Tobias Michael Carel Asser (28 April 1838 – 29 July 1913) was a Dutch lawyer and legal scholar who is best known for his contributions to international law.
Life and Career
He was on 28 April 1838, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He received his education in law at the University of Amsterdam, where he studied from 1855 to 1859. He obtained his doctorate in law in 1860 with a thesis on the legal position of married women in the Netherlands.
After completing his studies, he went on to work as a lawyer in Amsterdam, specializing in commercial law. In 1873, he was appointed as a professor of commercial law at the University of Amsterdam, where he remained until 1880.
In 1883, he was appointed as a professor of international law at the newly established Hague Academy of International Law. He held this position until his retirement in 1906.
His work focused on the development of international law and the promotion of peaceful dispute resolution.
He played a key role in the establishment of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague. He was one of the driving forces behind the first Hague Peace Conference in 1899, where the idea of creating the PCA was discussed and eventually agreed upon. Asser’s work on the establishment of the PCA paved the way for the development of modern international arbitration and helped to promote the peaceful settlement of international disputes.
He was also involved in the development of the Hague Convention on International Law, which was adopted in 1899 and served as the basis for the development of modern international law. He wrote several influential books on international law, including “International Law: A Treatise” and “An International Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes”.
He died on 29 July 1913, in The Hague, Netherlands.
Award and Legacy
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1911 for his work in the field of international law and arbitration.
His legacy in the field of international law is significant. His work on the establishment of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague helped to pave the way for the development of modern international arbitration and the peaceful settlement of international disputes. He was also involved in the creation of the Hague Convention on International Law, which served as the basis for the development of modern international law.
His contributions to international law and arbitration continue to be recognized and celebrated today. The Hague Academy of International Law, where Asser was a professor of international law, established the Tobias Asser Prize in his honor. The prize is awarded every three years to an individual or institution that has made significant contributions to the development of international law.
In addition, the Peace Palace in The Hague, which houses the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration, has a room dedicated to Asser’s memory. The room contains a bust of Asser and displays his Nobel Peace Prize medal, as well as other memorabilia related to his life and work.