Szent-Györgyi Receives the Nobel Prize at the Stockholm Konserthuset – December 10, 1937
The Nobel Prize Award Ceremony, the most significant event of the Nobel Week, took place in the main hall of the Konserthuset Stockholm (Stockholm Concert Hall), starting at 5 p.m. The prizes have been presented here since 1926, the year the building’s construction was completed. The date is also traditional: December 10 – the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The atmosphere at the 1937 award ceremony was particularly uplifting, as the event nearly coincided with a royal jubilee: on December 8, it was almost 30 years since the 80-year-old King of Sweden, Gustaf V, ascended to the throne
This informal group photo of the laureates of 1937 was taken just minutes before the award ceremony. From left to right, it shows chemists Norman Haworth and Paul Karrer, physicist Clinton Davisson, Albert Szent-Györgyi, and French writer Roger Martin du Gard. The Nobel Prize in Physics was, in fact, shared between Davisson and George Paget Thomson, but Thomson was unable to attend due to illness. As the list indicates, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was also shared between two scientists; and Szent-Györgyi was connected to both recipients, collaborating on projects and maintaining friendships with them. In fact, Haworth was awarded the prize in part for his research on vitamin C. In the photo, everyone appears to be moved, while Szent-Györgyi stands out with his relieved, relaxed smile.
The Corvin Wreath, which Szent-Györgyi received from the Regent of Hungary on February 6, 1937 –prior to being awarded the Nobel Prize – is proudly displayed on his tailcoat. Along with the even more prestigious Corvin Chain, the Corvin Wreath was considered the highest Hungarian honor at the time for outstanding achievements in science, literature, and the arts. Both honors were established by Miklós Horthy in 1930, in memory of the great patron of the arts, King Matthias Corvinus. (Made of silver and enamel, the Corvin Wreath is an 80 mm-diameter laurel wreath argent, interlaced with a ribbon at four points in the form of a cross, and charged with an azure escutcheon bearing the arms of King Matthias, with all corners of the escutcheon touching the wreath.)
For additional information on these two state decorations, visit the website of the Klebelsberg Library by clicking on the following link: http://www.bibl.u-szeged.hu/ha/fokuszban/corvinlanc/corvin.html (last accessed: September 10, 2021)
The Hungarian national radio aired a 45-minute live broadcast of the event (between 6 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.), with Pontifical Chamberlain Dr. Miklós Knébel as the on-location correspondent. As the 45-minute timeframe wasn’t enough to cover the entire ceremony, the broadcast focused on the presentation of the prize to Szent-Györgyi. Back in Hungary, thousands of citizens gathered around their radio sets that afternoon, proud and excited. Szent-Györgyi’s colleagues in Szeged also tuned in, sending this telegram to the Carlton Hotel: “Sitting beside radio set. Sending heartfelt congratulations. The Institute.” The word “Institute” referred to the university’s Institute of Medical Chemistry, which Szent-Györgyi had joined after completing his research work in Cambridge in 1930.
In keeping with tradition, the ceremony was also attended by members of the Swedish royal family. Among those present in 1937 were Gustaf V, King of Sweden; Prince Carl, one of the king’s younger brothers, and his spouse Princess Ingeborg; Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf; Prince Wilhelm, one of the monarch’s younger sons; Prince Gustaf Adolf, the eldest son of the crown prince, and his spouse Princess Sibylla; and Prince Carl Johan, the youngest son of the crown prince. His Majesty, like the other guests, wore a tailcoat. His attire was adorned with the ribbon of the Royal Order of the Seraphim, the highest order of chivalry in Sweden. The auditorium was packed when, at 5 o’clock sharp, the hall was suddenly filled with the sound of resounding trombones. Everyone rose to their feet to pay their respects to the royal family as they entered and proceeded to the blue and gold chairs lined up in front of the first row of the auditorium. These chairs were positioned in the center, opposite the concert podium, from where a staircase led down to the monarch’s ornate, throne-like armchair. Soon, the orchestra started playing the Swedish royal anthem, with the royal family also standing up to listen.
