Nobel Prizes are awarded each year to people, regardless of nationality, who have made valuable contributions to the "good of humanity". In his will, the Swedish inventor, Alfred Nobel directed that the income from his $9 million estate be used to fund five annual prizes. The awards are given for the most important discoveries or inventions in physics, chemistry and physiology or medicine; the most distinguished literary work of an idealistic nature; and the most effective work in the interest of international peace. By 2001, the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize, more than 700 laureates have been named. C. Slowik Wrobel (Source: Encyclopedia Britannica)

1903- Maria Sklodowska-Curie(1867-1934)
Polish physicist who discovered radium and polonium (Physics)

1906- Henryk Sienkiewicz(1846-1916)
Polish writer; author of "Trilogy", "Quo Vadis", for young readers "In Desert and Wilderness" (Literature)

1907 -Albert Michelson (1852-1931)
scientist, received Nobel Prize as first American citizen and second with origins in Poland (Physics)

1911- Maria Sklodowska-Curie(1867-1934)
(Chemistry)

1924 - Wlasyslaw Reymont (1867-1925)
Polish Writer: Commediant", "The Promised Land", "Peasants" (Literature)

1935 Irena Joliot-Curie (1897-1956)
Scientist (Chemistry)

1950- Tadeusz Reichstein (1897-1996)
Polish/Swiss Chemist, born in Wloclawek (Medicine)

1963- Maria Goeppert-Mayer (1906-1972)
Born in Katowice, second US woman ever to win Nobel prize (Physics)

1977- Andrew Schally (1926-)
Born in Wilno, chemist awarded Nobel (team work) for discovery concerning the peptide hormone production of the brain (Medicine)

1978- Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904-1991)
Jewish writer: "Gimpel the Fool", born in Leoncin, near Warsaw (Literature)

1978- Menachem Begin (1913-1992)
Politician, born in Brest-Litovsk, educated in Mizrachi Hebrew School, Polish gymnasium, Warsaw University, soldier of Polish Army, Prime Minister of Israel (Peace)

1980- Czeslaw Milosz (1911-2006)
Polish poet, essayist: "Valley of Issa" (Literature)

1981- Ronald Hoffman (1937-)
Born in Zloczow, Poland (Chemistry)

1983- Lech Walesa (1943-)
Leader of Solidarity movement, former president of Poland (Peace)

1992- Georges Charpak (1924-)
Polish poet: "Calling out to Yeti", "Salt", "Great Number", "Nothing Twice - An Anthology of Poems", and named the Greta Garbo of poetry (Poetry)

1999- Gunter Grass (1927-)
German writer, born in Gdansk, Poland. Famous for "Tin Drum," "Dog Years" (Literature)