[ESTERHÁZY (Ferdinand Walsin, 1847-1923, French Spy for Germany)]

Unsigned Carte-de-visite sized Portrait Photograph, showing him head and shoulders, three quarter face, in uniform as a Major in the 74th Infantry regiment, 3½" x 2¼", no place, no date, circa

In 1894 Major Esterházy attempted to sell secrets to the German military attaché in Paris, particularly about the state of French artillery, and was at last successful. He said he would leave a list, the notorious 'bordereau', of documents he could obtain, which was found by the French authorities. By some process of elimination they fastened on Staff Officer Captain Alfred Dreyfus as the culprit, who was sentenced to transportation for life, after a secret tribunal fuelled by anti-Semitism. In face of protests by the Dreyfusards the army published the bordereau in 1897. The real author was quickly established and Esterházy faced a secret courtmartial, but was unbelievably acquitted. The case divided France for over a decade, even though a Colonel Henry confessed in 1898 to forging supporting documents against Dreyfus, Henry committing suicide the next day. Simultaneously Esterházy fled to Brussels and then settled in England.
Dreyfus was only fully rehabilitated in 1906.

Item Date:  1898

Stock No:  54424      £225

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