Emanuil Nobel was the founder of the Nobel's dynasty. He was born in 1801 and died in 1872. He started his labour activity as a ship's boy on a trading vessel, studied the building business, in 1820 he worked as the building contractor in Stockholm, being trained simultaneously in the Royal academy of Art and in the academic mechanical school. He got married in 1827.

He had 8 children, but up to the adult age only three had survived: Robert, Ludwig and Alfred. In 1833 his building business fell into decay, and he went bankrupt. In 1837 he received an invitation from the Russian envoy and he moved to Russia. In 1838 he opened a small mechanical workshop in Petersburg, and at the beginning of the 40ies this workshop turned into a factory which produced steam machines, machine tools, metal constructions. In 1842 Nobel developed the project of the sea mine. Tests of this mine occur in Petersburg, on the Okhta, at the Tsar Nikolay II presence (under the other version, at presence of Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich).

In 1842 Russia bought for 25 thousand silver the patent for this mine and the firm created in 1851 " Nobel and Sons " started to release the military equipment, the weapon and other military orders. During the Crimean war Nobel's factory received big military orders, including the production of steam machines for the Russian fleet. However, after the termination of the war when under the conditions of the won parties the war industry was moved abroad, and military orders were carried out basically by England, France and Germany, The Nobel's business fell into decay. And in 1859 Emmanuil Nobel declared his bankruptcy and left home for Sweden.

Ludwig Emmanuilovich Nobel was the most outstanding personality. He was born in 1831. In October, 1862 he created on the basis of the mechanical workshop the "Ludwig Nobel Mechanical Factory". Civil and military orders were accomplished by this factory . It turned out to be the basis of the Nobel empire which was widely extended. Simultaneously Ludwig Nobel was engaged in educational activity and financed scientific works. In 1868 Ludwig Nobel participated in the creation of the Russian Technical Society. This epoch-making event rendered a big influence on the development of the Russian science. He took part in the activity of the society and financed its work. At this time small arms factories in Izhevsk were created which was a very important event of Nobel's work for the Russian war industry. This factory had been created under direction of Ludwig Nobel. The equipment for this factory was supplied by Nobel's mechanical factory , and all leading positions were occupied by Nobel's former employees.

Ludwig Nobel was one of the initiators of introduction of metric system in Russia. Ludwig Nobel established grants, financed scientific researches. In 1879 Ludwig Nobel established "The Nobel Brothers Company of Oil Manufacturers". From now on the activity of the Nobels extended and besides the mechanical factory, oil manufacture became the second major part of the Nobels activity. Nobel was a constant member of the commission on the technical education. Ludwig Emmanuilovich Nobel died on March, 31st in 1888. He lived for 66 years and 56 years of them in Russia. In 1889 the Russian technical society convened the solemn Assembly in his memory. At this assembly the Board of "The Nobel Brothers Company of Oil Manufacturers " established a golden medal and "Ludwig E. Nobel" prize. Six thousand rubles were transferred to the Imperial Russian Technical Society. Ludwig Nobel was buried at Smolensk Lutheran cemetery in St. Petersburg.

Ludwig's brother Robert Nobel was the second member of the Nobel family from this generation. A very important event was connected with him on the organization of the oil industry. In 1873 on behalf of his brother he was sent to the Caucasus with the purpose to find out an opportunity of making weapon butts out of the Caucasian nut. He found out that it was impossible to make it, and he suggested his brother the participation in the development of oil Prikaspia sites and bought a small site in Baku with a small refinery. In 1879 he became a co-founder of "The Nobel Brothers Company of Oil Manufacturers".

Robert Nobel and Ludwig Nobel became co-owners of the oil company. Business grew very fast - not without the help of already well-known Alfred who helped a lot with communications, technologies and management. The Nobel oil business literally changed the country because not only the fields, but a whole system of warehouses, transport and numerous auxiliary manufacturers belonged to the Nobel oil empire. In Russia there were no railway tanks and locomotives capable to pull structures with oil. Ludwig himself designed the tank and the steam locomotive. There were no railways and pipelines.. New branches and lines were stretched, manufacture of pipes was set up. Oil-tankers were the original Nobel invention. It was the first experience in the world! The Nobels were laughed at: but not for a long time. Ludwig was very enthusiastic over the business. "Everything bears an imprint of order, system and expedience: We have the roads paved with stone, bridges in good condition, all the buildings are spacious and comfortable, they look beautiful and neat and the technical constructions are beyond any comparison! They are great!" - he wrote in regards of the oil storage tank in Tsaritsyn. Nearly 10 years passed since Robert's casual purchase to the million cost business.

Everything was built for ages, not only for themselves but mainly for the people. At the beginning of 1880ies a whole town for employees of the company with graceful buildings " in the Byzantine style " and beautiful gardens was built. It was called "Villa Petrolea".

The houses were equipped with air-conditioners, refrigerators, desalination, electricity. The town had a library, a hospital, telephone system, pure water which was daily delivered from the Volga (and in the spring 800 tons of ice was prepared - sufficient amount for the summer period). "Bell" Company stretched the telephone line, it was the first such line in Baku... People worked with full feedback, gave everything to the oil business. Ludwig himself contributed one million rubles to "The Nobel Brothers Company of Oil Manufacturers". In 1879 the firm became a joint-stock company. And Alfred started to take an active part...

