Obituary of Professor Alpa
The European Law School is a rather unique program and multi-university European institution:
After finishing their third year of studies in their home universities, students embark on two extra years to be spent in two different universities to be chosen from seven scattered all-around Europe. All can meet as well, during the summer break, for joint ELS summer schools around Europe.
Naturally, Professor Alpa was fond of this concept and worked tirelessly to ensure its success against many resistances, coping even with most arduous administrative hurdle (and they were many!), with his usual smile and good manners. Of course he loved the ELS: it embedded many of his ideas but perhaps it is here more appropriate to use the word “ideals”: that engaging in debates is empowering, that dialogue between different legal cultures is the only way to make the world a better place, that openness to other and perhaps to opposing perceptions and ways of thinking must always be ensured. He also saw the ELS as a concrete application of a comparative supranational method of education aimed at forming future good citizens of the world. If one wants to coin it like this: even for the Better of Europe in an active society. This is his legacy. To live up to it is his invitation to those now thinking warmly of him – and with nostalgy.
Prof Alpa leaves us, as universally recognized, an extraordinary legacy in terms of scholarship. For many of us, also personally, he was indeed a friend of one, two or even three decades, full of kindness, generosity and ideas, from laughter to philosophy. Somehow almost fatherly friend to most of us. We remember, he is – among so many things – father of the Italian Consumer Law Code, author of some of the most important and brilliant treatises ("manuali") of Private Law in Italy and as well author of the book on Solidarity as a Concept in Europe - born from the European Law School Members’ joint lectures during Covid times, but going well beyond. He was (and remains) among the broadest, most profound and as well deeply influential private law scholars of Italy -- and Europe. We will keep him in good memory.
Today, all of us at the ELS like to remember him as the teacher, always ready to engage with students, and curious about their ideas. We remember him not only as il Maestro but as a friend, as someone unfailingly kind, always the first to praise the efforts of others, the first to say thank you; put it simply, a true Gentleman.
With Solidarity as a Concept in Europe, he remains to some extent eternally as well "our [E]Ulysses". May he have a good journey!
The European Law School will find a way to commemorate him more broadly.