and got kicked back to Stockholm. They had aging doctrines and no longer the land, manpower or resources to get involved and this eventually formed into a neutral mindset.

[@venuasaur560]

@King of Kings & Ruler of Rulers no they speak a romans language that foes not mean there Latin or all English people are german

[@fulcrum2951]

New artillery piece goes boom. all my love, French traitor

[@looinrims]

The most sensitive information leak

[@procrastinator41]

(Eet ees varry loud!)

[@LexIconLS]

Ah, the whole "We'll look silly if we admit we're wrong about this relatively minor thing. Time to dig out heels in a futile attempt to save face so that when the truth does inevitably come out, we look even sillier and even more incompetent" angle. A classic.

[@Josef-v8i]

Indeed.

[@procrastinator41]

🎯 Has to be one of the most thoroughly ignored lessons of history

[@IsaiahRichards692]

What really pissed anti-Semitic Frenchmen off was that, as part of Dreyfus’ government rehabilitation, he was given a number of medals and even named to the Legion of Honor, France’s highest military achievement! The anti-Semitic community was not pleased...

[@tasimari]

Dreyfus: *Exists* France: So you have chosen French Guiana.

[@procrastinator41]

🎯😆

[@Cnut_the_grape]

France for most of it's history: If God exists, he's me! France after Napoleon: You know, I was God once.

[@zaikolebolsh5724]

Revolution in France is a tradition

[@DominickvdHoff]

world: I know, you were very good until everyone died.

[@attiepollard7847]

How many republics did it have before ww2 broke out?

[@evryatis9231]

@@attiepollard7847 we're at our 5th republic, most happened without a revolution, even if we like them so much

[@attiepollard7847]

@@evryatis9231 ok this needs to be final republic. It seems France politics has a lot of corruption that seems to be the norm. Didn't one of the Republics fall because the presidents wife did not like someone in the govt? I mean really?

[@Safinitzine]

To all the twee people who like to declaim: "Politics has never been more polarised than today, bring back the civility of the old days."... Open an effing history book!

[@lasagnakob9908]

@BMT French politics was arguably always worse than most other countries

[@C104-x9s]

@@lasagnakob9908 me, a German: stop right there kid

[@proletariapricot2190]

I think when people say this they're usually referring to the more recent pre-trump era "civility" of neo-liberalism. Of course that's bullshit as well.

[@lasagnakob9908]

@@C104-x9s German politics has had it's moments, but I feel they're still more stable than the French imo

[@Zula_The_Squid]

@@C104-x9s Me a German as well: You stop, our nation's awesome.

[@fletchbg]

The graphical accuracy in the History Matters videos is always impressive. The document the French cleaning woman found at the German embassy was indeed torn, as depicted here, in six pieces.

[@boombler4320]

I was suprised by you covering this topic so randomly but then I remembered that this movie "Officer and Spy" came out not long ago covering this topic so good job

[@amardave84]

What a man! The country's military totally backstabbed him and ruined his life and still he didn't loose his loyalty to France and fought in WW1! Amazing!

[@baptistebrigand5882]

.

[@singingphysics9416]

So disgusting. So many people have done terrible things, but when you find out someone's personal story it really hits home

[@faro2095]

France The land of revolutions

[@eldermoose7938]

land of the revolving revolutionary door

[@duran9664]

I will start a revolution against your rebellious comment. 🇫🇷 Vive la France 🇫🇷

[@delta2372]

Yes and said revolutions have prevented France from ever being an efficient nation

[@brandonlyon730]

No the land of Revolutions is Mexico.

[@attiepollard7847]

@@brandonlyon730 you mean the land of killing and death? Mexico is hell on Earth.

[@roborabin7266]

Fun fact A young swiss Jewish journalist covered the Dreyfus affairs when they were ongoing. Frustrated with the antisemitism and injustices that plagued the French justice system he would be convinced that Jews were rejected from European society for the last time. He would later dedicate his life to recieving a charter to form a Jewish state. That man was Theodore Herzel, the spiritual father of Israel.

