Nobel Laureates
Learn about Hungarian Nobel Laureates
Disproportionate Prizes
Have you ever realized how many Nobel prizes have gone to Hungarians? We come from a small country, yet we have produced a disproportionate amount of Nobel prizes over the years from 1905 until the present. You can be proud of the intellectual contributions our homeland has produced. Hungarians have been given Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Economics – in all fields.
History of Nobel Prizes
Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his 1895 will, awarded to “those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind.” As a result of his dynamite invention, Nobel accrued tremendous wealth. Alfred Nobel left his wealth to be distributed for the winners of these five, later six categories. This financial legacy is still being used today for the winners of the Nobel prizes. It was Alfred Nobel’s hope that the destructive powers of his invention would help bring an end to war.
The Nobel prizes are five separate prizes given out each year, according to Alfred Nobel’s will. The sixth prize, the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, was established in 1968.
Hungarians have won 15 Nobel Prizes since 1905 until present. These are those born in the country of Hungary, and residing there when they won the prize. If you count those who were born in Hungary, but residing elsewhere, then the number jumps to 22. We will cover the categories of the 15 awarded prizes.
Prizes Per Capita
Now, we’ll look at a few charts showing Nobel prizes per capita in various categories.
The chart for Natural Sciences shows Hungary ranked number 1 in the world. The significant figure is the Laureates per population of ten million.
The chart for Science shows Hungary ranked number 1 in the world.
The chart for Physics shows Hungary ranked number 1 in the world.
The chart for Chemistry shows Hungary ranked number 1 in the world.
The chart for Medicine shows Hungary ranked number 4, only edged out by Switzerland, Sweden, and Denmark.
The chart for Economics shows Hungary ranked number 2 in the world with Norway at the top.
Please note that these rankings reflect over 120 years of time, and represent the number of laureates per 10 million population of the country.
Stamps Honoring Laureates
Stamps were printed in Hungary in 1988 to honor 6 recipients, and 1 further stamp printed in 1999.
First Day Covers (Stamps) were printed in Hungary in 1995 to honor 12 recipients. You’ll also see a cover honoring 100 years of Nobel Prize distributions. Of note, the religion of the winners was 10 Roman Catholics, 8 Protestants (including Oláh’s, which was the same as my parents, Reformed) and 9 Jewish.
It is worth noting that a large number of physicists involved in the development of the atomic bomb were not given Nobel prizes for their contribution to the first sustained nuclear fission reaction. These include Edward Teller, Leo Szilard, Theodore von Karman, and John von Newmann.
A First Day Cover to honored Theodore von Karman, for his contribution as mathematician, aerospace engineer and physicist. This Hungarian was honored by the United States producing a 29 cent stamp in 1992.
As a side note, Milton Friedman, born 1912, won a Nobel prize in Economics in 1976. He was American born of Hungarian parents from Beregszász, Hungary.
Besides excelling in Nobel prizes, we have a beginning with the Pulitzer prize. Joseph Pulitzer, born in 1847, was a newspaper magnet born in Makó, Hungary (near Budapest). He propagated the Pulitzer Prize with his favorite subject: the exposure of corruption.
What is amazing is the absolute number of Nobel prizes awarded to Hungary. Particularly, when you consider the small population of Hungary. Hence, the reason for designating the per capita result of Hungary. This further supports the status of the Hungarian nation. It is truly a wonder, considering that Hungary went through horrendous losses in two world wars, the loss of 2/3 of its people and land in
1919, and the oppression of communism from 1945 thru 1991. The spirit of Hungary would continue to
consistently rise above her circumstances. Surely the hand of God has rested on our beloved Hungary.