Alfred Nobel     1833 Alfred Nobel is born in Stockholm, Sweden. His father, Immanuel Nobel, goes bankrupt. 1837 Immanuel Nobel travels to Finland and then to St. Petersburg, Russia where he founds a mechanical workshop; his family is left in Sweden. 1842 The Nobel family is reunited in St. Petersburg. 1850-1852 Alfred Nobel goes to Paris and works for one year in the laboratory of T. Jules Pelouze. Travels to Italy, Germany and the U.S.A. 1853-1856 The Crimean War rages. The Nobel Company first flourishes, but then undergoes bankruptcy as the war ends and the Russian military cancels orders. Desperate search for new products. Zinin, Alfred Nobel's chemistry teacher, reminds him of nitroglycerine. 1860 Alfred Nobel starts his experiments with nitroglycerine. 1863 Obtains first patent on nitroglycerine (blasting oil) as an industrial explosive. Develops and patents an igniter (blasting cap) for triggering the explosion of nitroglycerine. Moves to Stockholm and continues experiments. 1864 Emil, Alfred Nobel's brother, is killed during the preparation of nitroglycerine at Heleneborg, Stockholm. Nobel continues experiments and founds Nitroglycerin AB (Stockholm). 1865 Alfred Nobel improves blasting cap and moves to Germany to set up Alfred Nobel & Co. 1866 Establishes the United States Blasting oil company in the U.S. Violent explosion destroys the Krammel plant. Experimenting on a raft anchored on the river Elbe, Alfred Nobel tries to make nitroglycerine safer to handle. Finds that the addition of kieselguhr turns nitroglycerine into a dough that can be kneaded, and calls it "dynamite". 1867 Alfred Nobel obtains patent for dynamite. 1870 Founds Societe general pour la fabrication de la dynamite (Paris, France). 1871 British Dynamite Company (Ardeer, Scotland, UK) is founded. In 1877 the company name was changed to Nobel's Explosives Company. 1872 Immanuel, Alfred Nobel's father, passes away. 1873 At the age of 40 Alfred Nobel is a wealthy man. He moves to Paris and settles at Avenue Malakoff. Manufacture of nitroglycerine and dynamite start at Ardeer. 1875 Alfred Nobel invents blasting gelatine in Paris. Patented in 1876. 1876 Dynamitaktiengesellschaft (DAG), formerly Alfred Nobel & Co (Hamburg, Germany), is formed. Alfred Nobel advertises for a housekeeper/personal secretary, meets with Bertha Kinsky von Chinic und Tettau (later von Suttner) and hires her. She leaves her employment after a short time and becomes a leading peace activist. 1880 Dynamite Nobel is formed by the fusion of Nobel's Italian and Swiss companies. 1881 Alfred Nobel buys an estate and laboratory at Sevran outside Paris. 1885 German Union formed by fusing DAG and a group of German dynamite companies. 1886 Nobel-Dynamite Trust Co, (London, UK) a cartelle of DAG and Nobel's Explosives. 1887 Obtains patent for blasting powder "ballistite" in France. 1889 Andriette, Alfred Nobel's mother, passes away. 1891 Alfred Nobel leaves Paris and settles in San Remo, Italy after dispute with the French government over ballistite. 1893 Alfred Nobel hires Ragnar Sohlman whom he later named executor of his will and testament. 1894 Alfred Nobel buys a small machine works, Bofors-Gullspang and a manor (Bjorkborn) at Karlskoga, Sweden. 1895 The third and last will of Alfred Nobel is signed at the Swedish-Norwegian Club in Paris. 1896 Alfred Nobel dies in his home in San Remo, Italy on December 10, 1896.