Snail mail to blame for the greatest debacle in the history of the Nobel prize

A letter sent by French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre in 1964 declining the Nobel Prize for Literature came too late to avert one of the biggest debacles in its history, Swedish media reported Saturday. Sartre’s letter arrived nearly a month after he had been picked as the top choice by the Nobel Committee, the daily Svenska Dagbladet reported, based on archival material made available at the end of a customary 50-year period of secrecy. The report throws light on the sequence of events leading to Sartre’s decision to become the only person to willingly turn down the world’s most prestigious literary prize.

Had Sartre’s letter arrived before the committee met in mid-September, it is likely that the award would have gone to someone else.

Swedish newspaper, Svenska Dagbladet

Sartre later explained that he had “always declined official honours”, including the French Legion of Honour in 1945, as it would limit his independence and institutionalise him. It had been widely speculated that Sartre’s letter asking not to be considered for the award had been too late, but only now is this backed up with actual historical evidence. Sartre, who had been mentioned as a likely candidate for several years, sent his letter to the Nobel Foundation on October 14, 1964, saying he would not be able to accept the prize “either in 1964 or in the future”, according to the paper. However, the Nobel Committee for Literature had agreed on Sartre as the top candidate on September 17, the paper said.

Arts