Heartily yours,
A. Nobel
The ailing heart on which he touches playfully brought him to his death. On the tenth of December—he was then at his villa in San Remo—he was suddenly snatched away by angina pectoris. No one was with him when he died; he was found in his workroom—dead!
Some time after the report of Alfred Nobel’s death the newspapers announced that he had left his millions for benevolent purposes, a part to go towards promoting the peace movement. But the details were lacking. I received, however, from the Austrian ambassador in Stockholm a copy of the will; and the executor of it, Engineer Sohlmann, entered into correspondence with me. So I became accurately informed as to the provisions of this remarkable last will and testament:
After payment of legacies to relatives, amounting to about a million crowns, the residue of the property—thirty-five millions—was set aside for the formation of a fund, from the interest of which five yearly prizes should be assigned to such as had contributed some notable service to the benefit of mankind. These were specifically:
1. For the most important discovery and invention in the realm of physics;
2. For the most important discovery and invention in the realm of chemistry;
3. For the most important discoveries in the domain of physiology or medicine;
4. For the most distinguished productions of an idealistic tendency in the realm of literature;
5. To that man or woman who shall have worked most effectively for the fraternization of mankind, the diminution of armies, and the promotion of Peace Congresses.