Alfred Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel entered the world on the 21st of October 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the third son of Immanuel Nobel and Andriette Ahlsell. The family struggled financially during his early years. Only Alfred and three brothers survived past childhood. His father lost money after barges carrying building materials sank. This loss forced Immanuel Nobel into bankruptcy. The family moved to Saint Petersburg in 1842. There, the father found success making machine tools and explosives. Young Alfred attended private tutors instead of a university. He studied chemistry and languages with great focus. By age 15, he spoke English, French, German, Russian, Swedish, and Italian fluently. He wrote poetry in English and composed a prose tragedy called Nemesis. The book contained four acts about Beatrice Cenci. It remained unpublished until 2003.
Nobel began studying nitroglycerin under chemist Nikolai Zinin in Paris. Ascanio Sobrero had synthesized the substance three years earlier. Sobrero warned that nitroglycerin exploded unpredictably under heat or pressure. Nobel sought to make it safe for commercial use. In 1863, he invented a detonator for the liquid explosive. A factory accident on the 3rd of September 1864 killed five people including his brother Emil. Police revoked his license to produce explosives. He founded Nitroglycerin AB in Vinterviken to work in isolation. On the 3rd of December 1867, he patented dynamite. This mixture combined nitroglycerin with kieselguhr diatomaceous earth. The result was safer and easier to handle than pure nitroglycerin. He demonstrated the explosive at a quarry in Redhill Surrey England. Later patents included gelignite in 1875 and ballistite in 1887. By death, he held 355 international patents across explosives technology.
Nobel managed Bofors which became a major manufacturer of cannons. His brothers Ludvig and Robert founded Branobel oil operations. These ventures generated vast wealth through industrial enterprises. Branobel operated mainly in Baku Azerbaijan and Cheleken Turkmenistan. Nobel invested heavily in these oil regions. He established over 90 factories producing explosives and armaments globally. Despite his pacifist character, his business grew aggressively. The family company produced armaments during the Crimean War from 1853 to 1856. After the war ended, they struggled to switch back to domestic production. Ludvig Nobel improved the business significantly after taking charge in 1859. Alfred returned to Sweden to focus on explosives research. His financial success came at a cost to his physical health. He accumulated great wealth while developing new oil fields.
On the 27th of November 1895, Nobel signed his last will at the Swedish-Norwegian Club in Paris. He set aside 94% of his total assets for the foundation. This amounted to 31,225,000 Swedish kronor after taxes and bequests. Five prizes were established to recognize contributions to humanity. Three awards covered physical science chemistry and medical science or physiology. A fourth prize honored literary work in an ideal direction. The fifth award went to those reducing standing armies or establishing peace congresses. The Royal Swedish Academy selected laureates for physics and chemistry. The formulation for the literary prize caused confusion for decades. Many interpreted ideal as idealistic. Authors like Henrik Ibsen and Leo Tolstoy were initially excluded. The Swedish Academy revised this interpretation later. Dario Fo and José Saramago received the award under new rules. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank donated funds to create a sixth prize in economics.
Nobel suffered from constant pain throughout his life. His letters described debilitating migraines and paralyzing fatigue. Some historians believe he had fibromyalgia while others suggest nitroglycerin poisoning. By 1895, he developed angina pectoris. On the 10th of December 1896, he suffered a stroke causing intracerebral hemorrhage. He became partially paralyzed before dying at age 63. His health declined sharply during the late 1870s. Strenuous work habits contributed to his deterioration. He died in Sanremo Italy where he lived since 1891. He is buried in Norra begravningsplatsen in Stockholm. The circumstances surrounding his death remain complex. Hypochondria was dismissed by doctors of that era leading to further depression.
Nobel maintained an 18-year relationship with Sofija Hess from Celje. They met in 1876 in Baden bei Wien where she worked in a flower shop. He sent her 221 letters over 15 years. These documents reveal antisemitic remarks about Jews as a whole. Nobel expressed distaste for Hess ancestry and family repeatedly. He wrote that Jews act merely out of selfishness or desire to show off. Hess used abusive language against Jews herself in response. She converted to Protestantism in 1894 attempting to grow closer to him. Nobel called her a great devourer of banknotes due to financial support. He also displayed chauvinistic traits writing that she had a microscopic brain. Their relationship ended when she became pregnant with another man child. Nobel continued supporting her financially until she married the father.
Critics question Nobel motives regarding arms manufacturing legacy. Some suggest he created the prize to improve reputation after public outcry. An obituary published on the 15th of April 1888 stated he was only a benefactor with difficulty. The newspaper Figaro retracted the article the next day. Historians debate whether the merchant of death story actually existed. Recent criticism focuses on antisemitism found in historical documents. The newspaper Haaretz highlighted negative views toward Jewish people. A 1984 artwork in Troisdorf Germany contrasts war statistics to peace recipients. The Monument to Alfred Nobel stands in Saint Petersburg along Bolshaya Nevka River. It was dedicated in 1991 marking the 90th anniversary of first presentation. The synthetic element nobelium bears his name today.
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Common questions
When and where was Alfred Nobel born?
Alfred Bernhard Nobel entered the world on the 21st of October 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the third son of Immanuel Nobel and Andriette Ahlsell.
What did Alfred Nobel invent to make nitroglycerin safe for commercial use?
In 1867 he patented dynamite which combined nitroglycerin with kieselguhr diatomaceous earth. This mixture proved safer and easier to handle than pure nitroglycerin.
How much money did Alfred Nobel leave for his foundation in his last will signed on the 27th of November 1895?
He set aside 94% of his total assets which amounted to 31,225,000 Swedish kronor after taxes and bequests. Five prizes were established using these funds to recognize contributions to humanity.
Where did Alfred Nobel die and when did he pass away?
On the 10th of December 1896 he suffered a stroke causing intracerebral hemorrhage before dying at age 63. He died in Sanremo Italy where he had lived since 1891.
Who was Sofija Hess and what was her relationship with Alfred Nobel?
Nobel maintained an 18-year relationship with Sofija Hess from Celje who met him in 1876 in Baden bei Wien. They exchanged 221 letters over 15 years despite his antisemitic remarks about Jews found in historical documents.