[@Shirokroete]

Sometimes I forget that history all happened on the same planet and not just on different isolated locations. That's why I was so surprised to read this.

[@switzyj]

Herzel was Austrian not swiss

[@murrayaronson3753]

@@switzyj Theodor Herzl was born in Budapest. He is usually described as Hungarian, but he lived most of his adult life in Vienna. He wrote for Vienna's Neue Freie Presse. Herzl's first Zionist Congress was held in 1897 in Basel. Switzerland.

[@masterspark9880]

and that led to the creation of a terrorist state called israel

[@mochalo4912]

France is the reason behind the foundation of israel .. not surprised

[@craig5322]

2:10 "France, like much of Europe, had been going through a bit of an antisemitic phase for the past *2000 years.*" That was perfect

[@gregmiller9710]

...haha....that was my favorite part...:D

[@skylerholmes571]

It is my favourite line

[@Joe-bn9fz]

Slightly off topic, but I love this dude’s voice. The accent, the pronunciation of words, and the narration style makes all his videos so pleasant to listen to.

[@davididiart5934]

Wow. I never knew he actually went BACK for WW1. That's... damn, that's some kind of admirable.

[@dawsonsnyder2996]

Thank you for making videos like this! They have been very helpful to me and my classmates in preparing for our AP European History exam.

[@Tzar1]

You have European History! Lucky

[@Clarinetboy82]

I'd heard of the Dreyfus Affair, but I never knew what exactly it was about. Thanks for posting this!

[@thomasmcclelland6751]

"France, like much of Europe, had been going through a bit of an antisemitic phase...for the past 2000 years". 👏👏

[@emmasa9974]

Thomas McClelland Oy vey shut it down!

[@wertyuiopasd6281]

Not really. Napoleon integrated them

[@donovanlocust1106]

@@wertyuiopasd6281 You can still try to integrate people but people will fight back.

[@wertyuiopasd6281]

@@donovanlocust1106 No? Jews didn't fight and assimlated themselves into french culture. Only muslims don't integrate.

[@samsoulgrav1132]

My mother has been told by her grandfather things that happened because of this affair in his group of friends. He was pro-Dreyfus, some of his friends were not. I can tell you it didn't end well. I remember my grandmother that was born short after it, it still left marks. And eventually, kind of sorted out in WW2, who helped the Jews escaping and who denounced them to Germans.

[@ridbensdale]

It took about 3 weeks to cover this in A-Level History. You did it in 4 minutes. Brilliant!

[@peabody1976]

Another fun fact (yes): actress/comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a distant relative of Alfred Dreyfus.

[@Schoritzobandit]

"I totally did it. I'm a German Spy. Signed, Albert Dreyfus" that got me

[@zacksung11]

History Matters, I love your witty manner of teaching history. I'd like to suggest more topics for future videos: 1) the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan 2) the Francafrique policy 3) the Iran-Contra affair 4) why Portugal gave up on Angola, Mozambique, and East Timor in 1975 Keep up the great work and I'll be eagerly awaiting your next videos.

[@omegapc9520]

Didn't they also stop claiming goa around then

[@baptistebrigand5882]

@@omegapc9520 .

[@todd.goslin6190]

And here I thought the Dreyfus affair referred to some unfortunate incident that happened on the set of Jaws.

[@garypulliam3740]

I thought that's was what the movie Dreyfus vs. Dreyfus was about.

[@judasseispuertos4163]

Nha, that's history

[@charlesdavis1080]

I believe the actor Richard Dreyfus is related.

[@anitanegi9422]

History Matters, I love your videos. Keep making such videos. This is my best time pass along with learning.

[@EarlSoC]

Jesus watching like "You guys for real?"

[@tennisballbird]

@Jano van Pelt Jesus loves everyone, even those who hate him.

