Nobel Prize

Christian Anfinsen’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1972 Fellow students, and other ladies and gentlemen; Det er en stor ære for mig at takke Herr Fhølenhag, og alle dere som er sammlet her, fra pristagerne og våre familier, iser når jag får en chance at gøre det i en filologisk blandning…

Gerhard Herzberg’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1971 Your Royal Highnesses, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is very difficult to find appropriate words to say “thank you” for an honour like the Nobel Prize. It is the supreme honour that a scientist can receive. Some of the giants in physics…

Luis Leloir’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1970 Your Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The honour which I have received exceeds – by far – my most optimistic expectation. The prestige of the Nobel Prize is such that one is suddenly promoted to a new status. In…

Odd Hassel’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1969 (in Norwegian) Deres Majestet, Kongelige Höyheter, Mine Damer og Herrer, Jeg er blitt overlatt av min med-kjemiker, doctor Barton, å si noen takkens ord i dag i anledning av den storartede mottakelse vi har hatt i Stockholm. Og til og med å tale…

Lars Onsager’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1968 Your Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have received the greatest honor in my life – and the greatest surprise. Never did I dream that the Nobel Prize could be awarded for the reciprocal relations. Not that I felt bashful about…

Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1964 Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I must first of all with all my heart thank you for the very great honour that you have done me and the great happiness that you have conferred upon me and…

Karl Ziegler’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1963 (in German) Majestäten, Königliche Hoheiten, Hochansehnliche Versammlung, Das Testament Alfred Nobels bestimmt mit Bezug auf den Preis, der Herrn Natta und mir zuerkannt worden ist, daß er für diejenige Erfindung oder Verbesserung auf chemischem Gebiet vergeben werden solle, die im verflossenen Jahre der…

Max F. Perutz’ speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1962 Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. I was deeply moved by the Royal Swedish Academy’s decision to elevate me, a man of modest gifts, to the Olympian heights of a Nobel Laureate. On hearing the news, a friend who…

John C. Kendrew’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1962 Your Majesties, your Royal Highnesses, Ladies and Gentlemen and – perhaps I may add – Citizens of Sweden: today you have raised your flags over the buildings of Stockholm to do us honour. As I was walking through the city this morning…

Melvin Calvin’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1961 Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. To express to you in mere words, our personal feelings on this occasion you must know to be impossible, and particularly so for one who normally has to describe only things outside himself.…