Strange but true
Alfred Nobel left a legacy promoting peace and achievement, yet he made his fortune from a weapon of war. The son of an arms manufacturer, Nobel was a chemical engineer with an interest in explosives. He discovered how to stabilize nitroglycerine, named it "dynamite" and patented it in 1867.
Nobel left around 31 million Swedish Kronor (valued at US$240 million today) in his will to establish a fund rewarding "those who, during the preceding year have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind
And so it begins
The task of setting up the foundation was left to former employees Ragnar Sohlman and Rudolf Lilljequist. The pair had to contend with disgruntled relatives to centralize Nobel's assets, which were scattered across Europe.
Fearing that French authorities would stop Nobel's money being transferred to Sweden, Sohlman collected shares, bonds and other documents from banks, shipping them back to Sweden as registered luggage.
It took another four years to convince all parties mentioned in Nobel's will to carry out his wishes. When the first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 they captivated public interest, ensuring their longevity and significance.