[@tennisballbird]

@Jano van Pelt Jesus taught this in his sermon on the mount: 43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Even when he was being crucified, when he was in great agony, he felt love and had mercy on those who had made him suffer: 34 ¶ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. How could someone who forgave the people who crucified him and taught us to love our enemy hate anyone? Jesus is perfect and has an incomprehensible love for each and every one of us, including you. He knows everything about you and your struggles and he loves you, and everyone else who has ever lived on this earth. In his own words: 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Sorry for this very long winded reply, but I could not stand by while someone misunderstands the Savior's love.

[@dantecaputo2629]

Jano van Pelt Jesus was a Jewish reformer. He opposed the Pharisees because they were hypocrites and cared little for the poor, instead preferring instead to enforce strict adherence to archaic laws then helping the Jewish people as a whole. And no, the Pharisees are not the predecessors of modern Jews. They went down with the second temple. Modern Judaism is based on the post diaspora rabbinic period. Rabbis, or ‘teachers’ replaced the high priests, and community synagogues replaced the centralized temple.

[@or_gluzman561Peace_IL_PS]

@Jano van Pelt Jesus was jewish who killed by the roman not by the jews don't believe the bs in your version of bible it's slandering

[@NitroDubzzz]

@@or_gluzman561Peace_IL_PS Jesus was murdered after the pharisees urged the Romans to do it. The Romans killed him to keep stability and showed pity for him, stabbing him in the ribs with a spear to lessen his suffering. Pharisees wanted him to suffer

[@domesticdingo1417]

"Germany said nothing, oddly enough" France: I HATE YOU! Germany: I don't even know who you are

[@riptidemonzarc3103]

France: Je te haîne! Deutschland: Neues Reich, wer bist du denn?

[@Admiral45-10]

France: ,,Je te déteste!" Germany: *Ich auch wisse nicht wer bist du*

[@ilovemuslimfood666]

@@riptidemonzarc3103 Ha ha ha, that’s funny!

[@simsportif]

considering germany's unification process was started by napoleon and made on france's back id say it's rather: Germany: "If i don't look at him he doesn't exist, he'll calm down eventually.."

[@mccabber24]

Dreyfus was done so dirty, and still in the end, he T-posed so hard

[@jasonduhela9597]

After all that, he fought at VERDUN. What an absolute badass.

[@mikehunt3436]

He'd rather be fighting for his life than fighting with his wife.

[@dorktriogamer2865]

@@mikehunt3436 I mean lol, but kinda the wrong place for this type of joke

[@JessSimpson1313]

3:30 you had a perfect chance for "Fun Fact No" to "Fun Fact Non'. As always your videos are amazing and greatly appreciated. I can't wait for the next!

[@vaishakhsubin5545]

Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, was a journalist covering the Dreyfus affair.

[@brandonlyon730]

@Aggressive Tubesock It was either him or corrupt Hilary. Wasn’t much of a choice during the 2016 election.

@Aggressive Tubesock weird, his daughter is Jewish, his grandchildren are all Jewish, from 3 of his children; he has, unlike all the POTUSes since Clinton, who originally made the promise, moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; he has stopped aid to the Palestinian Authority because of their 'pay to slay' program against Israeli citizens; he has an exceptionally good relationship with the Israeli PM, his ambassador to Israel is massively pro-Israel, as have been his ambassadors to the UN; he leads a party that is pro-Israel whilst the Democrats have become more and more anti-Israel and consillatory towards the Palestinians.... If he is 'the most anti-Semitic leader since Hitler', he is doing a hell of a job hiding it.

[@prestonjones1653]

@Aggressive Tubesock Yes. An antisemite whose daughter and grandchildren are Jewish... methinks you need to learn what that word means.

@PissedFechtmeister now at last we're at least touching on some anti-Semitism.

[@raptorfromthe6ix833]

so your saying the french military is the reason wy middle east was so fucked up

[@flynntom8057]

*Britain laughs at France's justice system as flawed* Harry Morant: Am I a joke to you?

