Alfred Noble

Biographical Information

Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 21, 1833. His family was descended from Olof Rudbeck, the best-known technical genius in Sweden in the 17th century, an era in which Sweden was a great power in northern Europe. Nobel was fluent in several languages, and wrote poetry and drama. Nobel was also very interested in social and peace-related issues, and held views that were considered radical during his time.

Alfred Nobel Timeline

1833	Alfred Nobel is born in Stockholm, Sweden. In the same year, his father – Immanuel Nobel – goes bankrupt.
1837	Immanuel Nobel travels to Finland and then to St Petersburg, Russia, where he starts a mechanical workshop; he leaves his family behind in Sweden.
1842	The Nobel family is reunited in St Petersburg.
1850-1852	Alfred Nobel goes to Paris and works for one year in the laboratory of T. Jules Pelouze. He also travels to Italy, Germany and the United States (US).
1853-1856	The Crimean War rages. The Nobel Company flourishes at first, but goes bankrupt as the war ends and the Russian military cancels orders. Alfred Nobel searches desperately for new products. Nikolai N. Zinin, Nobel's chemistry teacher, reminds him of nitroglycerin.
1862	Alfred Nobel starts his experiments with nitroglycerin.
1863	Nobel obtains the first patent on nitroglycerin (blasting oil) as an industrial explosive. He develops and patents a detonator (blasting cap) for triggering the explosion of nitroglycerin. He also moves to Stockholm, where he continues his experiments.
1864	Emil, Alfred Nobel's brother, is killed during the preparation of nitroglycerin at Heleneborg, Stockholm. Nobel continues his experiments and forms the company Nitroglycerin AB in Stockholm, Sweden.
1865	Alfred Nobel improves the blasting cap design and moves to Germany to set up the Alfred Nobel & Co Factory in Krümmel near Hamburg.
1866	Nobel establishes the United States Blasting Oil Company in the US. A violent explosion destroys the Krümmel plant. Experimenting on a raft anchored on the river Elbe, Alfred Nobel tries to make nitroglycerin safer to handle. He finds that nitroglycerin is stabilized by the addition of kieselguhr (a siliceous deposit; also known as diatomaceous earth), and calls this mixture dynamite.
1867	Alfred Nobel obtains a patent for dynamite.
1871	Nobel establishes the British Dynamite Company (Ardeer, Scotland, UK). In 1877 the company name is changed to Nobel's Explosives Company.
1872	Immanuel, Alfred Nobel's father, passes away.
1873	At the age of 40 Alfred Nobel is a wealthy man. He moves to Paris and settles at Avenue Malakoff. The manufacture of nitroglycerin and dynamite starts at Ardeer.
1875	Alfred Nobel invents blasting gelatine in Paris and patents it in 1876. He establishes Société Générale pour la Fabrication de la Dynamite in Paris, France.
1876	Dynamitaktiengesellschaft (DAG), formerly Alfred Nobel & Co (Hamburg, Germany), is formed. Alfred Nobel advertises for a housekeeper/personal secretary, meets with Bertha Kinsky von Chinic und Tettau (later von Suttner) and hires her. She leaves his employment after a short time and becomes a leading peace activist.
1880	Dynamite Nobel is formed by merging Nobel's Italian and Swiss companies.
1881	Alfred Nobel buys an estate and laboratory at Sevran outside Paris.
1885	German Union is formed by merging DAG and a group of German dynamite companies.
1886	Nobel-Dynamite Trust Co (London, UK) is formed by merging DAG and the Nobel's Explosives Company.
1887	Nobel obtains a patent for the blasting powder "ballistite" in France.
1889	Andriette, Alfred Nobel's mother, passes away.
1891	Alfred Nobel leaves Paris and settles in San Remo, Italy, after a dispute with the French government over ballistite.
1893	Alfred Nobel hires Ragnar Sohlman, who he later names executor of his will and testament.
1894	Alfred Nobel buys a small machine works (Bofors-Gullspång) and a manor (Björkborn) at Karlskoga, Sweden.
1895	The third and final will of Alfred Nobel is signed at the Swedish-Norwegian Club in Paris.
1896	Alfred Nobel dies at his home in San Remo, Italy, on 10 December 1896.

Articles on Alfred Nobel

Alfred Nobel's interests are reflected in the prize he established. Learn more about his life and his interests - science, inventions, entrepreneurship, literature and peace work.

