1950 Nobel Prize in Literature

20px 1950 Nobel Prize in Literature Bertrand Russell Swedish Academy 1901 https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1950/summary/ 1950 laureate File:Bertrand Russell photo (cropped 7-9).jpg 10 November 1950notes The Swedish Academy decided on 10th November 1950 that the 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature should be awarded to William Faulkner and that this year's Nobel Prize in Literature should be awarded to Bertrand Russell.http://libris.kb.se/bib/8345517 Nobelpriset i litteratur. Nomineringar och utlåtanden 1901–1950 Bo Svensén 2001 Svenska Akademien 9789113010076 1 November 2025 (announcement) 10 December 1950 (ceremony) Stockholm, Sweden 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature 1951 The 1950 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to the British philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) "in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought."https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1950/summary/ Nobel Prize in Literature 1950 nobelprize.orghttps://www.nytimes.com/1950/11/11/archives/faulkner-gets-nobel-prize-bertrand-russell-is-honored-literatare.html Faulkner Gets Nobel Prize; Bertrand Russell Is Honored; Literatare Awards Cover '49 and '50--Briton, Two Germans Win in Science 11 November 1950 George Axelsson New York Times He is the third philosopher to become a recipient of the prize after the German philosopher Rudolf Christoph Eucken in 1908 and the French analytic-continental philosopher Henri Bergson in 1927, and the fifth British author to be awarded. Laureate Bertrand Russell Bertrand Russell made his first pioneering contributions within the branch of philosophy that deals with logic and mathematics. But his influence eventually spread across much more ground.Bertrand Russell – Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy plato.stanford.edu His work is known for its lightheartedness and humor, and it has helped a large audience of readers learn about science and philosophy. His writings cover a variety of subjects, including social and moral challenges, and his opinions were frequently divisive. Russell was a fierce champion of the right to free speech and thinking as well as a strong supporter of reason and humanism. His most famous philosophical works include Principia Mathematica (1910–1913), The Problems of Philosophy (1912), Why I Am Not a Christian (1927), Power: A New Social Analysis (1938), and A History of Western Philosophy (1945).Bertrand Russell – Facts nobelprize.orgBertrand Russell britannica.com Deliberations Nominations Russell had not been nominated for the prize before 1950, making it one of the rare occasions when an author have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature the same year they were first nominated.https://www.svenskaakademien.se/nobelpriset/nomineringar-och-utlatanden-1901-1950 Nomineringar och utlåtanden 1901-1950 Svenska Akademien Swedish He was only nominated once by nominator Eugen Tigerstedt (1907–1979), professor of Swedish literature at the University of Helsinki.https://www.nobelprize.org/nomination/archive/show.php?id=10533 Nomination Archive – Bertrand Russell nobelprize.org 21 May 2024 In total, the Nobel committee received 79 nominations for 54 writers. Pär Lagerkvist (awarded in 1951) received seven nominations and was named a favorite following the publication of his novel Barabbas,Håkan Möller "Pär Lagerkvist, Barabbas and the Nobel Prize for Literature" Journal of World Literature 1 2016, p.505 while Winston Churchill (awarded in 1953) received six nominations. Twenty of the nominees were nominated first-time such as Simon Vestdijk, Graham Greene, Mika Waltari, Martin Buber, Robert Frost, Karl Jaspers, Alfred Noyes, John Dewey, Hermann Broch, and Robert Graves. Four of the nominees were women namely Karen Blixen, Marie Under, Gertrud von Le Fort, and Henriette Roland Holst. The American author William Faulkner was nominated in 1950 and was awarded retroactively with the 1949 prize.Nomination archive – 1950 nobelprize.org The authors Edgar Rice Burroughs, Augusto d'Halmar, Albert Ehrenstein, John Gould Fletcher, Nicolai Hartmann, George Cecil Ives, Alfred Korzybski, Sigizmund Krzhizhanovsky, Elisabeth Langgässer, Marcel Mauss, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Emmanuel Mounier, Cesare Pavese, Ernest Poole, Hilda D. Oakeley, George Orwell, Alykul Osmonov, Rafael Sabatini, Agnes Smedley, Olaf Stapledon, Xavier Villaurrutia, and Yi Gwangsu (nominated posthumously in 1970) died in 1950 without having been nominated. Official list of nominees and their