Wenner-Gren's holding company, unlike his other businesses, was not named after himself. Fulcrum is Latin for a supporting point. And a powerful fulcrum it was, the hub of all his business activities. For a long time, Axel Wenner-Gren was one of the wealthiest individuals in Sweden. Today, when the name Fulcrum is no longer associated with the mighty Wenner-Gren conglomerate, it is, among other things, the name of an Italian bicycle tire manufacturer, a student newspaper in Ottawa, and a Russian warplane.
It was after Axel Wenner-Gren's death in 1961 that it was revealed that all was not well with Fulcrum. Even today, it is not clear how much Axel himself knew about the financial truth. Many were upset over the years by Axel Wenner-Gren's remarkable inability to surround himself with good advisers and sound business contacts. Wherever he went, he seemed to be drawn to scoundrels and charlatans. In Mexico, he was good friends with the notorious brother of the president, during the blacklist, he allied himself with scoundrels who made matters worse, and as a close confidant and manager in the companies, he had Birger Strid. It has been rumored that Axel in his old age became more and more confused, something that gave Strid and the board the opportunity to shuffle around huge sums as it best suited themselves.
Rumors circulated, no one knew the truth, and at Häringe Castle, everything of value was sold, even the gold taps in Marguerite's bathroom. Later, in the summer of 1975, Birger Strid was sentenced to two years in prison and 21 million kronor in damages. He claimed his innocence all along, saying he had done everything in his power to save the estate. That Birger Strid did wrong has been proven in court. However, it should also be noted that many insiders later revealed that Birger had been put in an impossible financial situation.
After serving his prison sentence, Birger Strid reappeared at Häringe Castle. He wanted to return a bronze bust depicting his former employer.
