Wasfi al-Atassi

Wasfi al-Atassi (1888–1933) (Arabic: وصفي الأتاسي‎‎) was a Syrian nationalist, statesman and one of the original writers of the Syrian constitution.

Born in Homs to the Atassi family in 1888, he was educated locally. His father, Najeeb Efendi al-Atassi was an Islamic scholar and a notable, having headed the municipality of the city of Homs in 1879. Wasfi Atassi attended the Imperial Law School of Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Upon graduation he returned to his home town and established a career as a lawyer.

In 1919, after the defeat of the Turks and their withdrawal from Syria, Atassi was elected to the Syrian National Congress, the first Syrian parliament. His cousin, Hashim al-Atassi, the other deputy from Homs, was chosen as chairman. On March 10, 1920 both Wasfi and Hashim al-Atassi were elected to the seven-membered constitutional committee that was charged with drafting the first Syrian constitution. Within a few days, the members of this committee were able to review several existing constitutional documents from other countries, formulate a draft, debate the articles, and present the new constitution to the congress for ratification. The constitution declared Syria an independent constitutional monarchy under King Faisal, and recognized no foreign claims in the country or international treaties that would jeopardize its independence. Wasfi Atassi was also a member of the three-membered congressional committee which chose the current building that housed the parliament in Damascus. In 1920 he was installed governor of Hama by King Faisal.

Atassi took part in the struggle for independence and became a member of national movements which opposed Turkish dominance and then the French mandate. In early 1919, he founded the Arab Club (Arabic: النادي العربي‎‎) in Homs, similar to the one established in Damascus by the nationalists. Atassi was chosen head of the Club and supervised its activities, which included hosting a range of meetings, discussions, and lectures on nationalism. It also staged several plays, all of which were in frank opposition to the French influence and targeted its mandate. The French authorities closed the club down in July, 1920.

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