Erckmann Chatrian

Erckmann-Chatrian, the compound name of two French authors, who collaborated in writing some well-known French novels setting forth chiefly the vicissitudes of Lorraine, of which they were both natives. Emile Erckmann was born in 1822, and followed the profession of the law, while Alexandre Chatrian was born in 1826, and was by turns a glass-blower, a tutor, and a railway-clerk. He died in 1890. Among the best known of their works are Madame Therese, L'Histoire d'un Conscrit, Siege de Phalsbourg, Waterloo, and L'Histoire dun Plebiscite. Le Juif Polonais and L'Ami Fritz have been dramatised, and are well known to London audiences, especially the former under its English title of The Bells, the most successful piece of Sir Henry Irving.