Nobel Prize

Brindis del Nobel Spanish Soy un contador de historias y, por lo tanto, antes de proponerles un brindis, voy a contarles una historia. Érase una vez un niño que a los cinco años aprendió a leer. Eso le cambió la vida. Gracias a los libros de aventuras…

Gabriel García Márquez’ speech at the Nobel Banquet, December 10, 1982 (in Spanish) Sus Majestades, Sus Altezas Reales, Amigos: Agradezco a la Academia de Letras de Suecia el que me haya distinguido con un premio que me coloca junto a muchos de quienes orientaron y enriquecieron mis años de lector y de cotidiano celebrante de…

Camilo José Cela’s speech at the Nobel Banquet, December 10, 1989 Your Majesties, Your Royal Highness, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Swedish Academy is honouring me by inscribing my name in the margins of the roll of illustrious personages of contemporary world literature. It is an honour which is out of all proportion to…

Wole Soyinka’s speech at the Nobel Banquet, December 10, 1986 Your Majesties, Ladies and Gentlemen, It was inevitable that the Nordic world and the African, especially that part of it which constitutes the Yoruba world – should meet at the crossroads of Sweden. That I am the agent of such a symbolic encounter is due…

Heinrich Böll’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1972 (in German) Herr Ministerpräsident, meine Damen und Herren, anlässlich eines Besuchs in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland hat Seine Majestät der König von Schweden einen gelehrten Blick in die Schichten der Vergänglichkeit getan, aus der wir kommen und auf der wir wohnen. Vielleicht hat der…

English François Mauriac’s speech at the Nobel Banquet at the City Hall in Stockholm, December 10, 1952. (Translation) The last subject to be touched upon by the man of letters whom you are honouring, I think, is himself and his work. But how could I turn my thoughts away from that work and that man,…

Irving Langmuir’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1932 To my mind this impressive ceremony which so well typifies the spirit of the Swedish people, is significant as a realization of the magnificent idealism of Alfred Nobel. He desired above all things to benefit mankind. He recognized the importance of science and…

Owen Willans Richardson’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1929 Your Royal Highnesses, Your Excellencies, My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, I yield to no man in my admiration of the Swedish race. A race which has produced such names as those of Linnaeus, Scheele, Berzelius, Ångstrom and Rydberg, to mention a few…

As the Laureate was unable to be present at the Nobel Banquet at Grand Hôtel, Stockholm, December 10, 1922, the speech was read by the German Minister R. Nadolny (in German). Da Professor Einstein durch seine Reise nach dem fernen Osten verhindert ist, die hohen Ehren des Nobelpreises selbst entgegenzunehmen, ist mir die Aufgabe und…

Hendrik A. Lorentz’ speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1902 (in German) Königliche Hoheiten, Meine Herren! Gestatten Sie mir, für die hohe mir heute erwiesene Ehre meinen wärmsten und herzlichsten Dank auszusprechen, und Ihnen zu sagen, dass ich auf die mir zum Teil gewordene Anerkennung den grössten Wert lege, weil sie mir…