Alfred Nobel's Life and Work

Alfred Nobel's Life and Work - for Gradeschoolers

By Nobelprize.org Editors

On October 21, 1833 a baby boy was born in Stockholm, Sweden who was to become the founder of the Nobel Prize.

Alfred Nobel - His Life and Work

By Nils Ringertz

Alfred Nobel was born in Sweden, grew up in Russia, studied chemistry and technology in France and the US.

Alfred Nobel - St. Petersburg, 1842-1863

By Birgitta Lemmel

The young Alfred grew up, received his education and was shaped as a human being in the cosmopolitan atmosphere of St. Petersburg.

Alfred Nobel's Health and His Interest in Medicine

By Nils Ringertz

"Isn't it the irony of fate that I have been prescribed N/G 1 (nitroglycerine) to be taken internally!"

Alfred Nobel and His Interest in Literature

By Åke Erlandsson

Alfred Nobel's collection of books bears testimony to both the depth and breadth of his reading.

Alfred Nobel - the Poet

By Åke Erlandsson

Alfred Nobel's collection of books bears testimony to both the depth and breadth of his reading.

Alfred Nobel - Life and Philosophy

By Tore Frängsmyr

Alfred Nobel went through philosophy from antiquity to modern times, pointing out what he perceived to be vital issues.

Alfred Nobel's Thoughts about War and Peace

By Sven Tägil

Was Alfred Nobel's view on the effects of weapons to deter war a comfortable way of defending his own activity?

Alfred Nobel's House in Paris

By Birgitta Lemmel

At forty years old, Alfred Nobel bought an elegant mansion in Avenue Malakoff, a fashionable quarter near the Arc de Triomphe and Bois-de-Boulogne.

Alfred Nobel's Final Years in San Remo

By Lorenette Gozzo

Alfred Nobel died in his villa overlooking the Mediterranean in Sanremo, Italy.

Alfred Nobel's Industrial Activities

Alfred Nobel's Industrial Activities in Vinterviken

By Birgitta Lemmel

Alfred Nobel's first company, Nitroglycerine Aktiebolaget, had its explosives plant on an isolated inlet of Lake Mälaren.

Alfred Nobel in Krümmel

By Birgitta Lemmel

Alfred Nobel established his first overseas company in Krümmel, Germany.

Alfred Nobel in Scotland

By John E. Dolan

Alfred Nobel turned his sights to Scotland when Great Britain proved to be a difficult place to establish an explosives factory.

Alfred Nobel in Sevran

By Birgitta Lemmel

Looking for a suitable location for his experiments near his home, Alfred Nobel found Sevran, 16 kilometers northeast of Paris.

Books on Alfred Nobel

Alfred Nobel. Networks of Innovation
by U. Larsson
Nobel Museum Archives; 10, published by the Nobel Museum, Stockholm, 2008, distributed in the USA and Canada by Science History Publications, USA

ISSN 1404-7586
ISBN N-0-88135-399-X
In English

Alfred Nobel
by T. Frängsmyr
Published by the Swedish Institute, 2004
Translation by Judith Black

Presents the life of Alfred Nobel, not only tracing his scientific and entrepreneurial achievements from the earliest days, but also focusing on the private individual behind them. ISBN 91-520-0417-I ISSN 1101-6353 31 pages

Alfred Nobel
by Thomas Hellberg and Lars Magnus Jansson
Publisher: Alno Production, KB, Stockholm, 1984
1986 updated edition; Publisher: Lagerblads Förlag, AB, Karlshamn, English version.

The authors have researched Alfred Nobel's life for more than ten years, primarily for material for a drama-documentary TV film. This richly illustrated book about Alfred Nobel's inventions, career and personal life was published to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Alfred Nobel's birth.

ISBN 91-7260-977-X
141 pages

The Legacy of Alfred Nobel
by Ragnar Sohlman
Authorized by the Nobel Foundation
Publisher: The Bodley Head, London, 1983
Translation by E. Schubert

First published in Swedish (Ett Testamente) in 1950 and tells the full, dramatic story of the establishment of the Nobel Foundation. Written by Ragnar Sohlman, Alfred Nobel's secretary and assistant whom Alfred Nobel appointed as one of the executors of his will. The English translation was published in 1983, in association with the Nobel Foundation, to mark the 150th anniversary of Alfred Nobel's birth.

