The Nobel Family
Today is December 10th, and in Sweden it is the Nobel day - the day this year's laureates will receive their prizes in Stockholm. In the evening, the grand gala dinner takes place, leaving those of us not invited to imagine the delicious dishes served.
Recently, I watched a TV series about the Nobel family. While Alfred Nobel is the most famous, the entire family made remarkable contributions to the world. His brothers Ludvig and Robert ran major business in St. Petersburg and Baku, focusing on oil, until they were forced to flee during the Russian Revolution.
The Nobel brothers were ahead of their time when it came ot labor conditions. In Russia, their factories included worker housing, school for employees' children, and a pioneering welfare system providing health care.
Despite facing challenges, the family always seemed to find their way, helping each other out, when necessary. Alfred, who became the most famous, left Sweden to establish a successful business in Europe. Innovation ran deep in the family: Afred alone held 355 patents. Ultimately, it was his will that secured his legacy.
Alfred's legacy
Unlike his brothers, who were all married and had families, Alfred remained a bachelor. Though he sought companionship, his introvert nature made forming close relationships difficult. At one point, he placed an advertisement in the paper, seeking an intelligent, educated woman who serve as his secretary and housekeeper, with a possibility of marriage.
Bertha Kinsky, an Austro-Bohemian noblewoman, responded to the ad and took the position. Alfred and Bertha developed a close friendship, and Alfred may have wanted to marry her. However, Bertha was already engaged to Baron Arthur von Suttner, whom she later married.
Bertha von Suttner was a pacifist and novelist, whose ideals likely influenced Alfred. She wrote Lay Down Your Arms (1889), one of the most influential anti-war novels of the 19th century. It is believed her advocacy played a role in Alfred's decision to include the Peace Prize in his will. Alfred already troubled by the destructive uses of his inventions, sought to mitigate som of the harm through his legacy.
The will
When Alfred Nobel passed away in 1896, he left behind what was then the world's largest private fortune - 31,5 million Swedish crowns. His will instructed the creation of a fund whose interest would annually reward those who had "conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." The prizes would be awarded within the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine or physiology, literature and peace. The Peace Prize, uniquely, was to be awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
In Sweden his will sparked a lengthy legal battle with the Nobel family. Once resolved, the Nobel Foundation was established in 1900, and the first prizes were awarded in 1901.
The first Literature Prize was awarded to French poet and essayist Sully Prudhomme. Selma Lagerlöf, the first woman to receive the Literature Prize, was honour in 1909. Bertha von Suttner, became the first female Peace Prize laureate in 1905.
Today, the Nobel Prizes remain one of the world’s highest honors, celebrating individuals who leave a profound and positive impact on humanity.
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