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

"New artillery piece goes boom" seems legit to me

[@johanrunfeldt7174]

Doesn't seem as that much of a secret either.

[@lenkalenech3102]

A few facts for the comment section. Emile Zola was assassinated for having defended Dreyfus. Georges Clemenceau, late WWI Prime Minister Of France, known as 'The Tiger' was an early 'Dreyfusards'. The Dreyfus Affair is well known in France and is teached to every child in shcool. The winning film for 'Best director' during the Cesars this year (french equivalent of the Oscars) was the film called 'J'accuse' by Roman Polanski, wich depicts the full Dreyfus Affair. Sorry if bad english

[@Gameflyer001]

Dreyfus himself was nearly assassinated at Zola's funeral, getting shot in the arm.

[@jesseberg3271]

Was that the awards where the actors all walked out because they chose to honor Polanski, in spite of his history of child sex abuse?

[@lenkalenech3102]

@@jesseberg3271 yes it was

[@sydhenderson6753]

The 1937 winner for Best Picture at the Oscars was "The Life of Emile Zola" and was largely about the Dreyfus Affair. The actor who played Dreyfus won Best Supporting Actor. Great film.

[@rdisipio]

Thanks. I've been reading The Guermantes Way by Marcel Proust lately, and I really needed a quick summary of the Dreyfus scandal.

[@Beachdude67]

My new favorite channel on KZbin, well done!

[@freddekl1102]

Prosecution: ,,Your honor, it's clear that Dreyfus is a german spy since he intentionally changed his handwriting in this 1 particular letter as to not be identified" Everyone: wait, what?

[@Sly88Frye]

Oh my God! Has this ever been made into a movie? That is such a sad story. And as for him fighting in World war 1, wouldn't he be like in his 50s?

[@jesseberg3271]

Yes, multiple times. You might check out "I Accuse!" From the 1950s.

[@dd.mm.ll.]

There's a movie that has been released just recently, in 2019, called "I accuse". Totally worth it.

[@PasserMontanus]

Yes, and very recently too - "An Officer and a Spy".

[@state_song_xprt]

Yes. Most recently, director Roman Polanski got into a LOT of hot water for his film titled J'accuse in French and An Officer and a Spy in English. The reason he got in trouble was because the film is widely viewed as a metaphor for Polanski's own history of raping children. The comparison between Dreyfus, who was framed for espionage because he was Jewish, and Polanski, who can't go back to the United States because he'd have to spend the rest of his life in prison for raping a thirteen-year-old.

[@kimok4716]

History Matters probably saw the 2019 movie before he wrote that video

[@fake._]

There's so many good replies to comments on this video, and the usual arguments, but still great

[@DharyaGolu]

Have been seeing your videos all day, and now I get a new one today. Thank You!

[@bigstyx]

I did a report on this for high school history back in the late 1970s. Thanks for the story I forgot about doing this report. To bad your site wasn’t around for my research . Spent a lot of time at the library. Kids have it to easy today.

[@maxbuster1508]

Dreyfus even survived WW1

[@aliabdallah102]

@Amon Ra he knew where the bullets and bombs would land and hid away in the trenches

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

French Guiana? Beware of the dart frogs there, don’t be fooled when they speak French

[@unclejoeoakland]

I initally read that as dog farts

[@thomashaeyen6942]

@@unclejoeoakland K

[@patrafus9068]

There is a movie called J'accuse. If you want a bit more detail about the Dreyfus Affair, I recomend you to watch the movie.

[@samrevlej9331]

Welllll... given that it was directed by Roman Polanski, whom over a dozen women have accused of rape or sexual assault, and that the movie's release in France basically became an affair in itself (since Polanski stated he was portraying himself as Dreyfus - according to him an unjustly accused Jewish man)... best consider. I personally liked the movie, but bear in mind it's at the center of a very heated controversy over "separating the man from the work/the artist", and that Polanski getting the César for directing the movie (French equivalent to an Oscar) caused even greater uproar. Feminist marches against Polanski suffered police brutality just days before the Covid-19 crisis. It's been put on hold for now, but the matter is still very delicate.

