The Dreyfus Case is a story of an innocent man maligned and subsequently vindicated. Alfred Dreyfus was a Jewish Army captain who was accused by French authorities of espionage in 1894. Dreyfus came under suspicion, probably partly probably because he was a Jew. The resulting trial for treason began a 12-year controversy, known as the Dreyfus Case.

Despite his protestations of innocence, he was found guilty of treason in a secret court in which he was not even allowed to examine the evidence against him. The evidence was apparently forged by army officers. Alfred Dreyfus was sent to life imprisonment on the notorious Devil's Island, one of the worst hell-holes on earth. He seemed destined to die in disgrace.

The Dreyfus Case became later a public cause, largely because of the intervention of Emile Zola, who published his open letter, J'accuse, in defense of Alfred Dreyfus, in 1898. In his letter Zola accused high officials, and even handwriting experts, of meddling with the truth in Dreyfus Case in 1894. Zola's impassioned writings represent a classic defense of human rights. Zola knew he would be sued for libel, but as he had no doubts about the innocence of Dreyfus, he hoped that the publicity of his own trial would reopen the Dreyfus' case and the conscience of the French public opinion.

An enormous brouhaha followed Zola's intervention, Zola was trashed by the media, in the court Zola was found guilty of libel and sentenced to prison. To avoid prison and to continue his fight Zola fled to England, and was granted amnesty a few months later.

In 1899 Dreyfus was finally pardoned but he had to wait until 1906 - twelve years after the case had begun - to be exonerated of the charges, after which he was restored to his former military rank. Dreyfus was also promoted to the rank of major and given the Legion of Honor.

Zola died in 1902, before Dreyfus was entirely cleared. At Zola's funeral Anatole France, referring to Zola's courageous involvement in the Dreyfus Case, concluded that Zola had been "a moment in the conscience of Man".

Alfred Dreyfus was born on October 9, 1859 (3:00 PM LMT, Mulhouse France, Data from Astro-Data V by Lois M. Rodden. He has Sun-Mercury-Venus conjunction in Libra, Moon-Neptune conjunction in Pisces - an aspect that by Sue Tompkins is sometimes "peculiarly open to being psychically brainwashed by others". He has also some typical strong victimization aspects, Saturn-Neptune quincunx (from Leo to Pisces) and Saturn-Chiron opposition, Zola had Saturn-Neptune sextile. It's noteworthy that Fernand-Gustave-Gaston Labori (born on April 18, 1860), the lawyer who served as a defense counsel in the prosecution of Alfred Dreyfus, had the same Moon-Neptune conjunction in Pisces.

Read more: Scapegoating < Scapegoating Defined < Origins of Scapegoating < Scapegoats - Archetypal Transference Figures < Driven into Isolation < Scapegoating Groups < Scapegoaters < A Collective Daimon < Never Blame the Victim < The Dreyfus case > Scapegoating in Astrology > Creating Scapegoats > Astrological Rethinking Needed > Neptunians - Astrology's Victims ? > Persecution > Surviving Scapegoating > Transcending Scapegoating - A Life in Grace

NEPTUNIA 2003

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