ISBN 0-370-30990-I
144 pages

Ett Testamente. Hur Alfred Nobels dröm blev verklighet
by R. Sohlman, published by Bokförlaget Atlantis AB, Stockholm, 2001, in Swedish, ISBN 917486-529-3 (originally published as Ett Testamente. Nobelstiftelsens tillkomsthistoria och dess grundare by R. Sohlman, published by P.A. Norstedt & Söners Förlag, Stockholm, 1950. Out of print).
Translations:
- Zaveshchanie Alfreda Nobelja, translated by D. E. and E. M. Leykin, published by MIR Publishers, Moscow, 1993, in Russian.

Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Prizes
Revised continuously
Published by the Nobel Foundation

Brochure containing information about Alfred Nobel - his life and work; Nobel's will and estate; the Nobel institutions; nomination and selection of the Nobel Laureates and the presentation of the Nobel Prizes. 12 pages

Nobel. The Man and His Prizes
by Schück, H. et al.
Edited by the Nobel Foundation
Publishers: Solhmans Förlag, Stockholm, 1950
University of Oklahoma Press, 1951
Third revised, updated and enlarged edition published by American Elsevier Company, Inc., New York, N.Y. 1972
First published in 1950 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Nobel Foundation. Contains a summary of Alfred Nobel's life and work; an account of the establishment of the Nobel Foundation; and surveys of outstanding achievements in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace.

The third revised edition brings the history of the awards up to 1970. It contains a sketch of Alfred Nobel's life, an account of the initial difficulties and later development of the Nobel Foundation, and an extensively revised description of seventy years' progress in the five Prize categories, viewing in historical perspective the work of the Nobel Laureates.

ISBN 0-444-00117-4
659 pages

Translations:

- Los Premios Nobel y su Fundador, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Aguilar S.A. de Ediciones, Madrid, 1959, in Spanish.
- Nobel, l’uomo e i suoi Premi (abbreviated), authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Fratelli Fabbri Editori, Milano, 1963, in Italian.

- Nobel, o homen e seus Prèmios (abbreviated), authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Editóra Delta, Rio de Janeiro, 1964, in Portuguese.
- Nobel, l'homme et ses Prix (abbreviated), authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Presses du Compagnonnage, Paris, 1965, in French. Abbreviated Japanese version published by Shufunutomo Co., Tokyo, 1972.
- Alfred Nobel, der Mann und seine Preise (abbreviated) authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Coron Verlag GmbH, Stuttgart/Zürich, 1972, in German.

Alfred Nobel. Mannen, Verket, Samtiden
by Sigvard Strandh
Publisher: Natur och Kultur, 1983
The author expounds on how Alfred Nobel built up his industrial empire as well as his enormous wealth, and views his inventions in the light of industrial, historical and political perspectives. The book is peopled with strong personalities - from Alfred Nobel's brothers to his co-workers, competitors, friends and relatives.

ISBN 91-27-01283-2
340 pages
In Swedish

The Russian Rockefellers. The Saga of the Nobel Family and the Russian Oil Industry
by R. W. Tolf
Publisher: Hoover Institution Press, Stanford CA, 1976
Contains the first fully documented history of the Nobel family and the first comprehensive survey of the oil industry in pre-Bolshevik Russia.

ISBN 0-8179-6581-5
269 pages

Alfred Nobel och hans släkt
by H. Schück and R. Sohlman, published by Almqvist & Wiksells Boktryckeri AB, Uppsala, 1926, in Swedish. Out of print.
Alfred Nobel
by E. Bergengren, published by Gebers Förlag, Stockholm, 1960, in Swedish.
Translations:

- Alfred Nobel. The Man and his Work, authorized by the Nobel Foundation and published by Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd., Edinburgh, 1962, in English.
- Alfred Nobel, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Bechtle Verlag, Munich, 1963, in German.
- Alfred Nobel, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Hakusuisha Publ. Co., Tokyo, 1968, in Japanese.

- Alfred Nobel. L'homme et son oeuvre, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Sequoia-Elsevier, Paris- Brussels, 1970, in French.

Nobel
by S. Tjerneld, published by Albert Bonniers boktryckeri, Stockholm, 1972, in Swedish, ISBN 91-0-037341-1.

