Franz Alexander von Kleist

Franz Alexander von Kleist (24 December 1769 – 8 August 1797) was a German poet of the late 18th century.

In 1784, Franz Alexander entered the Prussian Infantry Regiment of the Duke of Brunswick ("Herzog von Braunschweig").

His regiment was stationed in Halberstadt, where he came into close contact with Johann Wilhelm Ludwig Gleim, who because of his earlier friendship with Ewald Christian von Kleist, who fell in battle in 1759, had a particular inclination towards him.

Franz Alexander is reckoned as a member of the Halberstadt Poetry Circle ("Halberstädter Dichterkreis").

He bought the estate of his deceased father-in-law, Falkenhagen near Frankfurt (Oder), sold it again and settled at Ringenwalde near Neudamm in the Neumark, where he died before he was 28.