vintage and contemporary postcards and stamps from around the world


12 August 2018

Sunday Stamps - 'Z'

1967, France, Famous People
Emile Zola
engraved by Claude Durrens

Emile Zola was a French novelist, critic and political activist. In 1898 he wrote a  letter to a newspaper under the headline 'J'Accuse' where he accused the French Army of covering up its mistaken conviction of Alfred Dreyfus and acquitting Ferdinand Esterhazy on the orders of the Ministry of War. He gained a few enemies in the sharply divided country over the Dreyfus Affair and on his death by carbon monoxide poisoning was considered suspicious. (read about it here)

for the letter Z - Zola




6 comments:

Ana said...

That's one great stamp and one sad story! =/

FinnBadger said...

Great find, and a fascinating stamp.

FinnBadger said...

And thanks for shepherding us through another successful A-Z of Sunday Stamps.

Joy said...

His ending was so tragic it could have been written in one of his own novels.

Mail Adventures said...

I didn't know about Zola's death. Great stamp, anyway!

Bob Scotney said...

The Dreyfus Affair is notorious - I didn't know about Zola's death either. Great stamp.