#i have 6 gaolers in the time of writing this btw

[kyruolio]

I recovered my 8 year old Flight Rising account so here's my fursona as a Gaoler because I fucking Love Them

[nordleuchten]

I saw your post about Anastasie's drawing of one of the "Gaolers of Olmütz" (which btw, amazing drawing ngl) and it got me thinking about this conturbed time (to say the least) in their lifes, which made me get to the question: what were the short and long term effects that this period had in their lifes? (both during and after their emprisionment)

I'm sure for Adrienne it wasn't easy, for there is a lot of things saying how miserable she was while and after leaving there, and for Lafayette I'm sure it wasn't as well, for he was the one that was in captivity for the longest time (sometimes in solitary if I remember well?).

And also while I know that terms like ptsd and anxiety did not existed back then, are you aware of them being described as with something akin to some sort of mental effects? While Georges did not passed for what the rest of his family did, I'm sure that must've left him shaken for some time knowing that at any moment he could got the news that his whole family was found dead in a ditch somewhere.

Thank you :))

Hello Anon,

That is a very interesting question, thank you for that. The time in Olmütz had various effects on the La Fayette family, both in general as well as individually on the respected family members - and not all of the effects were solely negative.

The first and most obvious effect was the impaired health of the prisoners. La Fayette wrote Washington in a letter from October 6, 1797:

(…) My own Health, altho it is Impaird, Could, I think, tolerably Support a Voyage—My daughters are not ill—But Mrs Lafayette’s Sufferings in this Cruel UnHealthy Captivity Have Had Such a deplorable effect Upon Her, that in the opinion of Every phisician, and Every Man of Sense, it Would Be an Act of Madness to Let Her embark at this Advanced Season of the Year (…)

“To George Washington from Lafayette, 6 October 1797,” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Retirement Series, vol. 1, 4 March 1797 – 30 December 1797, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1998, pp. 384–386.]

Adrienne’s health would never fully recover and when she died on December 24, 1807 in Paris, it was almost certainly an aftereffect of her time in Olmütz.

Olmütz was in general a topic in the family’s history that was not often discussed. After La Fayette’s immediate release from prison, there are only very few letters where the name “Olmütz” is even mentioned. Each of these mentioning’s is in relation with a different person. He described Napoléon Bonaparte as his “deliverer from Olmütz”, he writes about David Parish visiting America - his father John Parish was American consul in Hamburg during the La Fayette’s time in Olmütz. Another mentioning’s were in relation to the La Fayette’s finances who had suffered greatly during this time - another effect.

La Fayette had always been close with his family and his children in particular and it is therefore hard to determine just how much his imprisonment (often in solitary or quasi-solitary confinement) affected the desire to be close to his family. As an elderly man he was more or less constantly surrounded by his children, grand-children, great-grand-children and close friends. I can very well imagine that having his family close became very, very important for La Fayette after his release. I would also argument that La Fayette’s confinement with his two daughters Anastasie and Virginie impacted their relationship in a positive manner and that they grew even closer with their father. It was also La Fayette who took care of Anastasie education while Adrienne taught Virginie.

Regardless for their exact situation, all three of the La Fayette-children had to grew up very quickly, mature and constantly adapt to changes that they otherwise would never have encountered. Anastasie especially was described by her sister Virginie was becoming very practical and crafty.

Although Georges was relatively safe in America, I would argue that he suffered the most. Adrienne, La Fayette, Virginie and Anastasie were all together, they knew how things were, how they fared - Georges was alone (although his tutor and chaperone Felix Frestel did an amiable job) and far away and news were hard to come-by. He lived for some time with the Hamilton’s prior to living with his godfather George Washington. Hamilton wrote George Washington on December 24, 1795 (on Georges’ birthday):

Young La Fayette appears melancholy and has grown thin. A letter lately received from his mother which speaks of something which she wishes him to mention to you (as I learn from his preceptor) has quickened his sensibility and increased his regret. If I am satisfied that the present state of things is likely to occasion a durable gloom, endangering the health & in some sort the mind of the young man, I shall conclude, on the strength of former permission, to send him to you for a short visit—the rather as upon repeated reflection I am not able to convince myself that there is any real inconvenience in the step and as there are certainly delicate opposite sides. But it will be my endeavour to make him content to remain away.

"From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington", 24 December 1795, Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 19, July 1795 – December 1795, ed. Harold C. Syrett. New York: Columbia University Press, 1973, pp. 514–515.]

After his initial arrival in America he was treated with kindness but often “pushed-around” until he found a more stable and long-term home with Hamilton and then with Washington. As soon as he was with Washington and after he had some time to acquaint himself with his new situation, Georges was doing better. But this separation left marks on him and in my opinion he was the most afflicted by the family’s misfortune. It appears as if he later thought he was somewhat “guilty” because his fate was the mildest during this time. He was not in prison, he was not ill and he even could continue his education. He also became almost “overprotective” of his family, especially his father in later years. Something that was noticeable during their America Tour in 1824/25. I think it was Laura Auricchio in her book who wrote that Georges was so dedicated to his father that he hardly had a live of his own. I long since had a similar thought but always thought me terrible unkind. After the all, I was no historian, just an outsider looking into a family dynamic from a more than 200 years distance. But seeing historians and biographers stating the same, I feel this observation might have been true.

There were however also some positive effects for the family. His time in Olmütz did wonders for La Fayette’s reputation (which was badly tarnished prior to his imprisonment.) It can also be argued that their imprisonment was really a boost for La Fayette’s and Adrienne’s relationship, especially for La Fayette’s evaluation of Adrienne. Last but not least, without their time in Olmütz, La Fayette’s daughter Anastasie might not have found her husband (or at least not as fast as she did.) The La Fayette’s went into exile after their release just like the family of one of La Fayette’s fellow prisoners, Charles César de Fay de La Tour-Maubourg. Chalres was one of La Fayette’s dearest friends and had two brother, with both of whom La Fayette was on very friendly and affectionate terms. The youngest of the brothers, Juste-Charles de La Tour-Maubourg fell in love with Anastasie and soon a weeding was celebrated (May 9, 1798) in Wittmoldt and not too long after that Adrienne and La Fayette became grand-parents for the first time.

I hope I could answear your question with that and I hope you have/had a fantastic day!