At the end of the Crimean War...
Illustration
Object:
At the end of the Crimean War in 1856, Immanuel Nobel went
bankrupt. His armaments factory, located in St. Petersburg, was no
longer needed to provide munitions for the war effort. Immanuel
returned to his home country of Sweden, leaving his three oldest sons
behind to salvage the business. One son, Alfred, was trained as a
chemist and physicist. Through tireless work he discovered the lethal
combination of mixing nitroglycerine and black powder, to create what
he called dynamite. He went on to develop several other explosive
devices, one of which was ballistite. His intention for their use was
to be peaceful, as they were to be used in manufacturing. But, as can
be expected, their destructive potential soon made them tools of the
military.
Alfred was quiet and shy, and a man who loved to read. He was also an idealist who openly spoke against militarism. Due to these pursuits he became a close friend of Austrian author and peace activist Bertha von Suttner. Disheartened by how his innovations were being employed, Alfred retreated to Paris where he lived most of his adult life. Though, as an inventor an astute businessman, Alfred was extremely wealthy.
It took Alfred several years to prepare his will, with the final version being dated November 27, 1895. The contents of the document only became known after his death on October 10, 1896. In his will he set forth honorary awards for physics, chemistry, and medicine, all of which are reflective of his engineering background. There was an award for literature, reflective of his love of reading and books. But, to the surprise of many, there was an award for peace.
The peace award was inspired by his good friend Bertha von Suttner. It was recognition of Alfred's desire to compensate for the militaristic use of dynamite. The section of the will regarding the peace prize reads in part that it is to be awarded to the person who "… shall have done in the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." The prize was first awarded in 1901 to Henri Dunant, the founder of the International Red Cross, and Frédéric Passy, the founder of the first French Peace Society.
The progress for peace is slow, but there is progress as men like Alfred Bernhard Nobel and women like Bertha von Suttner hear the prophecy of Isaiah, "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore."
Ron L.
Alfred was quiet and shy, and a man who loved to read. He was also an idealist who openly spoke against militarism. Due to these pursuits he became a close friend of Austrian author and peace activist Bertha von Suttner. Disheartened by how his innovations were being employed, Alfred retreated to Paris where he lived most of his adult life. Though, as an inventor an astute businessman, Alfred was extremely wealthy.
It took Alfred several years to prepare his will, with the final version being dated November 27, 1895. The contents of the document only became known after his death on October 10, 1896. In his will he set forth honorary awards for physics, chemistry, and medicine, all of which are reflective of his engineering background. There was an award for literature, reflective of his love of reading and books. But, to the surprise of many, there was an award for peace.
The peace award was inspired by his good friend Bertha von Suttner. It was recognition of Alfred's desire to compensate for the militaristic use of dynamite. The section of the will regarding the peace prize reads in part that it is to be awarded to the person who "… shall have done in the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." The prize was first awarded in 1901 to Henri Dunant, the founder of the International Red Cross, and Frédéric Passy, the founder of the first French Peace Society.
The progress for peace is slow, but there is progress as men like Alfred Bernhard Nobel and women like Bertha von Suttner hear the prophecy of Isaiah, "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore."
Ron L.
