Secret Dreyfus Files Released

[Polly]

Glad to be back and nearly caught up with the reading. I searched here and did not see a post of a similar topic so I hope that I am not repeating information. Googling around, as we all do, I ran into a recent announcement from the French Military that it has digitized and posted the so called, "Secret Files" of the Dreyfus case. Below you find a link to an excellent article by Caroline Weber at Bloomberg and the link to the actual site where these are posted. It is particularly interesting that these papers have been released while we have been reading Proust, and especially pertinent to the reading of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why? because, as Weber notes, much of the content of the secret files were kept so because of a collection of homo-erotic correspondence between the military attache from Italy and from Germany. The letters are important because they establish the fact that is was in fact the German Attache who received the documents from Esterhazy. Part of the documents explain that French officials decided to withhold these letters, and other documents, to prevent damaging diplomatic relations.
Of particular interest in Weber's article is an observation, which is also true of our novel, of the intersectionality of anti-semitism and homophobia. If I can remember correctly both Charles Swann and Bloch, who are perhaps the major characters whose Jewishness is identified, are also two of the very few people who are actually straight. Please offer corrections if I am mistaken.
While most readers and scholars of the text note the inclusion of the Dreyfus Affair, I am wondering if one can add to Proust's authorial reputation that he was politically savvy, deeply interested in this particular issue, and that his writing reflects a keen and nuanced understanding of this contentious time in French politics and society.
For now I have not been able to find any translation of the documents and my translation program is not able to do so either. So I am left with my french-english dictionary to read, in particular, some of the more inflammatory letters. Our french readers will have much better luck.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03...

http://www.affairedreyfus.com/p/dossi...

[Ce Ce]

Polly wrote: "Glad to be back and nearly caught up with the reading. I searched here and did not see a post of a similar topic so I hope that I am not repeating information. Googling around, as we all do, I ran ..."

Polly, interesting thread and thoughts. I tried to go to the bloomberg link, however it didn't work. It said the page had been removed or was not accessible.

I've been considering the political and social turmoil swirling as Proust wrote. I have wondered if it was yet another reason to lock his door and never leave the cork lined room.

[Kalliope]

Phillida wrote: "Polly wrote: "Glad to be back and nearly caught up with the reading. I searched here and did not see a post of a similar topic so I hope that I am not repeating information. Googling around, as we ..."

Throughout the threads there have been several references and further links to the Dreyfus affair.