HOHENASPERG

hohenasperg, an ancient fortress of germany, in the kingdom of wurttemberg, 10 m. n. of stuttgart, is situated on a conical hill, 1100 ft. high, overlooking the town of asperg. it was formerly strongly fortified and was long the state prison of the kingdom of wurttemberg. among the many who have been interned here may be mentioned the notorious jew financier, joseph suss-oppenheimer (1692-1738) and the poet c. f. d. schubart (1739-1791). it is now a reformatory. hohenasperg originally belonged to the counts of calw; it next passed to the counts palatine of tubingen and from them was acquired in 1308 by wurttemberg. in 1535 the fortifications were extended and strengthened, and in 1635 the town was taken by the imperialists, who occupied it until 1649. see schon, _die staatsgefangenen von hohenasperg_ (stuttgart, 1899); and biffart, _geschichte der wurttembergischen feste hohenasperg_ (stuttgart, 1858).