[@Burrick]

@@samrevlej9331 Woah. Kinda fascinating, actually.

[@ezrabarker5173]

@@samrevlej9331 there’s also a great book about this written from the point of view of the head of the intelligence service colonel George Picquart who uncovers the information that proved it was Esterhazy and not Dreyfus - an officer and a spy by Robert Harris

[@thedwightguy]

@@samrevlej9331 there's the old black & white Hollywood movie starring what's his name and it's really good. Polanski did a movie of Dreyfess? I'll pass.

[@samrevlej9331]

@@ezrabarker5173 Yes I believe that's the one the movie was adapted from.

[@ianmetcalfe7389]

Please make a feature length movie for the cinema about all world history. I'd go to watch it many times. Love your work tyvm

[@josephcatelain1586]

Wow I didn't think it was possible to sum up that thing in 4 minutes. Well done!

[@halfofapicture]

Dreyfus sounds really cool. I can’t imagine being such a patriot that despite all the drama and the false accusations and imprisonment you enlist to fight for your country even after all that.

[@Musikur]

"Oh dear, we've been found out about totally convicting this guy for no reason and look really bad, what should we do?" "Clearly we double down on the fact he's guilty"

[@ВелиславПерчемлиев]

3:29 - Ah, how much I've missed this!

[@somethingelse516]

0:19 nice reference, it’s moments like that which makes this channel special

[@spacejunk76]

Thank you for this. I read the entire Wikipedia article about The Dreyfus Affair but this short video made it a lot clearer.

[@JonathanReynolds1]

Celestin Hennion, the head of the French Police at the time, is the great grandfather of Davina McCall (British TV presenter). Hennion was a witness for Alfred Dreyfus at the trial and exposed the stitch-up against him. Hennion became a bit of a celebrity in France and was often mentioned in international news (e.g. New York Times & Times of London).

[@DwRockett]

1:18 damn, that’s just galaxy brain levels of thinking there

[@kyle30312]

Now I wonder if Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy (the real culprit in the Dreyfus Affair) was an inspiration for John le Carré's spy character Toby Esterhase?

[@joshuaianniello6298]

A man who’s nation failed him and yet when they needed him he answer the call ... what a fucking legend

[@willbxtn]

I discovered recently Ezterhauzy lived out the rest of his life in the small, otherwise uninteresting town I grew up in, and his grave (with a false name) is just down the road from my parents' house.

[@noblenaveragemanointernet2582]

Desecrete it

[@empchampion40k]

0:20 nice reference to that one Revanchist painting

[@olayinkaamara385]

0:08 Laugh at France club LMAO.

[@sjn208]

