Where there’s a will, there’s a Mo…
One Of The Most Famous Wills Of All Time
After the death of Alfred Nobel on December 10th, 1896, his last will and testament caused much controversy and scepticism. His estate was to go into a fund, and be used to award outstanding performances and discoveries all over the world in the fields of medicine/physiology, physics, chemistry, literature and services to mankind (peace). His family wasn’t happy, and Nobel himself was criticized for his international spirit, among other things. Only after several years of negiciations and rather bitter conflicts could the fundamental concepts presented in the will assume solid form with the establishment of the Nobel Foundation.
On June 29, 2000, the Nobel Foundation celebrated its 100th anniversary. The Foundation and especially the Nobel Prizes – which were first awarded in 1901 – are closely linked to the history of modern science, the arts, and political development throughout the 20th century.
The Nobel Foundation is a private institution. It is entrusted with protecting the common interests of the Prize Awarding Institutions named in the will, as well as representing the Nobel institutions externally. The Foundation is not, however, involved in the selection process and the final choice of the Laureates (as Nobel Prize winners are also called). In this work, the Prize-Awarding Institutions are not only entirely independent of all government agencies and organizations, but also of the Nobel Foundation. Their autonomy is of crucial importance to the objectivity and quality of their prize decisions. One vital task of the Foundation is to manage its assets in such a way as to safeguard the financial base of the prizes themselves and of the prize selection process.
Source: Nobelprize.org
In 1895, when Nobel wrote his will, Norway and Sweden were still one state, which is probably one reason why he put Oslo and the Norwegian Parliament down as the location and electing body for the Peace Prize, whereas all the other prizes were to be awarded from Stockholm. This prevailed after our two countries parted ways in 1905, and to this day, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel committee.
The will itself is 113 years old, but its statutes and premises live on to this day, creating an institution recognized and respected by scientific and humanitarian bodies all over the world.
