ABSTRACT
This headline from Alfred Nobel’s premature obituary pre-dated his death by 8 years. No doubt he was surprised. He was also upset. The atheist inventor of dynamite with pacifist feelings apparently felt uneasy about his reputation, and the Nobel Prize was the result. He had become enormously wealthy, amassing more than $200 million (in today’s currency). The will that gave 94% of his fortune for the establishment of the Nobel Prize was written in secret. Not surprisingly, it was contested by relatives and questioned by authorities. Legal delays meant the first prizes were not awarded until 5 years after his death.
