Norway's Nobel Past

Every December, all eyes are on Oslo as the Norwegian royal family and Norwegian society gathers for the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony. The tradition dates back to the early 1900s. Did you know that Alfred Nobel was actually from Sweden? In Viking’s December issue, we look into the life of Alfred Nobel and several theories why his will states that the Prize must be awarded in Norway.

Looking for more information? The Norwegian Nobel Institute was founded in 1904 to aid the Nobel Committee in selecting a Laureate. In addition to extensively researching each nominee, the Institute hosts seminars and conferences on peace-related topics throughout the year. The library housed within the institute stocks resources on war and peace throughout history.

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded in Oslo City Hall on
Dec. 10, 2014. Watch the lectures and award ceremony at nobelprize.org. For more information on Nobel’s life, check out this timeline. 

Anya Britzius is editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.