How did Bertha von Suttner influence Alfred Nobel’s decision to establish the Nobel Peace Prize?

Bertha von Suttner played a pivotal role in the creation of the Nobel Peace Prize. Although she served as Alfred Nobel’s secretary for only a brief period in 1876, the two maintained a lifelong correspondence that significantly shaped his later philanthropic interests.1

As von Suttner became a prominent leader in the international peace movement—founding an Austrian pacifist organization in 1891 and authoring the influential anti-war novel Die Waffen nieder! (Lay Down Your Arms!)—she frequently shared her pacifist ideals with Nobel through her letters. Following their final meeting in 1892, which occurred shortly after she participated in a peace congress in Bern, it is widely believed that her persistent advocacy and their ongoing dialogue inspired Nobel to include a peace category in his will. This decision is considered a key factor in his desire to leave a positive legacy, contrasting with his reputation as an inventor of powerful explosives. In recognition of her efforts, von Suttner was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905.12