Gustav Asverus

Gustav Asverus (1798–1843) studied law in Heidelberg and Berlin and later became a professor of law in Jena.

As a member of the Burschenschaft (a nationalist student fraternity), he was imprisoned after the Carlsbad Decrees; he was accused of membership in organizations engaged in high treason. Hegel intervened on his behalf, as he did for Leopold von Henning and Karl Ulrich — three students who were imprisoned at the same time.

The case shows Hegel in a role that fits poorly with the image of the Prussian state philosopher: as an advocate for students whom the state was putting on trial.