Vespasian V. Pella
Vespasian V. Pella (1897-1952) – jurist, university professor, politician, Romanian diplomat
High school studies in Bucharest. Bachelor studies at the Faculty of Law, Iasi. Doctor of the Faculty of Law, University of Paris with the thesis Des incapacités résultant des condamnations pénales en droit international (1920). Deputy in the Romanian Parliament. Secretary General of the International Bureau for the Unification of Criminal Law. Temporary advisor at the Legislative Council. Romania’s delegate to the Conference of Disarmament (1932-1934). Romania’s delegate to the Danube Water Regime Commission (1933-1935). Minister Plenipotentiary at the Legation of Romania in the Netherlands (1936-1939). Minister Plenipotentiary at the Legation of Romania in Switzerland. Romania`s Representative to the League of Nations
Vice President of the International Association of Penal Law (1924-1939). Chairman of the Legal and Constitutional Commission of the League of Nations Assembly (1938). Prime Agent of the Romanian Government at the Romanian-Bulgarian Court of Arbitration (1941). President of the International Association of Criminal Law (1946-1952). UN expert and legal advisor on international criminal law (1948-1952). Aggregate professor (1921-1924) and full-time professor (1924-1935) at the Department of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure of the University of Iasi. Professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, University of Bucharest (1935-1948). Visiting Professor at the Institute of High International Studies in Paris (1928), University Institute of High International Studies, Geneva (1929), International Law Academy in Hague (1926-1939).
His work in the field of Law includes numerous studies and monographs on Romanian penal institutions: Aperçu sur la criminalité collective. L’esprit de corps et les problèmes de la reponsabilité pénale (1920), Criminal Studies. A New Theory on the Complicity to Unintentional Crimes and on Criminal Responsibility for Other Persons` Deeds (1921), Vagrancy and Begging (1921), Illicit Currency Speculation (1921), Press Freedom in the New Constitution (1923). Author of several works that have established his position as founder of international crime law doctrine and promoter of international criminal justice: La criminalité collective des États et le droit pénal de l’avenir (1925), La Codification du Droit international (1928), La répression de la piraterie (1928); La répression des crimes contre la personnalité de l’État (1931), La protection de la paix par le droit interne (1933), Améliorations de l’administration pénitentiaire et infractions de Droit International (1935), La guerre-crime et les criminels de guerre: réflexions sur la justice pénale internationale, ce qu’elle est ce qu’elle devrait être (1946). Director of “Journal of Criminal Law and Penitentiary Science”.
Founding member of International Association of Penal Law in Paris (1924). Correspondent Member of the Romanian Academy (26th May 1941). Member of Legislative Studies Society, Society of Comparative Legislation, American Society of International Laws. Board Member of the General Society of Prisons in France.
