Elie Wiesel was a Romanian-born Jewish writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He is best known for his book Night, which is an autobiographical account of his experiences in the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps during World War II. His work has been widely acclaimed and he has received numerous awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. The four-letter answer to the crossword puzzle is ELIE, which is the author's first name.