Who Invented the Nobel Peace Prize?

Who invented the Nobel Peace Prize? When you think of awards, you may not think that they have an inventor... but this one does. The Nobel Peace Prize was invented by a man named Alfred Nobel. Alfred Nobel invented the Nobel Peace Prize in an attempt to change his legacy... and, most would agree that it worked.  There is a lot to learn more about the man who invented the Nobel Peace Prize and about the reason for that invention.

The history of the Nobel Peace Prize dates back well over one hundred years, and its unlikely origins are actually intertwined with the fortunes of a man who made his riches developing a weapon of war. This man, the person who invented the Nobel Peace Prize, was named Alfred Nobel. The prize is named in his honor.

Alfred Nobel was the inventor of dynamite.

• Dynamite is a nitroglycerin mixture that Alfred Nobel originally hoped would be used for construction and humanitarian purposes. 
• Unfortunately, dynamite was not used exclusively for these purposes, and was eventually found to be an excellent weapon of mass destruction, along with all of its potential for positive uses in society.  

Inspiration for the Nobel Peace Prize

In 1888, Alfred Nobel's brother died and an obituary was mistakenly written about Alfred Nobel. The obituary referred to him as the "Merchant of Death" because of all of the destruction that dynamite had caused. Nobel was deeply saddened by the fact that his invention had become one of the most horrific weapons of war that had been developed up until that time and that this legacy of war had become his legacy.

Nobel was deeply conflicted and he decided to do something about this; so, when he wrote his will in November of 1895, he decided he would attempt to set right the wrong that he had done by developing such a devastating weapon as high explosives.

In his will, Nobel left his money in a trust with the stipulation that the fortune be used to award five prizes. 

• Four of these prizes were to be administered by Swedish organizations, and one, the Nobel Peace Prize, was to be administered by a Norwegian organization to the person or persons who "shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding of peace congresses." 
• The Norwegian Storting, the organization selected to administer the prize, accepted the new responsibility.

Nobel Peace Prize Award

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded each year to a deserving individual or group of individuals or other organizations that have done work that helps to promote the cause of world peace.  Along with the statue and the recognition that a Nobel Peace Prize confers upon the winner or winners, there is also a monetary award of $1,000,000 that comes along with the prize.

Nobel's Legacy

When Nobel died in 1896, he died with a large fortune amassed from his manufacture and sale of dynamite.

It took three full years before any prizes could be awarded because of the various disputes about the validity of his will, which had been written just over a year prior to his death. Since that date, the Norwegians have maintained control over the Nobel Peace Prize process, and continue to do so to this day.

Nobel's attempt to change his legacy worked. He is now remembered as the man who established the Nobel Peace Prize.