nominators for the prize No. Nominee Country Genre(s) Nominator(s)1Mark Aldanov (1886–1957)Soviet Union(Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic Ukraine)French Fourth Republic Francebiography, novel, essays, literary criticism20px Ivan Bunin (1870–1953)2Eugène Baie (1874–1964) Belgiumlaw, essaysPaul Saintenoy (1862–1952)3Karen Blixen (1885–1962) Denmarknovel, short story, memoirCai Woel (1895–1963)4Jacobus Cornelis Bloem (1887–1966)Netherlandspoetry, essaysVictor Emanuel van Vriesland (1892–1974)5Hermann Broch (1886–1951)Austrianovel, essaysThe Austrian PEN-Club6Martin Buber (1878–1965)AustriaIsraelphilosophy20px Hermann Hesse (1877–1962)7Albert Camus (1913–1960) French Fourth Republic Francenovel, short story, essays, philosophy, dramaGustaf Hellström (1882–1953)8Hans Carossa (1878–1956) West Germanypoetry, autobiography, essaysAxel Lindqvist (1873–1953)9Winston Churchill (1874–1965) United Kingdomhistory, essays, memoirWilhelm Keilhau (1888–1954) Heinrich Wolfgang Donner (1904-1980) Ture Johnsson Arne (1879–1965) Harald Hagendahl (1889–1986) Birger Nerman (1888–1971) Axel Romdahl (1880–1951)10Paul Claudel (1868–1955)French Fourth Republic Francepoetry, drama, essays, memoirFernand Gregh (1873–1960) French Centre – PEN International Hjalmar Gullberg (1898–1961)11Benedetto Croce (1866–1952) Italyhistory, philosophy, lawGösta Säflund (1903–2004) Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori12Júlio Dantas (1876–1962)Estado Novo (Portugal) Portugalpoetry, drama, novel, essaysLisbon Academy of Sciences13John Dewey (1859–1952)United States 1912philosophy, pedagogy, essaysHenry Steele Commager (1902–1998)14Georges Duhamel (1884–1966) French Fourth Republic Francenovel, short story, poetry, drama, literary criticismFrench Centre – PEN International Hjalmar Hammarskjöld (1862–1953)15Johan Falkberget (1879–1967) Norwaynovel, short story, essaysTorstein Høverstad (1880–1959) Richard Beck (1897–1980)16William Faulkner (1897–1962)United States 1912novel, short story, screenplay, poetry, essaysPrince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland (1884–1965)17Robert Frost (1874–1963) United States 1912poetry, dramaAmerican Academy of Arts and Letters18Edward Morgan Forster (1879–1970) United Kingdomnovel, short story, drama, essays, biography, literary criticismEnglish PEN Centre19Robert Graves (1895–1985) United Kingdomhistory, novel, poetry, literary criticism, essaysHarry Martinson (1904–1978)20Graham Greene (1904–1991) United Kingdomnovel, short story, autobiography, essaysGustaf Hellström (1882–1953) Einar Löfstedt (1880–1955)21Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) United States 1912novel, short story, screenplayAnders Österling (1884–1981)22Taha Hussein (1889–1973) Kingdom of Egypt Egyptnovel, short story, poetry, translationBernard Guyon (1904–1975)23Nikos Kazantzakis (1883–1957) Kingdom of Greece Greecenovel, philosophy, essays, drama, memoir, translationHjalmar Gullberg (1898–1961)24Karl Jaspers (1883–1969)West GermanySwitzerlandphilosophyErnst Levy (1881–1968)25Johannes Jørgensen (1866–1956)Denmarknovel, poetry, biographyCai Woel (1895–1963)26Pär Lagerkvist (1891–1974) Swedenpoetry, novel, short story, dramaHans Heiberg (1904–1978) Harry Martinson (1904–1978) Hjalmar Gullberg (1898–1961) Martin Lamm (1880–1950) Cai Woel (1895–1963) Gunnar Beskow (1901–1991) Ragnar Ekelund (1892–1960)27Halldór Laxness (1902–1998) Icelandnovel, short story, drama, poetryDag Strömbäck (1900–1978) Halldór Stefánsson (1892–1979) Jón Helgason (1899–1986)28Enrique Larreta (1875–1961)Argentinahistory, essays, drama, novelJosé Antonio Oría Mestres (1896–1970) Álvaro Melián Lafinur (1889–1958)29Leonid Leonov (1899–1994) Soviet Uniondrama, novel, short storyValentin Kiparsky (1904–1983)30Lin Yutang (1895–1976)Chinanovel, philosophy, essays, translation20px Pearl Buck (1892–1973)31François Mauriac (1885–1970) French Fourth Republic Francenovel, short storyFernand Gregh (1873–1960) French Centre – PEN International32Ramón Menéndez Pidal (1869–1968) Francoist Spain Spainphilology, historyGunnar Tilander (1894–1973)33Martin Andersen Nexø (1869–1954) Denmarknovel, short storyKai Friis Møller (1888–1960) Cai Woel (1895–1963)34Alfred Noyes (1880–1958)United Kingdompoetry, drama, essays, biography, novel, short story, literary criticismFrederick Samuel Boas (1862–1957)35Seán O'Casey (1880–1964) Irelanddrama, memoir Mary Elizabeth Morton (1876–1957) Oscar Wieselgren (1886–1971)36Arnulf Øverland (1889–1968) Norwaypoetry, essaysCai Woel (1895–1963)37Boris Pasternak (1890–1960) Soviet Unionpoetry, novel, translationMartin Lamm (1880–1950)38Edward Plunkett (1878–1957)Irelandshort