Marie-Georges Picquart

Marie-Georges Picquart (Strasbourg, September 6th 1854 - Amiens, January 18th 1914) is a Général and politician French. He is the central figure of the outcome of the Affaire Dreyfus.

Before the Dreyfus business

Born in Strasbourg in 1854, its family made up of her parents, his sister and her two brothers, settle in 1856 with Geudertheim where his/her father has just been appointed tax collector of the direct taxation. They will remain more than six years in the castle of colonel de Weitersheim before returning to Strasbourg.

In 1872 it starts a military career and leaves officer the military special school of Saint-Cyr military school in fifth position then in second position of the school of Staff. He becomes professor at the University of war and has as raises Alfred Dreyfus.

The Dreyfus Business

In 1895 it is promoted chief of the Second Office (military intelligence service) with the rank of Colonel. Convinced of the innocence of the captain Alfred Dreyfus, he plays a big role in the Affaire Dreyfus while concerned with the indices showing the commander Ferdinand Walsin Esterházy. He discovers in particular a piece of paper torn, known under the name of “small blue”, addressed by the German military attach3e to Esterházy. When he consults the writings of Esterházy, he notes that it is the same writing as that of the form, principal dependant element against Dreyfus.

He informs his hierarchy of it, which leads it to be affected at a new station in Tunisia with instruction not to reveal its information. However, the publication of the form in the press allows another person entourage of Esterházy to recognize the writing of this last. Informed of these new revelations, Georges Picquart then decides to communicate to the politician Auguste Scheurer-Kestner the evidence it has. He is then driven out army in 1898 and is imprisoned during nearly one year.

The rehabilitation

Picquart will be rehabilitated the same day as Dreyfus and will be named Brigadier general in 1906. It becomes Minister for the War three months later in the first government of Clemenceau (October 25th 1906 - July 23rd 1909).

He dies the January 18th 1914, the day before the First World War of the continuations of a fall of horse in Picardy.

The government then plans to organize national funeral to pay homage to its role in the Dreyfus Business and to its qualities with the Ministère of the War, but the family opposes it, wishing private funerals. Its burial takes place on January 21st with Amiens in family setting, then its ashes are brought back to Paris and are deposited with the Cimetière of the Father-Lachaise at the time of a national official homage.

September 23rd, 1919, the shortly after the reconquest of the Alsace, ashes of Picquart are transferred to Strasbourg and are deposited with the military honors with the Saint-Urbain cemetery.

In its memory

a street with its name with Strasbourg place of its birth.
an artery with Brussels.
the place of the town hall of Geudertheim, renamed with its name since the July 13rd 2006, where it passed part of its childhood.

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