Family—Lucie and Mathieu Dreyfus

A portrait of Dreyfus' wife Lucie and their two children, published in La Vie Illustrée in 1899.

The first voices of protest against the arrest and conviction of Alfred Dreyfus were those of his family. His brother, Mathieu Dreyfus, and his wife, Lucie Dreyfus (née Hadamard), were instrumental in bringing Dreyfus’s plight into the public sphere.

A letter from Lucie to Alfred, dated July 1899—the summer Dreyfus was released from Devil's Island.

Lucie Dreyfus exchanged letters with her husband throughout his imprisonment. These letters were crucial in helping Dreyfus survive the physically and emotionally torturous years at Devil’s Island.

An illustration on the cover of La Vie Illustrée of Lucie visiting Alfred in the prison at Rennes upon his return from Devil's Island.

Mathieu Dreyfus, who knew his brother was innocent, was the architect of the fight to win his brother’s liberation. He worked tirelessly, enlisting the help of journalists, activists, and politicians to bring his brother’s plight to public attention and prove his innocence. Alfred remained ignorant of the work his brother was doing on his behalf until his return from Devil’s Island in 1899.