1/5/1921 Friedrich Durrenmatt is born

January 5, 1921.  Friedrich Durrenmatt was born this day in Switzerland.  When his first play premiered in 1947 there were fist fights in the audience.  He wasn't afraid of controversy.

Among his most famous crime-related novels were The Judge and His Hangman and The Pledge.  Sean Penn turned the latter into an excellent movie with Jack Nicholson.