A courageous editorial on the passing of Dreyfus in the Frankfurter Zeitung, one of the leading daily newspapers, provoked great consternation today in official Nazi circles.
The editorial emphasizes that the outcome of the Drayfus case “should strengthen the faith of those who refuse to admit that the State should be based on any other foundation than justice.”
This emphasis, which is contrary to the spirit prevailing now in Germany, is taken by many as a direct reprimand to the Nazi government. The obituary starts by pointing out that suspicion against Dreyfus was first aroused only because he was a Jew. It goes on to declare that “the real significance of the Dreyfus cause celebre lies in the victory of the idea of justice over despotism and political passion.”
The obituary article on Dreyfus concludes by calling upon the people of Germany to remember those who sacrificed their careers to carry on the defense of Dreyfus for the sake of truth and justice.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
