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
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
ISBN N-0-88135-399-X
In English
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 |
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
141 pages
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
144 pages
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.
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 |
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:659 pages
, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Aguilar S.A. de Ediciones, Madrid, 1959, in Spanish.
(abbreviated), authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Fratelli Fabbri Editori, Milano, 1963, in Italian.
(abbreviated), authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Editóra Delta, Rio de Janeiro, 1964, in Portuguese.
(abbreviated), authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Presses du Compagnonnage, Paris, 1965, in French. Abbreviated Japanese version published by Shufunutomo Co., Tokyo, 1972.
(abbreviated) authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Coron Verlag GmbH, Stuttgart/Zürich, 1972, in German.
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
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
269 pages
by H. Schück and R. Sohlman, published by Almqvist & Wiksells Boktryckeri AB, Uppsala, 1926, in Swedish. Out of print.
by E. Bergengren, published by Gebers Förlag, Stockholm, 1960, in Swedish.
Translations:
, authorized by the Nobel Foundation and published by Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd., Edinburgh, 1962, in English.
, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Bechtle Verlag, Munich, 1963, in German.
, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Hakusuisha Publ. Co., Tokyo, 1968, in Japanese.
, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Sequoia-Elsevier, Paris- Brussels, 1970, in French.
by S. Tjerneld, published by Albert Bonniers boktryckeri, Stockholm, 1972, in Swedish, ISBN 91-0-037341-1.
by R. Lundström, thesis at Uppsala University 1974, printed by Tofters Tryckeri AB, Östervåla 1974, in Swedish, ISBN 91-554-0197-X.
by G. Lotti, published by Officina Grafica della Sagep S.p.A., Genoa, 1980, in Italian.
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.
by K. Fant, published by Norstedts Förlag AB, Stockholm, 1991, in Swedish, ISBN 91-1-919072-7.
Translations:
, published by Arcade Publishing Inc., New York, 1993, in English, ISBN 1-55970-222-2.
, 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.
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.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment