Theodor Christoph August von Kobbe

Theodor Christoph August von Kobbe (1798–1845) studied law in Heidelberg and Kiel and was a leading member of the student fraternity movement.

He was among the Heidelberg students to whom Hegel countered “that one must first learn a great deal before one can improve the world.” The remark characterizes Hegel’s relationship to the fraternity movement more precisely than classifying him as friend or foe: he defended those who were arrested while opposing their impatience.