Early life
Where was he born?
Stockholm Sweden. On October 21, 1833.
Who called him the "Merchant of Death"
When his younger brother Ludvig died, a French newspaper confused him with Alfred and said "The Merchant of Death is dead."
In what fields are the Nobel Prizes awarded for?
Physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace (a memorial prize in economic sciences was added in 1968).
How many kids (including Alfred) did Immanuel and Caroline Nobel have?
Eight. But only Alfred and three of his brothers survived.
How many languages did he know?
Five. English, French, German, and Russian as well as Swedish.
How did he create the Nobel Prizes?
He never married, so in his will he said "The whole of my remaining estate shall be disposed of in the following way: the capital, invested in safe securities by my executors, shall constitute a fund, the interest on which shall be annually awarded as prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind."
Where in Russia did the Nobel family move because their father had failed at various business ventures?
Immanuel Nobel moved in 1837 to St. Petersburg, Russia, where he prospered as a manufacturer of explosive mines and machine tools. The Nobel family left their home in 1842 to join their father.
Why was he inspired to create dynamite?
In 1864, a deadly explosion killed his younger brother. Deeply affected, Nobel developed a safer explosive: dynamite.
Why did he invent the Nobel Prizes?
He created them to leave a positive legacy by using his wealth to reward individuals who have made significant contributions to humanity. He wanted to be remembered for promoting positive advancements rather than for his invention of dynamite, which could be used for destructive purposes in warfare; he was troubled by how his invention was being used and wanted to use his fortune to benefit humankind instead.