story, novel, drama, poetry, essays, history, autobiographyIrish PEN Centre39Thomas Head Raddall (1903–1994)Canada 1868novel, short story, history, essays, memoirWill Richard Bird (1891–1984)40Henriette Roland Holst (1869–1952)Netherlandspoetry, essays, biographyVictor Emanuel van Vriesland (1892–1974)41Jules Romains (1885–1972) French Fourth Republic Francepoetry, drama, screenplayFernand Gregh (1873–1960) French Centre – PEN International42Bertrand Russell (1872–1970)United Kingdomphilosophy, essays, historyEugen Tigerstedt (1907–1979)43Jean Schlumberger (1877–1968) French Fourth Republic Francepoetry, essaysFrench Centre – PEN International44Mikhail Sholokhov (1905–1984) Soviet UnionnovelValentin Kiparsky (1904–1983)45Angelos Sikelianos (1884–1951) Kingdom of Greece Greecepoetry, dramaHjalmar Gullberg (1898–1961) Hellenic Authors' Society46Leopold Staff (1878–1957)Polish People's Republic Polandpoetry, translationJan Parandowski (1895–1978)47Albert Steffen (1884–1963)Switzerlandpoetry, essays, drama, novelKersti Bergroth (1886–1975)48Stijn Streuvels (1871–1969) Belgiumnovel, short storyFranz De Backer (1891–1961)49Arnold Joseph Toynbee (1889–1975) United Kingdomhistory, philosophyFredrik Böök (1883–1961)50Marie Under (1883–1980) Soviet Union(Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Estonia)poetryJohannes Aavik (1880–1973)51Tarjei Vesaas (1897–1970) Norwaypoetry, novelOlav Midttun (1883–1972)52Simon Vestdijk (1898–1971) Netherlandsnovel, poetry, essays, translationVictor Emanuel van Vriesland (1892–1974)53Gertrud von Le Fort (1876–1971) West Germanynovel, short story, essays, poetry20px Hermann Hesse (1877–1962)54Mika Waltari (1908–1979) Finlandshort story, novel, poetry, drama, essays, screenplayYrjö Soini (1896–1975) Aarne Anttila (1892–1952) Prize decision In 1950, the Nobel committee's shortlisted candidates were Bertrand Russell, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Graham Greene and the Greek writers Angelos Sikelianos and Nikos Kazantzakis for a proposed shared prize. The committee unanimously proposed that Bertrand Russell should be awarded the prize for 1950. In the committee's report to the Swedish Academy, committee chairman Anders Österling wrote that Russell "should be given a definite priority both because of his superior intellectual equipment and his far-reaching influence as a modern Enlightenment philosopher (...) Through his liberal humanism, Russell also seems to me to correspond in the best sense precisely to the wishes and the way of thinking that guided Alfred Nobel when he established his prizes."Nobelpriset i litteratur. Nomineringar och utlåtanden 1920-1950 1950 Svensén, Bo Svenska Akademien 2001 For the reserved 1949 prize, the Nobel committee proposed William Faulkner, a shared prize to Sikeleanos and Kazantzakis and Pär Lagerkvist (subsequently awarded the 1951 Nobel Prize in Literature). On 10 November 1950, the Swedish Academy decided the prize for 1949 should be awarded to William Faulkner and the prize for 1950 to Bertrand Russell. Award Ceremony During the award ceremony held at Stockholm City Hall on 10 December 1950, Anders Österling of the Swedish Academy, said:"With his superior intellect, Russell has, throughout half a century, been at the centre of public debate, watchful and always ready for battle, as active as ever to this very day, having behind him a life of writing of most imposing scope. His works in the sciences concerned with human knowledge and mathematical logic are epoch-making and have been compared to Newton's fundamental results in mechanics. Yet it is not these achievements in special branches of science that the Nobel Prize is primarily meant to recognize. What is important, from our point of view, is that Russell has so extensively addressed his books to a public of laymen, and, in doing so, has been so eminently successful in keeping alive the interest in general philosophy."Award Ceremony speech by Anders Österling nobelprize.org Nobel lecture Russell delivered a Nobel lecture entitled "What Desires Are Politically Important?" at the Swedish Academy on 11 December 1950. The lecture addresses the political ramifications of desires that are considered infinite in their ability to be satisfied but not necessary for immediate human survival.1950 Nobel lecture nobelprize.org He highly stressed the importance of neutral and socially beneficial venues for the venting of passions and suggests the cultivation of intelligence as the best antidote for social strife. Notes References External links Award Ceremony speech The Nobel Prize Award Ceremony 1950 video nobelprize.org 1950 Category:Bertrand Russell Nobel