Statue of Capt Alfred Dreyfus to find permanent home in central Paris

Created at 11 Jul · 9:13 AM1 source↑ Market-relevant

IN SHORT

A statue honoring Capt Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish army officer wrongly accused of treason, will finally be permanently installed in central Paris on July 12. The statue has been moved multiple times over 40 years, with authorities previously hesitant to give it a prominent location.

Key Numbers

40 yearsstatue moved around Paris

1894Dreyfus wrongly accused of treason

1906Dreyfus exonerated by cour de cassation

120 yearssince Dreyfus's name was cleared

1 yearsince Dreyfus's posthumous promotion

July 12statue unveiling date

3.5-metrestatue height

12ftstatue height

1994statue moved to Place Pierre Lafue

Who's Involved

Alfred Dreyfus

Jewish army officer wrongly accused of treason

Emmanuel Macron

French President

Emmanuel Grégoire

Mayor of Paris

Ariel Weil

Mayor of Paris Central and descendant of the Dreyfus family

Louis Mitelberg

Artist who created the statue

Émile Zola

Novelist who published 'J'accuse'

François Mitterrand

Former French President who commissioned the statue

↳ Why This Matters

The permanent installation of the Dreyfus statue in a prominent central Paris location signifies a national reckoning with a historical injustice and a commitment to commemorating the victory of truth and justice over antisemitism and hatred.

Key facts

A statue of Capt Alfred Dreyfus will be permanently installed in central Paris on July 12.
The statue has been moved multiple times over 40 years.
The new location is Rue de Harlay on the Île de la Cité, in front of France's highest civil court.
The cour de cassation exonerated Dreyfus on July 12, 1906.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire will attend the unveiling.
A national commemoration day for Dreyfus will be held annually on July 12.

The statue of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish army officer wrongly convicted of treason in 1894, is set to be permanently installed in central Paris on July 12. For 40 years, the statue has been moved around the city, struggling to find a permanent and prominent location due to past military and official reluctance. The French army had twice refused its placement at l’École Militaire, where Dreyfus was publicly stripped of his rank. Other proposed sites were also rejected, leading to the statue being temporarily placed in various locations, including the Tuileries garden and Place Pierre Lafue.

Now, 120 years after Dreyfus's exoneration and a year after his posthumous promotion to brigadier general, the 3.5-meter bronze figure will be unveiled in Rue de Harlay on the Île de la Cité, in front of the cour de cassation, France's highest civil court. This court officially exonerated Dreyfus on July 12, 1906. French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire are scheduled to attend the unveiling. Macron has stated that July 12 will become a national commemoration day for Dreyfus, celebrating justice and truth over hatred and antisemitism.

The Dreyfus affair remains one of the most significant political events in French history, highlighting issues of antisemitism, the influence of the military, and the values of the republic. Ariel Weil, mayor of Paris Central and a descendant of the Dreyfus family, has been a key advocate for the statue's prominent placement, noting that previous attitudes were to keep it "out of sight, out of mind." The statue was commissioned by former President François Mitterrand from artist Louis Mitelberg, but Mitterrand did not insist on its placement at the École Militaire when military officers vetoed it. The statue was moved to Place Pierre Lafue in 1994, where it remained until now. Resin copies of the statue are located in Paris and Tel Aviv, and the original was vandalized in 2002.

Frequently asked questions

The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal in France from 1894 to 1906, involving the wrongful accusation and conviction of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish army officer, for treason. It exposed deep divisions in French society regarding antisemitism, the role of the military, and republican values.

The statue faced resistance from the French army and authorities, who were reluctant to give it a prominent or permanent home, particularly at military sites like the École Militaire. This led to it being moved between various locations in Paris for decades.

The statue will be permanently located in Rue de Harlay on the Île de la Cité, in front of the cour de cassation, France's highest civil court, which was instrumental in Dreyfus's exoneration.

The statue was commissioned by former French President François Mitterrand from political cartoonist Louis Mitelberg, known as Tim.

What Happens Next

01The statue will be unveiled on July 12.

02A national Dreyfus commemoration day will be held annually on July 12.

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How It Developed

A statue of Capt Alfred Dreyfus has been moved around Paris for 40 years without a permanent home.

The French army twice refused to allow the statue to be placed at l’École Militaire.

A spot opposite the Palais de Justice was considered and rejected.

The statue was placed in the Tuileries garden, then near the Cherche-Midi jail.

The statue was moved to Place Pierre Lafue in the 6th arrondissement in 1994.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire will unveil the statue on July 12.

The statue will be located in Rue de Harlay on the Île de la Cité, in front of the cour de cassation.

A national Dreyfus commemoration day will be held annually on July 12.

Sources

Alfred Dreyfus statue to finally receive permanent home in central ParisThe Guardian