Dictionary.net

Joint name of two French novelists: Emile Erckmann, born at Pfalzburg, May 20, 1822; died at Luneville, Mar. 14, 1899; and Alexandre Chatrian, born near the same town, Dec. 18, 1826, died Sept. 5, 1890. They were schoolfellows, later companion glass-blowers, finally literary copartners. "The Illustrious Doctor Matheus" (1859) was their first novel, and highly successful; among the others are: "Stories from the Banks of the Rhine" (1862); "Madame Therese" (1863); "Friend Fritz" (1864); "Story of a Conscript of 1813" (1865), and its sequel "Waterloo" (1865); "Brigadier Frederic" (1874); "Banished" (1882). They portray Alsatian life and the Napoleonic era with great fidelity and sympathy. They also wrote successful plays, as "The Polish Jew" (1869); "Friend Fritz" (1877); "The Rantzaus" (1882).