How to perform common post-initialization tasks in inherited classes?

Version 1 - delegate everything.

class Subclass1(BaseClass):
    def __init__(self):
        super( Subclass1, self ).__init__()
        self.specific()
        super( Subclass1, self ).finalizeInitialization()

Version 2 - delegate just one step

class BaseClass:
    def __init__(self):
        print 'base __init__'
        self.common1()
        self.specific()
        self.finalizeInitialization()

    def common1(self):
        print 'common 1'

    def finalizeInitialization(self):
        print 'finalizeInitialization [common2]'

    def specific( self ):
        # two choices:
        # if this is "abstract": raise an exception
        # if this is "concrete": pass

Template Method Design Pattern to the rescue:

class BaseClass:
    def __init__(self, specifics=None):
        print 'base __init__'
        self.common1()
        if specifics is not None:
            specifics()
        self.finalizeInitialization()

    def common1(self):
        print 'common 1'

    def finalizeInitialization(self):
        print 'finalizeInitialization [common2]'


class Subclass1(BaseClass):
    def __init__(self):
        BaseClass.__init__(self, self.specific)

    def specific(self):
        print 'specific'