Fritz Erler was born in Frankenstein on 15th December 1868. He studied at Breslau and Paris before travelling to Italy and Germany. He settled in Germany where he founded the magazine Die Jugend. During the First World War Erler produced several notable posters for the German government.

After the war Erler was commissioned to produce several murals on public buildings. Fritz Erler died on 11th July 1940.