The 1953 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to the

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern ...

Sir

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...

(1874–1965) "for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values." He is the sixth British writer to receive the prize, coming after the philosopher

Bertrand Russell Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was a British mathematician, philosopher, logician, and public intellectual. He had a considerable influence on mathematics, logic, set theory, linguistics, ...

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 crashes in a snowstorm. All 19 ...

Laureate

One of the most well-known leaders of the 20th century, Winston Churchill, also left behind a sizable corpus of writing. His writings include a multivolume study about the

First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

and

Second World Wars World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, a thorough history of his ancestor the first Duke of Marlborough, and an autobiography in which he recounts his exciting years as an officer and war journalist. The books' entertaining writing style is combined with their neutrality. Churchill's beautiful and historic speeches delivered during World War II are among his most significant literary compositions. Among his famous non-fiction works include ''

Arms and the Covenant ''Arms and the Covenant'' is a 1938 non-fiction book written by Winston Churchill. It was later published in the United States as ''While England Slept; a Survey of World Affairs, 1932–1938''. It highlighted the United Kingdom's lack of militar ...

'' (1938), ''

The World Crisis ''The World Crisis'' is Winston Churchill's account of the First World War, published in six volumes (technically five, as Volume III was published in two parts). Published between 1923 and 1931: in many respects it prefigures his better-know ...

'' (1923–1931), ''

The Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

'' (1948–1953), and ''

A History of the English-Speaking Peoples ''A History of the English-Speaking Peoples'' is a four-volume history of Britain and its former colonies and possessions throughout the world, written by Winston Churchill, covering the period from Caesar's invasions of Britain (55 BC) to the e ...

'' (1956–1958).

Deliberations

Nominations

Churchill was nominated for the prize on 23 occasions since 1946, the first time made by Axel Romdahl, a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities. He received the highest number of nominations – six nominations from academics and writers – for the year 1950. In 1953, he received a single nomination from Birger Nerman, member of the same academy, which eventually led to him being awarded. In total, the Nobel Committee of the Swedish Academy received 34 nominations for 24 individuals. The highest number of nominations – 3 nominations each – were for

Johan Falkberget Johan Falkberget, born Johan Petter Lillebakken, (30 September 1879 – 5 April 1967) was a Norwegian author. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Life and career Johan Falkberget was born on the Lillebakken farm in the Rugl ...

Tarjei Vesaas Tarjei Vesaas (20 August 1897 – 15 March 1970) was a Norwegian poet and novelist. Vesaas is widely considered to be one of Norway's greatest writers of the twentieth century and perhaps its most important since World War II. Biography Vesaas ...

, and

Rudolf Kassner Rudolf Kassner (11 September 1873 Velké Pavlovice – 1 April 1959 Sierre Switzerland) was an Austrian writer, essayist, translator and cultural philosopher. Although stricken as an infant with poliomyelitis, Kassner traveled widely to norther ...

. Three of the nominees were nominated first-time, namely the German poet

Gottfried Benn Gottfried Benn (2 May 1886 – 7 July 1956) was a German poet, essayist, and physician. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature five times. He was awarded the Georg Büchner Prize in 1951. Biography and work Family and beginnings Go ...

, Peruvian Alberto Hidalgo, and the Austrian writer

Max Mell Max Mell (1882–1971) was an Austrian writer. He wrote plays, novels and screenplays. He was born in Maribor, then part of the Austrian Empire but now in Slovenia. He studied at Vienna University, and served in the Austrian military during World ...

. No women were nominated for the prize that year. The authors

Hilaire Belloc Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc (, ; 27 July 187016 July 1953) was a Franco-English writer and historian of the early twentieth century. Belloc was also an orator, poet, sailor, satirist, writer of letters, soldier, and political activist. H ...

Henri Bernstein Henri-Léon-Gustave-Charles Bernstein (20 June 1876 – 27 November 1953) was a French playwright associated with Boulevard theatre. Biography Bernstein was born in Paris. His earliest plays, including ''La Rafale'' (1905), ''Le Voleur'' (1907), ...

Elsa Beskow Elsa Beskow ( Maartman; 11February 187430June 1953) was a famous Swedish author and illustrator of children's books. Among her better known books are ''Tale of the Little Little Old Woman'' and ''Aunt Green, Aunt Brown and Aunt Lavender''. Back ...

Ugo Betti Ugo Betti (4 February 1892 in Camerino – 9 June 1953 in Rome) was an Italian judge, better known as an author, who is considered by many the greatest Italian playwright next to Pirandello. Biography Betti studied law in Parma at the time when ...

