"Justice Is To Be Found Only In Imagination": Remembering Alfred Nobel On His Death Anniversary

One of the most prestigious awards in the field of Science, Economics, Literature and Humankind is Nobel Prize. Since 1901, Nobel prizes have been awarded to men, women and organisations for work that has led to great advances for mankind, in line with the wishes of inventor Alfred Nobel. His full name was Alfred Bernhard Nobel; a Swedish inventor and scholar who made a vast fortune from his invention of dynamite and ordered the creation of the famous Nobel Prizes in his will. Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm on 21 October 1833.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences elected him their member in 1884. It is same institution that would later select laureates for two of the Nobel prizes. Nobel received an honorary doctorate from Uppsala University in 1893.

Master of many languages

Nobel gained proficiency in Swedish, French, Russian, English, German, and Italian. He also developed sufficient literary skill to write poetry in English.

What led him to begin charity work?

As per some reports, after the the death of his brother Ludvig, many newspapers published obituaries of Alfred in error. One French newspaper condemned him for his invention of military explosives. The obituary stated, "The merchant of death is dead", and went on to say, "Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday." 

When Nobel read the obituary he was appalled by the fact that he would be remembered in this way. His decision to posthumously donate the majority of his wealth to found the Nobel Prize has been credited to him wanting to leave behind a better legacy.