Alexander von Gleichen-Rußwurm

Alexander von Gleichen-Rußwurm (6 November 1865, Greifenstein Castle, Bad Kissingen - 25 October 1947, Baden-Baden) was a German writer, editor, translator and philosopher.

His mother, Elisabeth (Baroness von Thienen-Adlerflycht), died a few weeks after he was born, so he was raised by his grandmother Emilie [de], Schiller's youngest daughter.

They lived at Greifenstein, where the guest book shows an impressive list of literary visitors, including Heinrich Mann, Friedrich Lienhard and Johannes Fastenrath.

His efforts to emulate his great-grandfather, Schiller, had apparently made him mentally as well as financially unstable, leading to an incident that left him with the nickname "Mouse Baron".

He was accused of deliberately placing a live mouse in the package which, rather than die, was expected to gnaw its way out and simulate a damaged shipment, thereby enabling him to collect on his insurance.

After the reintroduction of general conscription and the beginning of rearmament in 1935, the military authorities decided to enlarge their proving grounds in Hammelburg and relocate two nearby villages.