In 1953, Winston Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Half a year later, I attended a course in English at a British university. We were a group of students from various countries, and we met for social evenings once a week. There were discussions and mutual entertainment as well as just getting together. On one of these occasions, I asked a question relating to the literary aspect of the course: ‘What was the reaction in this country when Winston Churchill got the Nobel Prize in Literature?’ There was complete silence. The main teacher was clearly embarrassed and looked at the other teachers, but not a word was uttered. Finally, he turned to me and said: ‘There was evidently no reaction.’ He looked around once more and added: ‘I think they were glad the old chap got something.’ The man referred to as ‘the old chap’ was about 80 years old at the time, a legend in his own lifetime, the receiver of heaps of distinctions including literary prizes.

Everything that has to do with the Nobel Prize – nominations, reports, discussions – is subject to secrecy for 50 years. This is a blessing for us who are in charge of the Prize. The other side of the coin is that, as far as Churchill is concerned, I am now in a position to account for things that have been hidden so far. Let us see what the archives of the Academy can tell us, bearing in mind that one of the interesting aspects of the Prize is its function in cultural communication.