So as a math/science minded writer with little to no interest in history, this particular historical event has always resonated with me. Alfred Dreyfus was my great-great uncle, and so this story is biologically my own. It raises questions for me about historical and generational trauma, which essentially is the passing down of psychological traits from one generation to another. In my research thus far, the events center around Dreyfus's relationship with his country and military, but the anecdotes lack insight to how this experience effected him and his family psychologically. Imagine a brother or a sister or any other family member being accused of national treason. Imagine believing the newspapers that said a family member has put not only the family, but the entire country at imminent risk. He exposed military secrets and told the enemies what weapons we had for god's sake! He essentially told the enemies where the weapons were and said, "here, take them!". I would have been furious, outraged, humiliated! I would have wanted to change my name from Dreyfus just to remove myself from the connection to this person, who I would feel like I never even really knew! I would have disowned him proudly and adamantly, which would have been painful, sure, because he was family, but easy since he was jailed for life an ocean away. I put myself in these shoes for a second, and can feel the anger, the mistrust, and the betrayal that his family felt, because I am his family. These feelings are so a part of our history, that they're second nature to us, easy to feel and identify with, maybe to our detriment. The articles I've read and videos I've watched don't talk about how his family in Alsace Lorraine felt when neighbors spat at their feet while walking past them in town. I know how his family felt because I am his family; the isolating sense of abandonment from friends and neighbors was palpable. Trust wasn't just lost between the family and Alfred, but trust was lost between the family and society. The family only had each other-- there were no friends or neighbors to lean on or befriend, and even after Alfred was released and the charges were dropped, the relationships with friends and community members were never the same. How could the family be expected to befriend those who turned their backs on the Dreyfus's and ignored them and disparaged them for years? There were Dreyfusians scattered throughout the country but maybe not so many in Alsace Lorraine; there was Zola, who remained open to the possibility of Alfred's innocence over the years, but even he doubted the intentions of Alfred and his family in the back of his mind and certainly let those be known -- he was, after all an outspoken man. How could he not given what was being said in the newspapers and the fact that Alfred and his family were Jewish, which just made them so much easier and simpler to blame. The Dreyfus's had no mutual trust with anybody outside of their own. The silver lining at least, is that it tied the family together with iron clad bonds. Despite the hundred + year age difference between myself and my Uncle Alfred, our family tree's roots are locked into the same ground. While my flowers face west, and his faced east, both of our branches grow through scars from the public drought of 1894-1906. We see systems and society through a different lens now that we have been publicly shamed and ridiculed and blamed and punished, and then sort of forgiven and events forgotten. We protect our family fiercely because we know that we are seen by others as one and the same. We want nothing to do with scandal or public shame, but we have developed very strong voices because once upon a time, there were was no one else who could or would speak for us. I want to give a very special thank you to the Zola's of the world, wherever you are, because you spoke up for systemic injustice when no one else did. You brought my family back together and gave us a ladder on which to climb back up to join society. While the Dreyfus affair scarred us, and defined us and provided a new, not so positive light through which to see the world, it also shaped us into the family we are today. We still struggle within ourselves because for a time, we believed that our family could commit treason. But we also developed the capacity to forgive, forget, hold hands, and move on. There were so many lies and allegations made. We wanted to believe him, but after so many stories came out saying the same thing about Alfred's treason, it was almost impossible. It was easier to stop fighting for him and just believe that he did it because at least if he did, we could have just begun to move on. But when Alfred came back to France on erev Sukkot, 1899, officially stamped as wrongly-convicted and pardoned, we had to take him in. We didn't want his side of the story because after five years of the Dreyfus name being maimed with a scarlet letter, the truth didn't really matter anymore. We didn't even want him in the house. He set up a sukkah for himself, and welcomed us into it for every meal, and one by one, he broke bread with every member of the family. On tu'bishvat they planted trees and couldn't quite celebrate, but at least acknowledged the new life that was growing in the Dreyfus household. By Chanuka, they were able to light the candles together, and start singing again, but in the light of the menorah, in the moments dedicated to appreciations and reflection, the somber shadows of the past pain that was caused could still be seen. As per protocol, they had latkas and sufganot anyway and played dreidel with the kinders, and learned to laugh again. And to prove to his family and to society and to the government that he could be trusted, he did go back to fight in the war. He hated the authorities and systems that tore his family apart, but his family needed him to step up as an attempt to reinstate the family name in France, and he did, because that's what we do. While generational trauma has only recently become more more common in the household vocabulary, history has been repeating itself for a long, long time.

[@jordanblackwell6783]

Dreyfus going back to serve in WWI: “You could not live with your own failure. And where did that bring you? Back to me.”

