ERCKMANN-CHATRIAN, tre-fiii, the combined surnames of two French men, natives of Alsace, who collaborated in writing romances. EMILE ERCKMANN: b. Phals bourg, 20 May 1822; d. Luneville, 14 March 1899. Having completed his studies in the com munal college of his native town, he went to Paris in 1842 to study law. Returning to Phals bourg in 1847 because of a serious illness, he began to turn his attention to romance writing during his convalescence. It was about this time (1848) that he met his collaborateur, Louis GRATIEN CHARLES ALEXANDRE CHATRIAN, b. Soldatenthal, 18 Dec. 1826; d. Raincy, 3 Sept. 1890. Chatrian was a member of an old family of glass-work owners, and it was intended that he should follow the same craft. Instead of doing so, however, he left his native village and became a teacher in Phalsbourg, where he made the acquaintance of Erckmann. For sev eral years the stories produced by this copart nership were published in obscure newspapers, both in Strassburg and Paris, but about 1860 their graphic romances of Alsace in the time of Napoleon I gained a rapid popularity. Their stories, though not possessing any particularly high literary value, were distinguished especially for their sincerity, their striking descriptions and their clever characterizations. Their pub lished works include 'L'Illustre Dr. Matheus) (1859) ; (Contes de la (1860) ; (Con tes Fantastiques> (1860) ; (Maitre Daniel Rock) (1861) ; Contes des Bords du (1862) ; (L'Invasion, ou le Fou Yegof) (1862) ; ( Joueur de Clarinette> (1863) ; (L'Ami Fritz' (1864) ; d'un Conscrit de 1813' (1864) ; Therese) (1864) ; (Waterloo) (1865) ; 'Histoire d'un Homme du Peuple' (1865) ; (La Guerre) (1866) ; (La Maison Forestiere) (1866) ; 'Le Blocus) (1867) : (His toire d'un Paystn' (4 vols., 1868-70) ; Juif Polonais' (1869) ; d'un (1869) ; (I-Ustoire du Plebiscite) (1872) • (Les Deux Freres) (1873) ; (Une'Campagne enkaby lie) (1874) ; (Le Brigadier Frederic) (1874); 'Hugues le Loup) (1876) ; (Maitre Gaspard Fix) (1876) ; 'Souvenirs d'un Ancien Chef de Chantier' (1876) ' • (Contes Vosgiens) (1877); (Le Grand-Pire Lebigre' (1880); Mots sur L'Esprit Humain> (1880) ; Vieux de la Vieille) (1881) ; (Le Banni' (1882). Some of these have been collected into groups, in accordance with their contents: 'Romans Nationaux' (1867) ; (Contes et Romans Popu laires) (1867) ; (Contes et Romans Alsaciens> (1876). They also dramatised successfully some
of their novels : (L'Ami Fritz' (1867); 'Le Juif Polonais' (1869, known in its English adap tation by L. Lewis as (The Bells) and pro duced with considerable success by Sir Henry Irving) ; (Madame Therese) (1882) ; (Les Deux Freres) (1884, known in its dramatised form as (Les Rantzau>). English translations are avail able of practically all these publications. There are also German translations of many of them and of some of these a collection was made (12 vols., Stuttgart 1882). After Chatrian's death Erckmann wrote a few books alone, none of which, however, achieved much success. In regard to their methods of collaboration it be came known that when the two friends met they elaborated the scheme of a work; then Erck mann wrote it. Chatrian corrected it, and some times put it in the fire. Sometimes Erckmann would even be required by his friend to write his story over three times. Chatrian also acted as business manager, made all contracts and collected all royalties. Shortly before his death a break occurred between the two old friends which led to a law suit, but was finally com promised. (See L'AMI Finn). Consult Acker, P., 'Erckmann-Chatrian) (in La Revue de Paris, Vol. XIX, No. 6, p. 347, Paris 1912) ; Anon., (Ercicmann-Chatrian) (in The Bookman, VoL XL, p. 494, New York 1915) ; Claretie, J., (Erck mann-Chatrian) (in 'Celebrites Contemporaines,' Paris 1883); Hinzelin, E., (La Verite sur Erck mann-Chatrian) (in La Revue, Ser. VI, Vol. LXX XI X, p. 310, Paris 1911) ; Velde, M. S. van de, 'French Fiction of To-day) (2 vols., London 1891).
ERDItLYI, er'clal-ye, Janos, Hungarian poet: b. Kapos 1814; d. 1868. In 1848 he be came director of the national theatre at Pest and in the following year was appointed to the chair of philosophy at Sarospatak. He published a collection of popular songs of Hungary to gether with the principal legends entitled (Nepdalok es mondak) (3 vols., 1848). In 1851 he published a collection of Hungarian proverbs. His smaller works have been issued in Ger man under the titles (Bahnen und Palmen' (1886) and (Studien) (1890).