Émile Cammaerts Émile Leon Cammaerts CBE (16 March 1878 in Saint-Gilles, Belgium – 2 November 1953, Radlett, Hertfordshire) was a Belgian playwright, poet (including war poet) and author who wrote primarily in English and French. Cammaerts translated three b ...

Idris Davies Idris Davies (6 January 1905 – 6 April 1953) was a Welsh poet. Born in Rhymney, near Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales, he became a poet, originally writing in Welsh, but later writing exclusively in English. He was the only poet to cover signific ...

Julia de Burgos Julia de Burgos García (February 17, 1914 – July 6, 1953) was a Puerto Rican poet. As an advocate of Puerto Rican independence, she served as Secretary General of the Daughters of Freedom, the women's branch of the Puerto Rican Nationa ...

, Ellen Hørup, C. E. M. Joad, Elizabeth Mary Jones (known as Moelona),

Alice Milligan Alice Letitia Milligan 'pseud.'' Iris Olkyrn(4 September 1865 – 13 April 1953) was an Irish writer and activist in Ireland's Celtic Revival; an advocate for the political and cultural participation of women; and a Protestant-unionist convert ...

Theodore Francis Powys Theodore Francis Powys (20 December 1875 – 27 November 1953) – published as T. F. Powys – was a British novelist and short-story writer."Powys, Theodore Francis" in Christine L. Krueger, ''Encyclopedia of British Writers, 19th and 20th Ce ...

, Hans Reichenbach, Marjorie Rawlings, Dylan Thomas, Marguerite Vallette-Eymery (known as Rachilde),

John van Melle John van Melle (11 February 1887 – 8 November 1953) was the pen name of a Dutch-born South African writer. His real name was Johannes van Melle. Van Melle was born in Goes. He arrived in South Africa in 1906, and after a short sojourn in the ...

, and Alfred Vierkandt died in 1953 without having been nominated for the prize.

Prize decision

Churchill was first nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1946, but his candidacy was then rejected. In 1948 academy member

Nils Ahnlund Nils Ahnlund (23 August 1889 – 11 January 1957) was a Swedish historian. He was professor of history at the then-Stockholm University College 1928–1955, and became a member of the Swedish Academy in 1941. He was the father of physician Hans ...

wrote in a report that Churchill is "not entirely qualified for the literature prize", but considering his rhetorics Ahnlund said he was qualified: "This rhetoric, by turns simple, by turns elevated but always comprehensible for each and everyone, has the mark of genuine art." The Swedish Academy was however worried that a prize to Churchill would be seen as politically motivated, and his candidacy was postponed. By 1953, the academy thought that enough time had passed since the end of the war and hoped that a prize to Churchill would be regarded as a literary award.

Reactions

The decision to award Winston Churchill the Nobel Prize in Literature have been questioned. "Winston Churchill is historical but he belongs only to a little extent to the history of literature," wrote Helmer Lång in his 2001 book about the Nobel Prizes in literature, "It was the defender of democracy, the winner against fascism, that was awarded a Nobel Prize". Lång said that "for once it was also a master of eloquence that was awarded", that it was Churchill's speeches during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and his recently completed non-fiction work ''

'' that got him the prize. Churchill himself said: "I think it a very great honor to receive from the Swedish Academy of Literature this distinction gained among all the other writers of the world." But according to his private secretary

Anthony Montague Browne Sir Anthony Arthur Duncan Montague Browne (8 May 1923 – 1 April 2013) was a British diplomat who was private secretary to Sir Winston Churchill during the last ten years of the latter's life. Montague Browne was the biological father of Justi ...

, Churchill was disappointed that he had not been awarded the

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiolog ...

: “Churchill deeply wished to be remembered as a peacemaker…. I remember vividly his early and touching joy, which turned to indifference when he learned that it was for Literature and not for Peace.”

Award ceremony

Due to health concerns, Churchill did not go to Sweden for the award ceremony. Instead, Lady

Clementine Churchill Clementine Ogilvy Spencer Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill, (; 1 April 1885 – 12 December 1977) was the wife of Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and a life peer in her own right. While legally the daughter o ...

, his wife, accompanied by their daughter

Mary Soames Mary Soames, Baroness Soames, (; 15 September 1922 31 May 2014) was an English author. The youngest of the five children of Winston Churchill and his wife, Clementine, she worked for public organisations including the Red Cross and the Women's ...

, travelled to Stockholm to receive the Prize on his behalf in December of the same year.

References

External links

International Churchill Society: Winston ChurchillAward Ceremony speech
nobelprize.org {{Nobel Prize in Literature

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen President of Yug ...

Winston Churchill