[@m136dalie]

The deadpan delivery of 2:10 was perfect

[@BruneSixtine]

2/3 of the Frenchmen mobilized in the armies during WWI have fought at Verdun, that's a lot of people, it's not surprising Dreyfus has fought there too. The French war doctrine changed a lot during this battle, the changes were a major turning point of the conflict and one of the reasons why the French won this battle, and the war. Along with huge efforts to mecanize the army, the troops turnover introduced at Verdun allowed the poilus to keep their morale, 2 weeks at the frontline, 2 weeks in the back, 2 weeks on leave. So Dreyfus went through the hell of Verdun just like any other Frenchmen, nothing outstanding about it. Dreyfus was a patriot despite what happened to him, so he'd have fought anyway, and he didn't have the choice, he'd have faced sanction if he refused to fight, and sanction for deserters at that time could be death.

[@zsl1256]

Dreyfus coming back for the Great War is literally the French admiral Yi

[@TheBluetwo26]

"France like much of Europe had been going through a bit of an anti-Semitic phase for the last ...[pregnant pause]... 2 thousand years."

[@mrniceguy7168]

Just a little phase

[@Leo137156]

I love your videos, short and to the point, and super funny.

[@ryanluther5785]

To give a point of perspective on how long the Affair went on, Charles de Gaulle was four years old when it began. When it ended, he was sixteen (and an outspoken Dreyfusard).

[@HailAnts]

First I heard of this as a kid was while watching an episode of The Odd Couple. After Felix is wrongly convicted in court he says, “Not I know how Dreyfus felt...” Had to ask my dad what that meant.

[@g.real1811]

That picture of Jesus being crucified at 3:45 is me at the trials of Dreyfus

[@merrittanimation7721]

Even Jesus realizes how stupid the whole affair was.

[@averdadeeumaso4003]

@Merritt Animation Nonsense, there is a picture there because catholics like images and are idolaters, Jesus is against idolatry, only God must be worshipped in Spirit and Truth.

[@thomashaeyen6942]

@@averdadeeumaso4003 yet jesus WOULD condemn the trial as unfair, as was HIS trial. But jesus had a job to finish of which, just like ultron from avengers when he was tasked with achieving world peace, he automatically knew had to involve dying by the cross.

[@thomashaeyen6942]

And no, ultron did not die by the cross, his inevitable completion of task was destroying the planet. Just so you won't get confused

[@maxbuster1508]

Hey History Matters, I was wondering why, in the map of the Franco-Prussian war, do you not include Savoy and Nice as part of France, despite them being so since 1860?

[@fletchbg]

I always tune-in hoping for two things: 1. "You'd think that blah blah blah, but Fun Fact: No." 2. Animation of a character bouncing joyously through a field of flowers Got #1 on this one, not #2

[@bubbercakes528]

Currently reading Umberto Eco’s “The Prague Cemetery” which brought me here. Excellent book by the way.

[@HenryHMVIII]

Poor bloke even after all that he still went and served for his country the man is definitely someone who I respect. I can only imagine the absolute horror he must of faced as it was all playing out, what a pity but least the French had eventually recognised his innocence and reinstated his reputation too. As always an amazing video, thank you very much mate 👍😊

[@mhklein57]

A historical footnote: an Austrian journalist by the name of Theodor Herzl covered the Dreyfus trial. The affair convinced him that the only solution to the problem of antisemitism was to move the Jews back to their ancestral homeland. He began a movement, and modern political Zionism was born.

[@thepocketlion6470]

We learned about this in AP Euro . . . we pored through primary sources, we watched documentaries, we read accounts from the time, we were made to read a translation of j'accuse (which made absolutely no sense by the way, it would be like if someone put shakespeare through google translate into French), and after all that, 2 weeks of endless hassle and reading until my eyes might fall out, writing observations and notes until I had fully used 3 pencils (ok that's obviously an exaggeration but you get what I mean), this 4 (and a half) minute video is easily the only reason I got a 49/50 on the unit test. I genuinely wouldn't have gotten through that class without historical youtubers like History Matters

[@oliversherman2414]

I love your channel keep up the great stuff!

[@Jeremy-ys7mt]

I love your videos because they cater to people who love history but also have mild add