Émile Verhaeren was a Belgian poet who wrote in the French language, and he was one of the chief founders of the school of Symbolism. He was one of the most prolific poets of his era. The outbreak of World War I had a devastating effect on the poet's deep pacifist feelings. He went to England, where he received honorary degrees from various universities. By the turn of the century, he had become world-famous. His works were translated into more than twenty languages. His German translator was Stefan Zweig. The biography by Stefan Zweig in German was translated into English by Jethro Bitell.