Alfred Bernhard Nobel (1833–1896)

Swede Alfred Bernhard Nobel [1833 – 1896] was the son of Immanuel Nobel, who was a designer of bridges and buildings in Stockholm and who was interested in mining stone in a stone quarry.

In the time of Alfred Nobel the only one safety explosive substance was gunpowder. His father used it during the production of sea mines he produced them after moving to Petrograd.

When Nobel was 17 years old, he spoke fluent Swedish, Russian, French, English and German. He was interested in physics and chemistry except languages. Because his father wanted for him to lead his firm he sent him in foreign countries for getting the education of the chemical engineer. In the end he settled in a private chemical laboratory in Paris. There he also met the young Italian chemist Ascani Sorber in 1849, the discoverer of the yellow, oil and strongly explosive fluid nitroglycerin [1846]. Nitroglycerin was made from sulphuric acid and nitride acid. Its production and storing was very dangerous [it was very sensitive to heat and press and it exploded in an unexpected way and easy, the more intense tremor was enough], for it this one couldn’t be used to practical using even if it was more active explosive than gunpowder. Alfred Nobel was interested in the idea to use this explosive substance for building works.

When he returned in Russia in 1852, he made with his father a row of experiments with the aim to produce the explosive substance, which could be used in a technical way.

In 1863 Alfred with his father and brother returned to Sweden, where they continued with applying nitroglycerin like the technical explosive. One year later became the tragic explosion during it brother Emil and several next persons perished. After that event next experiments were forbidden for Nobel in Stockholm and so he moved on the yacht anchored on the lake.

He had idea to let soaked nitroglycerin into something like paper, a brick or dump during various experiments for it he could transport this crack safely. In the end he learned that after mixing nitroglycerin with powder it would be created some paste, which could be formed into cylinders of the suitable size and these ones could be put into apertures in rock safely.

 Nobel invented this material in 1866 and one year later he had it patented under the name dynamite. Interest about this crack increased sharply and Nobel became a skilled businessman and entrepreneur and he obtained a great fortune. He realized that the base of his idea was the Sobers discovery and for it he provided him the whole – life employment.

Since 1865 his factory in German Krummel near Hamburg has been exporting explosives on the base of nitroglycerin into a row of countries of the wide – world. He founded factories and laboratories in more than 20 countries of the world, among others so in prewar Czechoslovakia [in Bratislava].

The greatness of Nobel is in his ability to combine idea of scientist with the forethought of entrepreneur. He registered 355 patents to the time of his dead.

 The Nobel testament was a great surprise because the interests from his capital have to be used for the annual awarding the greatest successes in physics, chemistry, medicine, and literature and in work for the world’s peace. This way the foundation for rewarding with Nobel’s award was based. These awards started to be given in 1901; it was the fifth anniversary of Nobel’s death.

This award was consisting from three parts: the financial reward, gold medal and diploma. 2 Czech men were rewarded by Nobel’s award. In 1959 Jaroslav Heyrovsky for chemistry [the invention and development of polarography] and in 1984 it was Jaroslav Seifert for literature.

Nobel’s awards are given annual for the excellent performances in science, literature and for the deserts about the world’s peace and they have been paid from this way obtained fortune.