Non-fiction: Last Will and Testament

Background
Alfred Nobel, an industrialist and inventor best known for dynamite, signed his last will and testament on 27 November 1895. Wealth accumulated over decades of invention and business was substantial, and Nobel chose to direct most of his fortune toward a structured form of public recognition rather than leave it to relatives or scattered charitable gifts. The will surprised acquaintances and family, who had expected a more conventional division of assets.
The document frames its purpose in a single guiding phrase: prizes should be given to those who "conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." That moral and philanthropic aim is the organizing principle of every subsequent clause, shaping both the scope of activities to be rewarded and the institutional machinery Nobel envisaged to administer the endowment.

Main Provisions
Nobel stipulated that his remaining capital be invested as a fund whose interest would annually fund prizes in several named fields. He specified five categories: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. The will directed that the prizes be awarded to those who produced the most important discoveries or works within each category, allowing recognition of contributions of different kinds but insisting on clear excellence and human benefit as the criterion.
The document set additional constraints intended to preserve the fund's capital and ensure continuity. Awards were to be financed from the interest, and the principal was not to be dissipated. Nobel further permitted prizes to be divided when several contributors had jointly produced the work, thereby accommodating collaborative efforts without undermining the prize's prestige.

Administration and Selection
To implement his plan, Nobel named mechanisms and institutions to oversee investments and select laureates. He called for the creation of a foundation to manage the capital and execute the trust's purposes. For the selection of laureates, he assigned specific Swedish and Norwegian bodies: the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for physics and chemistry, the Karolinska Institute for physiology or medicine, the Swedish Academy for literature, and a Norwegian committee appointed by the Norwegian Parliament for the peace prize.
The will provided broad authority to these bodies to judge merit within their fields but left procedural details to be worked out by the foundation and the responsible institutions. Nobel's instructions emphasized impartiality and merit, and the chosen arrangement balanced Swedish academic expertise with Norway's role in the peace award, reflecting political and institutional realities of the time.

Legal Aftermath and Implementation
The will triggered immediate and protracted legal and familial challenges. Relatives contested the bequest and questions arose about the legality of establishing such an international prize structure, especially given Nobel's multinational holdings. Executives named in the testament, particularly Ragnar Sohlman, played a crucial role in defending the will and establishing the institutional framework Nobel had envisioned.
After years of negotiation and legal clarification, the Nobel Foundation was established in 1900 to administer the fund and supervise prize awarding. The first prizes were awarded in 1901, and the financial arrangements Nobel required, conserving capital while using interest for prizes, were implemented in the foundation's statutes and practice.

Legacy and Significance
The will transformed a private fortune into one of the world's most enduring mechanisms for recognizing intellectual, cultural, and humanitarian achievement. The Nobel Prizes quickly became international benchmarks of excellence and continue to shape scientific, literary, and peace discourse. Nobel's directive to reward benefits to humankind created a value-oriented legacy that remains central to the prizes' identity.
Beyond the awards themselves, the testament catalyzed institutional innovations: a dedicated foundation safeguarding long-term funding, cross-border appointment of selectors, and an emphasis on both discovery and societal benefit. The 1895 will endures as a remarkable example of intentional philanthropy, converting personal wealth into a systematic and continuing recognition of human achievement.