President Emmanuel Macron led a national ceremony in Paris on Sunday, July 12, to honor Alfred Dreyfus [1].
The event marks the first national day of commemoration of Dreyfus’s innocence. It serves as a formal acknowledgment of a historical miscarriage of justice, and a warning against the modern resurgence of hate speech and prejudice.
The ceremony occurred 120 years after the 1906 rehabilitation of Dreyfus [1], [3]. During his address, Macron linked the historical struggle of the Jewish officer to contemporary challenges facing the French Republic. He said that the fight against bigotry is not a finished chapter of history.
"Les vieux démons n'ont jamais totalement disparu de notre pays," Macron said [1].
Macron called for "vigilance de tous les instants" to combat the return of antisemitic sentiments [2]. He said that the state must remain alert to the ways old prejudices can resurface in new forms.
As part of the commemorative effort, the president urged local governments to take concrete steps in preserving the memory of those who resisted persecution. He specifically asked municipalities to add the names of the "Justes" — the righteous who saved Jews — to locations where people were sheltered or protected [1].
The Dreyfus Affair remains one of the most significant legal and political scandals in French history. The original case involved the wrongful conviction of Dreyfus for treason, fueled by systemic antisemitism within the military and government. His eventual exoneration became a global symbol for human rights and the rule of law.
“"Les vieux démons n'ont jamais totalement disparu de notre pays"”
By establishing a national day of commemoration, the French government is institutionalizing the memory of the Dreyfus Affair not just as a historical curiosity, but as a tool for current civic education. The emphasis on the 'Justes' and the warning about 'old demons' suggests that the administration views the current rise in antisemitism as a direct echo of the systemic failures of the early 20th century, necessitating a proactive state response to maintain social cohesion.
