Elie 's Livirig`History gince4Commejn.orates Episode That Profoundly Changed the Nation ....—= ,4 , ., 1 ., i k-)h 9 i suomalyemoia.. • By Anne Swardson Perceivgd injustices for which "J'ac- wig Won h iagi on Post Foreign service .. ouse" is appropriate. ..-'" In addition to a series of ceremo- f: , Jan. 13—France, a nation flies, conferences and lectures to com- thatvalues the past at least as much as memorate the anniversary, new the future, today commemorated the books have been published, and high 100th anniversary of one of its most school students are participating in an hameful and triumphal episodes. essay contest to write their own ver- The history of the Dreyfus Affair, sions of "J'accuse." On the facade of Reh wrongful 1895 conviction of a the National Assembly, or legislature, army officer for treason is hangs a 42-foot high reproduction of actually stretches over 12 L'Aurore's front page, taken up by mss. Buttthis date marked the turn- Zola's article. ,mirpoint: It is the anniversary of As with Vichy, there have been fl'aetuse" ("I accuse"), the headline some apologies. The Roman Catholic likermile Zola's damnin g article in newspaper La Croix, which at the time trore newspaper on Jan. 13, 1898, called Dreyfus "the Jewish enemy snot only led to a pardon for Alfred betraying France," this weekend ad- eyfus but changed the future of mined its editors had an attitude that &e. nothing east excuse." Le Figaro, which wreath-laying ceremony today was generally pro.DreyWand had a's tomb in the Pantheon, Prime IKE PHOTO printed some_of Zola's earlier articles er -Lionel Jos in called the French army captain Alfred Dreyfus a on Dreyfuti„stbuitted flits week it was s• Affair "One (Ma founding was falsely accused of spying. "not courageous". because it had in the history of oUrcountry" - asked Zola' to take his:opinii. ms else- ...no affitiesImpact on France can the person of , 87, a where after readers complained. a —iii thew,., 976- ,.. ,,The,a(air began when the French dn States 4_ Vichy functionary accused of playign '71rticie: .2:4w '1 a role in the deportation of more than arnly's general staff learned in 1894 govern „„t someone ,froin ,within had been e to ,ex the role Of the: ■."1,0w from France. And the_ "..,se eseCreti. to dieGermans. Be- was tainsfprmet, e rule of laW " --musetims of France are under fire for cause Dreyfus's handwritin a for-gr,uth were re fir _ , g resem- :ttailing. to return works of art taken bled that on a note written by the .....-. • dished in the national 41-ktirO Jewish families during the war. traitor, he was quickly arrested. The fly was brought into link :., i .': " alf a century after Vichy, we fact that he was Jewish made him, to llectual class was accorded the",know tat obscure forces, intolerance, his enemies in the army, a desirable it still holds aa molder of pal* . 4 injusti, can insinuate themselves up target. n. EV6. the creation of the std to tlie'slirnmit of the state," President Despite his fervent protestations of Iel has roots in -the Dreyfus -iiciiiteighirac wrote last week in a innocence, Dreyfus was tried by a 7"1-•,.._ ,;'., . =,.12tb31 tb; iisirtilts:tieseln .i,,, . military court behind closed doors ygrandfaithetcould see all mat c . "But we ts; 1'6.14i0HtifO s, and—after the deliberating judges anappened, he would be deliri4S '4`tc, inake-tight.06e- . ,i, :. , were given a secret file not shown to Al=cly.,. even' though he prob4y ,T tin die movr';;;;;' ,iiit:iitti . the defense—convicted. Afterward, a 't show it," said Simone :NJ, vit ., N,„„. .,i ,,';‘,4; ' g crowd paraded through the streets of s'il30-year-old granddaughter, ' Iun'''F'"-T4 Paris shouting, "Death to the Jews'," , -..., • , ephorte interview. . 1 ''';'.. For 41 :ella46 s, still protesting, his limo- - =Sre anpive Iti deed! ,,...... , q., riary comes as Fiance.",. ' 1 .,,' ' e, was exileclitti)evirs island off I= Woking back at its role in World ':: ",,P-' " ' ,-,:. - - ; ,.7i - ,!` .. h Guiana jaavoilth America: 11=1,,,dimol the Holocaust. The-Vs4 -,- • awls 1,11,1. ;.., : 1,,,, ,. ""':, 'r .,-...-,he was drummed out of TERVebdrationist Vichy government retelling thd P :;' irr a eetemony witnessed on &rein a Bordeaux courtroom In '"'and, in many s, Spe eatiflidorf" 13, Its 'tan tawye?Theodbr Herzl. BY PASCAL GUYOT -AGE NCE F RANCE PRES4( Jospin, center, lays wreath on tomb of Emile Zola, whose article "J'accuse" a century ago led to Dreyfus's vindication.,

The scene strengthened Herzl's belief L'Aurnre, whose circulation was sOr- journalists from around the world cov.o that would not allow mally about 30,000, sold 300,000 cop- ered the trial. • Jews to assimilate successfully in ies. Writer called it, He was convicted again, but was Christian society. Herzl's subsequent "this great 'moment for the human pardoned 10 days later by President book. "A Jewish State," encouraged conscience"; socialiit Jules Guesde Emile Loubet. It took six more yeai-s; the founders of Israel. called Zola's manifesto "the greatest but in 1906 he was reinducted into the Dreyfus's wife. brother and mis- revolutionary act of the century." army with honor. Zola had died in 199Z; tress fought for the truth for three For his pains, Zola was tried fOi while attending the transfer in 19084, years. But it was not until world-re- slandering:the military. He was cOli-oo-!o Zola's ashes into the Pantheon, Dreg: nowned writer Emile Zola took up the victed, and only escaped a . year 'In fus was shot and wounded by a fanatko., cause that they made progress. Zola. prison by fleeing to England. But the Simone Peri who was 17 when he_co incensed by the recent military-court seeds had been sown. FranCe divided grandfather died in 1935, said he never acquittal of .a man. who was-clearly the • in two, pro- and anti-Dreyfusards. As spoke of what he went through, at least real spy in the army general staff, not to his grandchildren. But when le wrote his piece in 21/2 days. lie wanted -leftist intellectual Leon Blum "put it, young ones visited their grandpareqts to call it "an open letter to the opresi- "People's perionai lives, and the life of in summertime, they could hear hitn dent," but Georges Clemeticeau, edi- the community, were completely ab- tor of L'Aurore and later prime minis- sorbed, they were turned upside screaming during his nightmares. It ter, thought 'Taccuse" was a better down by unparalleled passions." marked us all greatly," she said. headline. The various steps in the case were A month after the article appeared, The 4.000-word article, which avidly followed internationally, from Zola was already under heavy criti. named and accused the officers who New York to Russia. When Dreyfus cism. He wrote: One day, France Wfir had trumped up the flimsy evidence was brought back from his island thank me for having saved its honqF:. against Dreyfus, caused a sensation. prison and tried again in 1899, 400 Today, it did.