A Nomination that Stunned the World: Hitler for Nobel Peace Prize. In a bizarre and little-known footnote to history, Adolf Hitler, the infamous leader of Nazi Germany, was shockingly nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1939. This nomination, which seems utterly incongruous given Hitler’s notorious legacy of aggression and violence, was submitted by Erik Brandt, a Swedish politician and member of the Swedish parliament. However, the nomination was later withdrawn. But it raises intriguing questions about the complexities of history, the motivations of those who made the nomination, and the curious circumstances surrounding this unexpected event.
The Noble Foundation
The Nobel Foundation is set to announce the coveted prizes for six different fields starting Monday. All Nobel prizes, except the Peace Prize, are awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden. A committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament awards the Nobel Peace Prize. Last year, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) forced the Nobel Prize ceremony to go virtual. While the pandemic isn’t over yet, the large-scale vaccination drives around the world, especially in rich nations, have helped the ceremony return to Sweden. However, it will be a “mixture of digital and physical events”.
Since 1901, the Nobel Prizes have been awarded to individuals and organizations for work that has led to great advances for humankind after Alfred Nobel signed his last will. He gave the largest share of his fortune to a series of prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace.
How many times can someone be nominated?
Jane Addams was nominated 91 times between 1916 and 1931 when she was finally awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. By contrast, Emily Green Balch, Fridtjof Nansen, and Theodore Roosevelt received the Nobel Peace Prize the first year that they were nominated.
The Nobel Peace Prize medal
The Nobel Peace Prize medal was designed by Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland. And shows Alfred Nobel in a pose slightly different from that of the other medals.
Why a Norwegian committee for the Nobel Peace Prize?
Delegates award all Nobel Prizes in Stockholm, Sweden, except the Peace Prize, which they present in Oslo, Norway. The founder of the Nobel Prize, Alfred Nobel, was a Swedish cosmopolitan. In his will, he declared that the Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded by a Norwegian committee. When Alfred Nobel was alive, Norway and Sweden were united under one monarch. Not until 1905 when Norway became an independent kingdom.
The Nobel Prize diplomas
Each Nobel Prize diploma is a unique work of art, created by foremost Swedish and Norwegian artists and calligraphers.
One peace laureate declined the Nobel Peace Prize
The Vietnamese politician Le Duc Tho awarded the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, is the only person who has declined the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Committee awarded them the prize for negotiating the Vietnam Peace Accord. Le Duc Tho declined the Nobel Prize, citing Vietnam’s unstable situation as his reason for not accepting the award.
The Vietnam Conflict (1959 – 1975), was fought between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and the United States-supported Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). The Union forces defeated the Southern and American forces. And the war ended with the unification of Vietnam under the communist government of the North.
The Nobel Prize amount
Alfred Nobel left most of his estate, more than SEK 31 million (today approximately SEK 1,702 million). He left them to be converted into a fund and invested in “safe securities.” The income from the investments was to be “distributed annually in the form of prizes to those who during the preceding year have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.”
The Nobel Foundation set the Nobel Prize amount for 2023 at Swedish kronor (SEK) 11.0 million per full Nobel Prize.
Why are the individuals and organizations awarded a Nobel Prize called Nobel Prize laureates?
The word “laureate” refers to being signified by the laurel wreath. The ancient Greeks depicted Apollo, the god, wearing a laurel wreath on his head. The ancient Greeks made a laurel wreath by weaving branches and leaves of the bay laurel into a circular crown. Ancient Greeks awarded laurel wreaths to victors in athletic and poetic competitions as a sign of honor.
in conclusion, “The 1939 Nobel Peace Prize nomination of Adolf Hitler, the embodiment of war and destruction, is a stark reminder that even the most well-intentioned institutions can be vulnerable to manipulation and blind spots. This bizarre episode serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of appeasement, naivety. And it also shows the importance of vigilance in the face of evil. As we reflect on this dark chapter in history, we’re reminded that the pursuit of peace requires eternal vigilance, moral clarity, and a steadfast commitment to justice – lest we forget the lessons of the past and risk repeating the mistakes that enabled the unimaginable horrors of the Second World War.
