Professor of International Law
The son of Enrico Vassallo, a businessman and Camilla née Mifsud, both from Valletta, Enrico, Cesare was born in Valletta. He attended St Ignatius College, St Julians, obtained the first prize in the matriculation examinations, and graduated MA from the UM at the age of 21, on 19 September 1895. In 1898 he graduated in law on 6 August 1898, obtaining the first travelling scholarship which gave him the opportunity to continue his legal studies in London for a year.
On 23 May, 1904 Dr Vassallo was appointed Professor of International and Constitutional Law, and was known generally for his erudition and high personal qualities. He was considered as an authority on constitutional law and his interpretation of delicate laws held its ground even in the Privy Council.
Vassallo was nominated assistant crown advocate, crown advocate, and chief justice, but his innate modesty prompted him to refuse. He was nominated vice president and later president of the Chamber of Advocates, (1933-1940).
Although Vassallo never took an active part in politics, his advice in cases on national interest was always forthcoming. In 1931 Professor Vassallo patronized the defence of Dr Enrico Mizzi, leader of the Partito Nazionalista, against Lord Strickland, Head of the Ministry in the Constitutional Party-Malta Labour Party ‘Compact’ Government, in appellate criminal lawsuit which lay on top of the insurmountable partisan confrontation of the time. Professor Vassallo in his submissions lambasted and qualified as nugatory the entire Letters Patent Order in Council of 1930 which the British government had issued to ratify all the ‘ultra vires’ legislative enactments of the ‘compact’ administration of the previous two years.
In 1939, Professor Vassallo was deeply affronted by the British decision to grant a new Constitution to the Maltese purporting to reinstall representation and therefore he considered it an insult to a people who had known self-government.
Professor Vassallo taught for almost 35 years as Professor of International and Constitutional Law within the Faculty of Laws at the University of Malta until he tendered his resignation in 1937.
In September 1942 he was nominated Professor Emeritus of the UM on the recommendation of the General Council in recognition for his long services to tertiary education.
Vassallo always took deep interest in national affairs and showed himself a staunch supporter of individual and national rights.
Rather reserved in society, Vassallo was a sympathetic figure whose exceptional qualities had won him the love, respect, and admiration of everyone.
At the age of 31 Enrico Vassallo married Hilda née Gatt. They had five children, Francesco Saverio, George, Alfred, Charles and Laura.
Professor Enrico Carlo Vassallo died aged 70 years at his residence Tower Road, Sliema. In 1949 the street ‘Prof. Enrico Vassallo Street’ Siġġiewi was named after him.
This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.