Atassi, Hashem al- (1874–1960)

Syrian politician, president 1936–39, 1949–51, and 1954–55.

Educated in Istanbul, Turkey, he served as a district governor in Ottoman administration before World War I. In 1920 he was briefly prime minister in a nationalist government set up by Faisal (later Faisal I of Iraq). Thereafter, during the 1920s and 1930s period of French Mandate rule, al-Atassi established himself as leader of the National Bloc, which fought for Syrian independence, and served as president of Syria 1936–39. He did not actively participate in the final phase of the struggle for independence, achieved in 1946. However, in 1949, following a military coup by Muhammad Sami al-Hinnawi, he became prime minister. After another coup, by Adib al-Shishakli in December 1949, al-Atassi was made president. However, frustrated by the restrictions placed on his powers, he resigned in 1951 and campaigned to overthrow al-Shishakli. He returned as president in 1954, before retiring from politics in September 1955.