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
That's one great stamp and one sad story! =/
ReplyDeleteGreat find, and a fascinating stamp.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for shepherding us through another successful A-Z of Sunday Stamps.
DeleteHis ending was so tragic it could have been written in one of his own novels.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about Zola's death. Great stamp, anyway!
ReplyDeleteThe Dreyfus Affair is notorious - I didn't know about Zola's death either. Great stamp.
ReplyDelete