The audience included representatives of the Nobel family; prominent figures from the world of science, including members of the various Nobel committees, Swedish academics, and university professors; former Nobel laureates; the elite of Swedish society; and members of the Hungarian community in Stockholm. Szent-Györgyi’s wife and daughter – sitting among the spouses of the other four Nobel laureates – were seated in the second row of the auditorium. Hungary was officially represented by Péter Matuska, the Hungarian Ambassador to Stockholm, who held the rank of Minister in the Hungarian government.
The sound of trombones echoed through the hall once again, signaling the arrival of the first Nobel Prize winner, accompanied by a Swedish academic, as they appeared in the doorway, which was in the middle of the back wall of the stage and normally served as the stage entrance for artists. As the laureates entered, the entire audience rose from their seats again. The 80-year-old Gustaf V also stood to salute the laureates, rising from his armchair with youthful ease. Each Nobel Prize winner was escorted by a Swedish academic. The laureates were seated in five armchairs, side by side, on the left of the stage as seen by the audience. Before the presentation of the prizes, Hjalmar Hammarskjöld, Chair of the Nobel Foundation, stepped up to the lectern in the center of the concert podium and gave a short speech in Swedish, setting the stage for the highlight of the ceremony. Each of the four Nobel Prizes was presented after a Swedish academic showcased the recipients’ contributions to science, with brief musical interludes in between. Szent-Györgyi was the fourth to receive the award. In the picture on the left, Davisson, Haworth, and Karrer are seen seated, with their medals resting on their knees. Einar Hammarsten stands behind the lectern.
Einar Hammarsten, a professor at the Karolinska Institutet of Stockholm and a member of the Nobel Prize Committee in Physiology or Medicine, spoke in considerable detail about Szent-Györgyi’s work and achievements. He referred to the Hungarian scientist as “the new conqueror from Szeged.” Hammarsten first spoke in Swedish, summarizing his message in English at the end. (For the complete speech in English, see the website of the Nobel Prize Organization.) Finally, he invited the recipient to accept the award from His Majesty:
“I ask you – professor Szent-Györgyi – to receive the prize
from the hands of His Majesty our gracious King.”
There was a roar of applause as Albert Szent-Györgyi rose from his armchair to the bright, triumphant sound of the trombones. He was 44 years old at the time. Having made significant strides at prestigious institutes in cities such as Bratislava, Prague, Berlin, Hamburg, Leiden, Groningen, Cambridge, Rochester, and then Szeged, he now had only a few steps to take. He crossed the concert podium and proceeded down the stairs to present himself before the monarch. Everyone in the audience – including the king – received the Nobel Prize-winning scientist with a standing ovation.
Szent-Györgyi, the Nobel laureate, bowed deeply to the king, and Gustaf V bowed his head in honor of the great scientist. The king warmly shook Szent-Györgyi’s hand several times, then presented him with the pure-gold medal representing the prize, along with a blue leather-bound diploma painted on parchment, which included a sealed envelope containing the prize money in the form of a voucher. His Majesty’s congratulatory words were spoken several times. Finally, a storm of applause broke out again as Szent-Györgyi made his way back to his seat. As he sat down, so did the audience, and the Rákóczi March started echoing through the concert hall. (The next chapter provides interesting insights into the background of this particular piece of music.)
“The chords of the Rákóczi March slowly fade away. With a soft click, the sounds from Stockholm dissolve into a whisper of static. Once again, only the gentle, monotonous hum of the electric current resonates through the speaker,” wrote the correspondent of the daily Pesti Hirlap (December 11, 1937). With that, the Hungarian national radio ended its live broadcast. The last laureate to receive the prize at the ceremony was Roger Martin du Gard. The celebratory event then concluded with a rendition of the Swedish national anthem. As the Nobel laureates stepped outside the Konserthuset, the masses waiting in the square greeted them with enthusiastic cheers.