Known for being France’s oldest national newspaper, Le Figaro, founded in 1826, had the following comment on Alfred Nobel’s will, on January 7, 1897: “The will remains a magnificent memorial to the love of humanity, and in that capacity guarantees that the respected name of Mr Alfred Nobel will not fall into oblivion.”
Excerpt from Alfred Nobel’s will in a simplified and abridged version:
“All of my remaining realisable assets are to be disbursed as follows: the capital, converted to safe securities by my executors, is to constitute a fund, the interest on which is to be distributed annually as prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.
The interest is to be divided into five equal parts and distributed as follows: one part to the person who made the most important discovery or invention in the field of physics; one part to the person who made the most important chemical discovery or improvement; one part to the person who made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine; one part to the person who, in the field of literature, produced the most outstanding work in an ideal direction; and one part to the person who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses.
The prizes for Physics and Chemistry are to be awarded by the Swedish Academy of Sciences; that for physiological or medical achievements by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm; that for Literature by the Academy in Stockholm; and that for champions of Peace by a committee of five persons to be selected by the Norwegian Storting. It is my express wish that when awarding the prizes, no consideration be given to nationality, but that the prize be awarded to the worthiest person, whether or not they are Scandinavian.”
Alfred Nobel (1833–1896), who invented dynamite, became one of Europe’s wealthiest men. Yet he was unmarried, had no children, and ended his life feeling lonely and bitter, partly because of relatives who were interested in his money. He changed his will several times, writing to a friend: “I rejoice in advance at all the wide-eyed looks and the many curses that the lack of money will cause.”
He believed that large individual fortunes should not be gifted or inherited by relatives. They “become a misfortune by encouraging idleness and thus contributing to the degeneration of the human race.” Instead, he championed the principle of equal opportunities and education for all, helping ambitious young people and science-oriented companies.
Alfred Nobel’s last will was signed in Paris on November 27, 1895. A few weeks after he died in 1896, the handwritten will was opened, and many people were surprised by his financial plans. It turned out that he had endowed most of his fortune to a fund, the interest from which would be distributed annually as prize money to those who had done the most good for humanity in the past year. In his last will, Alfred Nobel emphasised the prizes and avoided the detour of donations to institutions. Instead, he wrote that the interest on his fortune should be divided into five equal parts, with each part awarded as an annual prize.
Three of the prizes were for natural sciences and would go to the most significant discoveries in Physiology or Medicine, Chemistry, and Physics. In addition, Nobel wanted to create a Literature Prize and a Peace Prize.
His relatives were not disinherited, but they received only about 0.5 per cent of the inheritance. Outraged, some family members challenged the will in court, igniting a bitter legal battle that dragged on for years. Despite their efforts, Alfred Nobel’s wishes endured. In 1901, five years after his death, the world saw the inaugural awarding of the five Nobel Prizes.
Alfred Nobel dreamed of prizes that were more than mere glory. He saw scientists and idealists, unlike engineers and industrialists like himself, rarely profiting from their work. Determined to help them, he vowed to ensure his prizes granted them freedom from financial worries so they could pour all their energy into serving humanity.
“Alfred Nobel dreamed of prizes that were more than mere glory”
The idea of creating a scientific and cultural prize emerged during the last years of Alfred Nobel’s life. At the time of his death in 1896, Alfred Nobel’s assets amounted to approximately €3 million (SEK 33 million), about €135 million (SEK 1.5 billion) in today’s currency. The sum can be compared to the annual salary of an ordinary manual labourer at the time: roughly €50 (SEK 500). Through his donation, he hoped to achieve a more positive legacy, and maybe even a greater appreciation of his achievements as an industrialist.
After setting aside about €150,000 (SEK 1.5 million) for inheritances to loved ones, Alfred Nobel reserved the rest of his fortune for the international prize. This bold decision transformed the future prize winners into his principal heirs, while the designated institutions became mere presenters. With clear intent, Nobel’s will assigned specific institutions to select the awardees: the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for Physics and Chemistry, the Karolinska Institutet for Physiology or Medicine, and the Swedish Academy for Literature. All these institutions are located in Stockholm.
Alfred Nobel envisioned the Nobel Peace Prize differently; it would not be awarded in Sweden, as the other prizes were, but in Oslo, Norway’s capital. There, a five-member committee, chosen by the Norwegian Parliament (Storting), would select the winners. At first, uncertainty clouded several institutions, which doubted their ability to carry out Nobel’s wishes. Tension built, until – after some hesitation – each institution finally agreed to undertake the responsibility.
When Alfred Nobel wrote his will, Sweden was in a union with Norway, which may explain why he wanted the Peace Prize awarded in Oslo. Furthermore, another reason that is often cited is that Nobel believed Norwegian politicians were more committed to peace issues than Swedish politicians.
Alfred Nobel was confidentthat his prizes would be international, awarded to the most deserving in each field, regardless of origin. Reactions were swift and divided. While some celebrated an award for those who served humanity, others resented that it wasn’t limited to Swedes. At the end of the 19th century, when nationalist enthusiasm was high in Sweden, certain groups even accused Nobel of betraying his homeland. Yet, seeing himself as a citizen of the world, Nobel believed it was only natural that his prize be international.
The will established the Nobel Prize and led to the creation of the Nobel Foundation in 1900. However, it was only after a lengthy legal process that the Foundation’s statutes were approved. As a result, the first Nobel Prizes were awarded on December 10, 1901, on the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.