Alfred Nobel som internationell företagare
by R. Lundström, thesis at Uppsala University 1974, printed by Tofters Tryckeri AB, Östervåla 1974, in Swedish, ISBN 91-554-0197-X.

Nobel a Sanremo
by G. Lotti, published by Officina Grafica della Sagep S.p.A., Genoa, 1980, in Italian.


Nobel och hans tid. Fem essayer
by G. Brandell, T. Browaldh, G. Eriksson, S. Strandh and S.Tägil, edited by P. Sörbom, published by Bokförlaget Atlantis AB, Stockholm, 1983, in Swedish, ISBN 91-7486-315-0.

Alfred Bernhard Nobel
by K. Fant, published by Norstedts Förlag AB, Stockholm, 1991, in Swedish, ISBN 91-1-919072-7.
Translations:

- Alfred Nobel, published by Arcade Publishing Inc., New York, 1993, in English, ISBN 1-55970-222-2.
- Alfred Nobel, published by Birkhäuser Verlag AG, Basel, 1995, in German, ISBN 3-7643-5059-8.
- Also translations by Estonian (Vilnius), Latvian (Tallin), Bulgarian (Sofia), Japanese and Swiss publishers.

Chère Baronne et Amie. Cher monsieur et ami. Der Briefwechsel zwischen Alfred Nobel und Bertha von Suttner
by Edelgard Biedermann, published by Georg Olms
Verlag, Hildesheim (Germany), 2001, in German, ISBN 3-487-11492-5.

Aphorisms by Alfred Nobel

Literature occupied a central role in the life of Alfred Nobel. He regarded various literary forms of expression as opportunities to achieve a greater understanding of our own thoughts, lives and relationships with other people and our surroundings.

Alfred Nobel had an extensive library, which included important European literary works. Inspired by Shelley and Byron, he wrote poems in English as a young man. Toward the end of his life, he wrote the tragedy Nemesis. His best literary form of expression was probably the aphorism, where he often expressed himself drastically.

"A heart can no more be forced to love than a stomach can be forced to digest food by persuasion."

"Second to agriculture, humbug is the biggest industry of our age."

"Contentment is the only real wealth."

"We build upon the sand, and the older we become, the more unstable this foundation becomes."

"The truthful man is usually a liar."

"Justice is to be found only in the imagination."

"It is not sufficient to be worthy of respect in order to be respected."

"Worry is the stomach's worst poison."

"The best excuse for the fallen ones is that Madame Justice herself is one of them."

"Self-respect without the respect of others is like a jewel which will not stand the daylight."

"Hope is nature's veil for hiding truth's nakedness."

"Lying is the greatest of all sins."

"Home is where I work and I work everywhere."

Virtual Tour of Alfred Nobel's Home in Björkborn

Towards the end of his life, Alfred Nobel acquired the company "AB Bofors" in Karlskoga, Sweden. At Björkborn, a property on the Bofors estate, Björkborn Manor became his last home in Sweden.
Björkborn Manor is now a museum where visitors can go back in time and imagine what it was like when Alfred Nobel spent his summers here. Apart from the manor, another point of interest is the laboratory where Nobel continued with his experiments before his death in 1896.

Take a Virtual Tour of Björkborn Manor and Laboratory!

The tour is available in three versions:

	Java Tour The Java Tour is of low quality. Java is incorporated into all major Web browsers.
	QuickTime VR Tour This QuickTime VR technology allows you to interact with a 360 degree virtual scene.
	Ipix Tour For the best experience, we recommend this tour, which is viewed with the IPIX plug-in.

Exhibition on the Enlightenment

Alfred Nobel was inspired by the movement called the Enlightenment, a period during the eighteenth century when philosophy was guided by reason. Because of his familiarity with Enlightenment philosophers such as Voltaire and Rousseau, their thoughts influenced Nobel's life and work.
Watch the exhibition 'Enlightenment!' from La Bibliothèque nationale de France.

The Will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will in Paris. When it was opened and read after his death, the will caused a lot of controversy both in Sweden and internationally, as Nobel had left much of his wealth for the establishment of a prize! His family opposed the establishment of the Nobel Prize, and the prize awarders he named refused to do what he had requested in his will. It was five years before the first Nobel Prize could be awarded in 1901.