By 1894, France was in an environment where nationalist fervor and anti-Semitism were gaining momentum. It was during this period that Captain Alfred Dreyfus, one of the army's brilliant officers, was arrested on charges of passing secret military documents to Germany. Dreyfus' Jewish origins made him the target of unjust prejudice from the outset.

There was almost no concrete evidence related to the incident. Nevertheless, both the army's desire to protect its own reputation and public pressure to “find a culprit” led to Dreyfus being quickly singled out as the scapegoat. He was stripped of his uniform in a grand ceremony and humiliated, then exiled for life to Devil's Island, a desolate island in the Atlantic Ocean. He remained there in chains for years, isolated from the outside world.

However, the truth did not remain hidden. After a while, it turned out that the real spy was someone else. Despite this, the army chose to cover up the truth rather than admit its mistake. Those who spoke out about what had happened and demanded justice were silenced through threats, pressure, and smear campaigns.

At this point, a courageous writer stepped in: Émile Zola. In his famous open letter published in newspapers in 1898, titled “J'accuse...!” (“I accuse!”), he accused the army and the government of deliberately distorting justice. The article caused a major scandal but also stirred the conscience of society.

After years of struggle, Alfred Dreyfus was proven innocent and acquitted. This was not merely the restoration of one man's freedom; it was also a significant victory for justice, equality, and truth.

The Dreyfus Affair is not merely remembered as a case of a wrongful conviction; it stands as one of the most striking examples of how a state, influenced by racism and fear, can destroy the life of an innocent person.

Isn't that interesting?