Dreyfusgate

III ACTIVITIES

1. PORTRAIT PUZZLE QUIZ

Goal

Materials

Source materials from this bulletin. The Saga

Questions on the Dreyfus case - add a number of your own questions or there will not be enough for 3 or 4 groups. Please check their suita- bility for your group and adapt as necessary.

Procedure

1. Divide everyone into groups of 4-6 players.
2. Ask each group a question in turn. Award a piece of puzzle for each correct answer.
3. Encourage use of source materials in finding answers.

Questions

1. When did the so-called "Dreyfus Affair" begin?
2. What was the accusation against Captain Dreyfus?
3. For what country was he accused of spying?
4. Who discovered the copy of the documents which Dreyfus was accused of taking?
5. Was the accusation against Dreyfus justified? Why?
6. Who were the main figures in the Dreyfus Afair?
7. What were Dreyfus' origins?
8. What were Dreyfus' circle of supporters called?
9. When did this circle of supporters begin to grow?
10. What term was first coined in 1898 by Clemenceau to describe a group of people?
11. Who was Emile Zola?
12. When did Zola's book, "J'Accuse", appear?
13. Who was the first important Jewish figure to rush to Dreyfus' defence?
14. What was the reaction of the right-wing press?
15. What are the causes of antisemitism?
16. Before the age of television, what medium played a major role in the Affair?
17. On p.... there is a description of Caran-D'Ache: make a cartoon from it.
18. Make up a slogan to promote a new liberation movement to be called Zionism.
19. Why did the Jewish public believe in Dreyfus' guilt for so long?
20. What is the picture on the puzzle?

BONUS QUESTION:

What is the date of the event depicted on the puzzle?

Answers

1. October 1894
2. High Treason for which he was condemned unanimously to be publicly stripped of his rank and sent into permanent exile on Devil's Island.
3. Germany.
4. Commander Henry of the Intelligence Services.
5. No. Because the evidence was inadequate. a) One of the experts confirmed that there were differences between Dreyfus' writing and that on the documents. b) A secret file with forged documents was given to the judges.
6. They were called "Dreyfusards": Mathieu Dreyfus, Bernard Lazare, Emile Zola, Jean Jaures, Colonel Picquart.

   The antidreyfusards were the antisemitic press, Edouard Drumont, Maurice Barres, General Mercier, Commandant Henry, the General Staff.
   
   

7. He was from Mulhouse in the Alsace Province.
8. Dreyfusards
9. End of 1897/early 1898 (January).
10. "Intellectual"
11. A French writer and novelist of note and global fame as author of "Germinal", "L'Assomoir", "L'Argent", prior to the Trial.
12. The front page of the newspaper "L'Aurore", 13th January 1898.
13. Bernard Lazare.
14. The right-wing press from the outset supported the army's position and later spearheaded the antisemitic campaign.
15. Because Dreyfus was Jewish and because France was crying out for looking for a scapegoat to blame for mistakes and for problems which beset them.
16. The Press. The Affair was the detonator for an outburst of polemics which in turn made it a subject of public opinion. It was the first time that public opinion in France had been mobilised this way, using the Press as a major channel of communication for both sides.
17. Because of their French patriotism, which gave them an unshakeable faith in the Army and the country which had given them their freedom.
18. The public disgrace of Captain Dreyfus, Courtyard of the Military Academy, 5th January 1895.