The ceremony of awarding the Legion of Honour to Dreyfus and the restoration of his ranks - historic issue of the ...

The ceremony of awarding the Legion of Honour to Dreyfus and the restoration of his ranks - historic issue of the Italian La Tribuna Illustrata - August 5, 1906

Historic issue of the Italian illustrated weekly La Tribuna Illustrata, published in Rome on August 5, 1906, documenting one of the culminating moments in the Dreyfus Affair - the ceremony of awarding the Legion of Honour to Alfred Dreyfus. Words of tribute to Émile Zola, who said at the time: “I swear that Dreyfus is innocent…”. Italian.

On the front page, a large color illustration: “General Gillain touching the shoulders of the decorated officer with his sword.” The caption at the bottom of the illustration: “La Légion d’Honneur à Dreyfus” (The Legion of Honour to Dreyfus). Alfred Dreyfus stands at the center, in an officer’s uniform (he was promoted to the rank of “Chef de Bataillon” - Major), slightly bowing his head as the general confers the honor upon him. This is a depiction of the ceremony held on July 21, 1906, in the courtyard of the École Militaire (Military School) in Paris - the very same המקום where, 11 years earlier, the public degradation ceremony of Dreyfus took place, during which his sword was broken and his ranks were torn from him. The 1906 ceremony constituted the final and official restoration of his name and rank. (The illustrator is signed at the lower left: M. Sigharini).

On the following page, under the heading “The Legion of Honour to Dreyfus, ” it is written: “At the same Military School where he was degraded in rank in 1895 under the infamous charge of high treason, last Sunday Alfred Dreyfus, recognized as innocent by the Court of Appeal of Paris and appointed commander of the 10th Artillery Regiment, was fully rehabilitated, re-entered the army without stain, and received the decoration of the Legion of Honour before the troops. The French newspapers report that the ceremony was solemn and moving. As soon as Dreyfus arrived at the school, the guard rendered him honors, and the officers of the two artillery squadrons standing in line in the center of the courtyard stepped out of their ranks and approached to shake his hand. Then, in profound silence, General Gillain, after calling Commander Dreyfus to the center of the square, in accordance with the ceremony, touched him on both shoulders with his sword and placed the cross upon his chest, while the crowd burst into enthusiastic applause and cried: ‘Long live Dreyfus! Long live Picquart!’ After the ceremony ended, General Gillain kissed Dreyfus on the cheek, who was deeply moved; afterward the soldiers passed in line before him and another decorated man, Commander Targe, and finally the man restored from Devil’s Island was able to embrace his wife and children, who were present at the beautiful ceremony, no less moved…”.

Further on, on the inner page, there is coverage of the dramatic events of July 1906, while paying tribute to the man who was the moral driving force behind the exposure of the truth - the writer Émile Zola. At the top appear two rare photographs taken by the photographer M. Branger, documenting Dreyfus on the day of his freedom: on the right, Dreyfus and another officer named Targe - who was a key figure in exposing the forgeries in the case - return to the ranks of the army after receiving the decoration; on the left, the moment of standing before General Gillain prior to the awarding of the Legion of Honour. The caption emphasizes the transition from humiliation to official recognition. At the bottom center is a photograph of the “Tomb of Émile Zola” (La Tomba di Emilio Zola) - the center of the page is devoted to an article on the anniversary of Zola’s death, who fought to bring justice to light and to prove Dreyfus’s innocence. The article describes how, on July 19, 1906, immediately after the acquittal, a delegation of the “League of Human Rights” came to his grave in the Montmartre cemetery and placed there a large laurel wreath bearing the inscription: “The great citizen Émile Zola.” It is reported that more than a thousand people attended the ceremony. It is written: “It does not seem inappropriate to us, as we recall the struggle of the famous writer for the triumph of truth, to report the fateful words he spoke in court on February 21, 1898: ‘Dreyfus is innocent, I swear it. I pledge my life, I pledge my honor… You are the embodiment of the State; before all France, before the whole world, I swear that Dreyfus is innocent…’ The words of Émile Zola have been fulfilled; and not only France, but all humanity bows in gratitude at the grave of the great apostle of justice…”.

La Tribuna Illustrata was an important Italian weekly active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and one of the leading media outlets that brought news to the general public through visual imagery. It was founded in Rome in 1890 as an illustrated supplement to the daily newspaper La Tribuna, and quickly became an independent publication with wide circulation. In the period before the widespread use of photography in the press, its main strength lay in dramatic illustrations and color lithographs depicting current events - wars, disasters, crimes, daily life, and famous figures. The issues featured highly impressive covers, often with scenes full of movement and emotion, intended to “tell the story” even to readers who did not delve deeply into the text. It was aimed at a broad, non-elite audience and reflected the popular culture of Italy at the time.

[16] pages. Complete issue. Light stains. Good condition.