Nobel Prize

by Olav Njølstad Research Director, the Norwegian Nobel Institute, 1999 – Since the end of the Cold War, many surprising facts and well-kept secrets about the policy-making in the former Soviet Union have been disclosed through the release of newly declassified documents. In more ways than one, this new openness has added to our knowledge…

by Bo Svensén* Organisation of work Once the of the Nobel Foundation had been ratified in June 1900, the Swedish Academy immediately set to work on the preparations required to enable the award of the first Nobel Prize in 1901. A Nobel Committee consisting of five members of the Academy was established in October 1900.…

by Judith Goodstein California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology is a small, independent university of research and teaching in science and engineering, with 900 Ph.D. level researchers, including almost 300 regular faculty, 900 undergraduates, and 1,000 graduate students. In spite of its small size, it has become one of the world’s leading…

Short biography Kostøl, Esther Marie 1936 – Trade union leader and politician Labour Esther Kostøl worked for the Norwegian Civil Servants’ Association (Norsk Tjenestemannslag) in 1977 and in the period 1978-1985, she worked for the Civil Servants’ Cartel (Statstjenestemannskartellet). She was Secretary of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions in 1985-1989, its Deputy Chairman in…

By Øyvind Tønnesson, Nobelprize.org Peace Editor, 1998-2000 1 December 1999 What do we know about the Nobel Peace Prize, the laureates and why they were selected? How has the Norwegian Nobel Committee interpreted the concept of peace and Alfred Nobel’s in the changing historical context of the 20th century? In the following we will briefly…

Short biography Koht, Halvdan 1873 – 1965 Historian and politician Labour Koht was originally a Liberal, becoming more radical during the 1890s. From 1896 he regarded himself as a socialist and became affiliated with the Labour Party. However, he did not officially become a party member until 1911. He soon became engaged in the local…

Short biography Hanssen, Cornelius Bernhard 1864 – 1939 Teacher, shipowner and politician Liberal Cornelius Bernhard Hanssen worked as a teacher in 1883-1891. He then became editor and publisher of a local newspaper Agder. In 1898 he entered the shipping business and later became a wealthy shipowner. Hanssen was a member of the Storting in 1900-1915…

Short biography Oftedal, Christian Stephansen 1907 – 1955 Journalist and politician Liberal Christian Stephansen Oftedal graduated from high school in 1926. He studied in Oslo, Poitiers and Geneva and got his B.A. in 1931. In 1932 he became editor of the newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad. He was elected to the City Council in Stavanger in 1937.…

Short biography Kvanmo, Hanna Kristine 1926 – 2005 Politician Socialist left party As a young woman Hanna Kristine Kvanmo had various occupations. She worked as a teacher in 1962-1973. In the period 1967-1975 she was actively engaged in local politics in Rana (a community in northern Norway). She was a member of the Storting in…

Short biography Langhelle, Nils 1907 – 1967 Politician Labour Nils Langhelle got his M.A. in 1934. He was a member of the city council of Bergen in the period in 1937-1947 and chairman of the local branch of the Labour Party in 1935-1945 and from 1960. Langhelle was a member of the Storting in 1950-1965,…