Further Events of Interest During the Nobel Week
Reception at the Royal Palace of Stockholm – December 11, 1937
On Saturday, the day of the Nobel Prize lecture, at 7 p.m., the monarch hosted a reception in honor of the 1937 Nobel laureates at the Royal Palace. Around one hundred prominent guests were invited. Once again, the Nobel Prize winners were accompanied by their wives as well as the ambassadors representing their countries – with Péter Matuska attending on behalf of Hungary. The five Nobel laureates stood in a semi-circle, awaiting the arrival of the royal family. King Gustaf V was the first to enter the reception room, followed by the crown prince and then the rest of the royal family, in order of rank. Albert Szent-Györgyi was introduced by Péter Matuska. Journalist György Pálóczi Horváth, correspondent for a group of Hungarian newspapers collectively referred to as Est Lapok [Evening Papers], likely overheard the informal exchange between the Szent-Györgyi couple and the monarch. He reported that after Szent-Györgyi had introduced his wife, the king followed up his courtly greeting with these words:
“I read in the papers here, Madam, how much you enjoy tennis. I would be very happy if we could play one day.”
“‘I would be truly honored, Your Majesty,’ replied Mrs. Szent-Györgyi. The round of introductions was thus interrupted, because the 80-year-old monarch, a keen sportsman, engaged in a lengthy conversation with the Szent-Györgyi couple before moving on with a friendly smile."
Pálóczi also reported that, during the initial moments of the brief conversation between the monarch and the couple, the king shook hands with the Hungarian scientist in a “surprisingly warm” manner. This was probably not an overstatement, as Gustaf V had doubtless read the newspaper reports revealing that, like himself, Szent-Györgyi was a great sports enthusiast. Had the opportunity arisen, the king would certainly have enjoyed playing tennis with the couple. That is because, in addition to being a life-long sportsman, skilled in swimming, skiing, skating, and riding (sports Szent-Györgyi excelled in), he was also an excellent tennis player. A natural democrat, Gustav V was happy to play tennis with anyone who shared his passion for the game. Similarly to Szent-Györgyi, he also believed that physical and mental health were complementary and mutually reinforcing. Gustaf V was introduced to tennis in 1879 during a visit to England. He came to enjoy this sport so much that he played it intensively for 67 years, until the age of 88. It was also on his initiative that Stockholm’s first tennis court was built. Later, he founded the Crown Prince’s Lawn Tennis Club (Kronprinsens Lawn Tennis Klubben), which was renamed Royal Lawn Tennis Club (Kungliga Lawn Tennis Klubben) in 1907, upon his ascension to the throne. The king participated in numerous international tournaments, mainly in Sweden and on the French Riviera, winning prizes under the alias “Mr. G.” and revered throughout Europe as a brilliant tennis champion. In 1980, he was posthumously inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame as a distinguished player and patron of the sport.
Gustav V and his love for tennis are also referenced in a famous novel by the Hungarian writer Frigyes Karinthy, who underwent brain surgery in Sweden. In the novel, he recalls the moments after regaining consciousness and how – still somewhat dazed – he felt a curious urge to play tennis: “[...] I stated that I wanted to play tennis, which is all the more surprising because I have never played tennis nor ever felt the desire to. It might have been a subconscious expression of my admiration and gratitude for the King of the country, as I had known that, despite his advanced age, he was an excellent tennis player. Just I few days ago, I also heard that he had even won an international championship.” (Karinthy, Frigyes: Regények II. Utazás a koponyám körül [Novels II. A Journey Round My Skull], Akkord, Budapest, 2007. p. 184)
After Gustaf V had welcomed all the Nobel laureates, the attendees proceeded to the White Sea (Vita Havet) room for dinner, where the walls were decorated with “arguably the most beautiful tapestries in the world”. The first course was Russian caviar, served on large silver platters, in accordance with Alfred Nobel’s instruction that the royal dinner in honor of the Nobel laureates should always include caviar – courtesy of the Nobel Foundation. After the meal, the guests were given a tour of the palace halls.
Szent-Györgyi summed up his impressions of the event as follows: “The royal dinner was unforgettable. I was not engaging with a monarch seated on a throne in the clouds, but with an elderly gentleman full of deep human feelings and warmth, with an incredibly broad range of interests.” However, Gustaf V wasn’t the only one who left such a positive impression on Szent-Györgyi. Recalling his experiences from the day before, this is how he remarked on Gustaf Adolf: “At the end of the banquet, we went to the cloakroom to get our coats. We were just about to leave when the Crown Prince of Sweden suddenly appeared at a back door and asked if everything was all right, if we had received our coats and galoshes. Well, that kind of personal attention is something to remember...”
Lucia in Stockholm – December 13, 1937
“Lucia, daughter of light and beauty, I crown you with this jewel. I have been asked to do so because, as a scientific researcher, I have spent my life searching for light and working for health, the highest manifestation of which is beauty. I wish that your health and beauty may radiate to all people, and that your light may shine on the whole world. For when the flame is kindled in every human heart, the whole world becomes a vast sea of light.”
Having spoken these words, Albert Szent-Györgyi presented a precious necklace, gifted by the city, to Stockholm’s Lucia, chosen from among the city’s fairest young ladies. He spoke in Swedish, and, according to newspaper reports from the time, his pronunciation was excellent! (It should be noted that Szent-Györgyi was also fluent in English, German, French, and Dutch.) The date was December 13, 1937, and the venue was Berns Salonger, one of the most grandiose cafés in the Swedish capital. It was here that the formal Lucia celebration took place, attended by nearly all of Stockholm’s prominent figures. As fascinating as this event is, its background is just as interesting.
In Sweden, Lucia symbolizes light, serves as the harbinger of the winter solstice and ushers in the Christmas season. According to an old folk tradition, on this day, each Swedish village elects its own Lucia from among the fairest young ladies in the community. Dressed in flowing white gowns and accompanied by their ladies-in-waiting, these Lucias carry light to all corners of the country, with burning candles adorning their crowns. The Lucia celebration takes place just a few days after the Nobel Prize ceremony (December 10), which may have inspired the tradition of having the Nobel laureate most favored by the Swedish public present the capital city’s gift to Lucia each year. In 1937, the public chose Szent-Györgyi – a choice that, for Hungarians, is not at all surprising.
It is also worth noting that, even after several decades, the Swedish Wikipedia entry on the Lucia tradition still features the photograph in which Szent-Györgyi reads out his tribute to Lucia.
https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucia (last accessed: September 10, 2021)