Alfred Nobel was born in 1833. In 1842 he arrived in Petersburg and from now on with some breaks he worked in Petersburg for a long time. In 1853 he went to study to Paris and in 1855 he came back to Petersburg. He worked in the company of his father (not at the main factory) in "Foundries and Machine Shops of Nobel ". In 1860-62 in Petersburg he developed a new explosive. In 1862 the first successful test was accomplished, and Nobel applied for a patent for this invention. At the same time in Sweden "Nitroglycerine" factory was founded by him. It became the basis of his own industrial group on manufacture of explosives. In 1865 he made an outstanding opening in the military field - he created a metal cap for cartridge.

In 1867 dynamite or "Nobel's safe explosive powder" was worked out which was used at the construction of different objects.

In 1878 as a "co-founder" of "The Nobel Brothers Company of Oil Manifactures" Alfred Nobel invented the way of continuous oil transportation - the oil pipeline.

In 1880 he suggested creation of the oil pipeline Baku - the Black sea ports. Developing manufacture of explosives, Alfred Nobel created a whole network of factories in Europe.

He was the owner of iron producing factories. And after his death it turned out (he died on December 10, 1896) that Alfred Nobel was the owner of 93 enterprises in Europe and America which produced 66 thousand tons of explosives per year. Alfred Nobel in his will (which in our opinion had been inspired by the activity of his brother Ludwig Nobel) stated - using his capital's interest to award prizes to those who could bring the greatest benefit to mankind. Prizes were awarded in five spheres: Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature and activity in peace support. In the will it was specified that the Royal Medical Institute in Stockholm would give awards on medicine, awards on physics, chemistry and literature - the Swedish academy of sciences, the award for peace activity - the special commission elected by the Norwegian Parliament. Many appealed against Nobel's will, including the King of Sweden, but Nobel's nephew Emmanuil Ljudvigovich, director of the mechanical factory, insisted on execution of Alfred Nobel's will and has ensured its fulfilment.

In 1897 on demand of Emmanuil Ljudvigovich Nobel all contributions of Alfred Nobel were withdrawn from industrial production and the special fund of Nobel was established containing nearly 2 million pounds in sterling. And this fund became the financial basis of the Nobel Prize.

Among the representatives of this generation it is important to mention the name of Emil Emmanuilovich Nobel who had tragically died in the laboratory of his brother in 1864.

The representative of the further Nobel's generation after Ludwig Nobel's death was Emmanuil Ljudvigovich who became the Head of the Nobel Company. He was born in 1859 and died in 1932. He was born in St. Petersburg, studied in Saint Ann's school, worked at the mechanical factory. After his father's death he became the Chairman of the Board of "Ludwig Nobel" mechanical factory. He was also the owner of a big amount of oil manufacture actions, i.e. two large enterprises belonging to the Nobel's family were under his supervision. Under his direction wide programs were realized which later became known as social programs. So under his direction a small town was constructed for workers and employees of the "Ludwig Nobel" mechanical factory. The school was built. Free medical service was available there and many other important undertakings took place...

In 1889 Emmanuil Ljudvigovich Nobel accepted Russian citizenship. In Baku on Nobel's initiative a working small town with schools, night courses was built. His activity extended not only to St.Petersburg. During the epidemic of cholera in 1892 he donated large sums of money on the establishment of the Institute of Experimental medicine. He was appointed to be the Honorary member and the official of this institute. Subsequently he repeatedly donated large sums of money for the needs of this establishment and on medical purposes in general. In 1890 he became the treasurer of the Society of Moral, Intellectual and Physical development of young people (MIPS). Has got a rank of the civilian Councillor for exclusive donations in the field of science and education.

Martha Ljudvigovna Nobel-Oleinikova is one more noticeable member of the Nobel family of this generation. During 15 years she held the position which itself testified about her activity, i.e. she worked as the employee on charitable affairs of the Nobel Brothers Company. She dedicated all her life to this activity. She mainly worked in the field of medicine. During the war of 1914 she worked in the hospital and treated wounded soldiers as an ordinary doctor.

Main Achievements of the Nobels in Russia:

• Creation of the first vertically-integrated oil company in Russia, which combined all technological stages of manufacture, starting from the investigation of deposits and drilling of oil wells and finishing with the realization of oil commodity. It in many respects helped Russia to lead the world in oil extraction on the boundary of XIX-XX centuries
• Construction of the first oil pipeline in Russia
• Realization first-ever oil transportation and oil products in railway tanks
• Creation of powerful bulk-oil fleet
• Active and productive scientific and technical activity directed on the constant perfection of manufacture
• Increase of defensive capability of the Russian army, production of various kinds of weapons, including small arms, construction of the steam military fleet in Russia
• Introduction of the new social and economic system which provided a link between the interests of workers and the enterprise putting remuneration for work in direct dependence on labour results. Big contribution to the development of vocational training of workers
• Conducting active social policy and charity.

Everything was terminated in 1917. Nationalization, terror, terrible pogroms in multi-national Baku, blocked communications... Highly ranked employees went abroad. As a result the company was confiscated.

And still the most important thing that the Nobels have left to us - the highest technical culture which during several decades was been absorbed by our foremen. They remained faithful and true to the Nobels' behests after the revolution.