In 1790, to escape the French Revolution, Louis-Marie count de Chamisso and his wife Anne Marie, born Gargam, left France with their seven children to go successively to Liège, to The Hague, in South Germany (to Wurzbourg, to Bayreuth), then to Berlin. A turning point that will mark the life of the child’s youngest, Louis-Charles-Adélaïde.
«My homeland: I am French in Germany and German in France, Catholic among Protestants Protestant among Catholics, philosopher among religious people and cagots among people without prejudices, man of the world among scholars, is pedantic in the world, jacobin among aristocrats, and among democrats a nobleman, a man of the former Regime, etc. I am nowhere to be found, I am everywhere foreign – I would like to hug too much, everything escapes me. I am unhappy… Since tonight the place is not yet taken let me go and throw myself head first into the river…”
In 1796 the queen of Prussia, Frédérique-Louise d'Hesse-Darmstadt, admitted him to his service as a page.
In 1798, he entered the Prussian army, obtaining, on March 31, a certificate of aspirant to the regiment of Gœtze, in garrison in Berlin. On January 24, 1801, he was promoted lieutenant. It was at this time that he adopted the name Adelbert, more manly. Although his family was allowed to return to France, Chamisso preferred to stay in Germany to continue his military career. Since he received only a modest education, he devoted his moments of freedom to learning.