Konrad Bercovici

Born in Romania on June 22, 1882, he grew up mainly in Galați in a polyglot family and later built his career in the United States. Reliable reference sources describe him as a Romanian-American writer whose books included fiction, travel, history, biography, and memoir.

He became especially known for books drawn from his interest in Roma life, including Ghitza and Other Romances of Gypsy Blood and Story of the Gypsies. Sources also note his 1917 exposé Crimes of Charity and his memoir It's the Gypsy in Me, published in 1941.

His papers and manuscripts are preserved at Syracuse University, which reflects the breadth of his career. He is also remembered for the legal dispute Bercovici v. Chaplin after claiming that Charlie Chaplin had used his ideas for The Great Dictator; the case was settled, and it remains one of the most talked-about episodes connected with his name.