Ferdinand Dreyfus (5 May 1849 - 15 July 1915) was a wealthy French lawyer, historian and philanthropist who became Senator for
Seine-et-Oise
Seine-et-Oise () was the former department of France encompassing the western, northern and southern parts of the metropolitan area of Paris.Rambouillet, taking his seat on the left.
He was reelected on 21 August 1881, joining the ''Union républicaine'' (Republican Union) party.
He was associated with
Léon Gambetta
Léon Gambetta (; 2 April 1838 – 31 December 1882) was a French lawyer and republican politician who proclaimed the French Third Republic in 1870 and played a prominent role in its early government.
Early life and education
Born in Cahors, Ga ...
.
He voted with the opportunistic Republican majority on all issues.
In the general elections of 4 October 1885 he ran on the opportunistic Republican list.
He failed to be reelected.
Dreyfus had a large fortune, and owned a townhouse at 98 avenue de Villiers in Paris as well as a chateau and farm property in
Fontenay-lès-Briis
Fontenay-lès-Briis (, literally ''Fontenay near Briis'') is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.
Inhabitants of Fontenay-lès-Briis are known as ''Fontenois''.
History
The village of Fontenay-lès-Briis i ...
, Essonne.
He became general counsel of Seine-et-Oise for the canton of Rambouillet, and was secretary of the council of Rambouillet.
He devoted himself to the question of public assistance, including Child Protection (1892), Tramps (1894) and Prisons (1895).
He was also a historian, author of various historical works and studies, including ''Vauban économiste'' and ''La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt'', both of which won awards.
From 1907 to 1908 he taught a course at the Sorbonne on the protection of infants under the 3rd Republic.
He was president of the Historical Society of the 1848 Revolution from 1908 to 1910.
Senator
Dreyfus ran as a candidate for the Senate in a by-election on 17 February 1906, but was defeated.
On 3 January 1909 Dreyfus was elected Senator for Seine-et-Oise in the first round. He joined the Republican Union.
He engaged in discussions, often as reporter, on subjects such as worker's pensions, mutual insurance, aid to large families and juvenile courts.
He was vice-president of the high council on prisons, and a member of the high councils on public education, agriculture, workers pensions and labor.
On 11 November 1911 he presented the Legion of Honor to Sarah Monod, president of the
National Council of French Women
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
(''Conseil national des femmes françaises'').
During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
he was offered a ministerial portfolio but turned it down.
Ferdinand Dreyfus died in office on 15 July 1915 in Paris, at the age of sixty-six.
He had two son, Jacques and Charles Ferdinand-Dreyfus.
Bibliography
From 1886 to 1907, Dreyfus published numerous works:
*''Vauban, economist'' (Leon Foucher prize, 1886)
*''Studies and Speeches'' (1887)
*''International Arbitration'' (1888)
*''Social Missions and historical studies'' (Fabien prize, 1890)
*''A former philanthropist: La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt'' (1901)
*''The republican school and feminine patronage'' (1902)
*''Assistance on the Legislative Assembly and the Convention'' (1905)
*''Assistance on the Republic from 1848 to 1907'' Municipal Public Library (1907)