Paris
Although it looks perfectly blended into the 19th century Haussmann Urbanization Plan, the «Rue de la Roquette» was not dug according to this Plan. Indeed, it was dug in the 17th century, to reach the «La Roquette» convent which has subsequently disappeared. Later, in the 19th century, the street became famous for the funeral processions that used to lead to the Père-Lachaise cemetery via this street. The street was thus called the «sinister way». In that time, two jails used to face each other at number 143 and 168 rue de la Roquette. The first one (The Little Roquette) was built in 1836 for the women, whereas the second one (The Big Roquete) was built one year later for men.
The men’s jail was destroyed in 1899 after about 200 prisoners were guillotined on the «death paving stones», whereas the women’s one lasted until 1970 after which it was replaced by a small park.
In December 1897, while Léon Daudet was leading his dead father’s body (Alphonse Daudet, a famous French writer) to its last residence in the Père-Lachaise cemetery, he was joined by Emile Zola on his right hand, and Drumont on his left hand, two opponents of the Dreyfus Affaire. Dreyfus, a Jewish French Army captain, was accused of high treason in 1893 and sentenced to death the year after. The judgement gave rise to a national conflict which led the Republican Progressives to a dominant position in French politics, and reached its highest point with the separation of Church and State. It was discovered later that Dreyfus had been condemned on false evidence. Zola had just written his «J'accuse» (I accuse), to defend Dreyfus, whereas Drumont wrote the «Jewish France», an anti-semitic thesis. Unfortunately, Leon Daudet was influenced by Drumont and later became one of the founders of «Action Française», a political group which helped the Nazis to persecute the Jews during World War II.