1. Le Duc Tho (Literature, 1973): Le Duc Tho, a prominent North Vietnamese politician and military leader, declined to accept the Nobel Prize in Literature due to the ongoing Vietnam War. He stated that he could not accept the honor while his country was still experiencing conflict and war.
2. Jean-Paul Sartre (Literature, 1964): Philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Sartre famously rejected the Nobel Prize in Literature, stating that he did not wish to be institutionalized or associated with any group or institution. He believed that accepting the prize would compromise his independence and his ability to criticize those in power.
3. Quang Duc (Peace, 1963): Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize posthumously after self-immolating in protest of the South Vietnamese government's persecution of Buddhists. The Vietnamese government refused to allow the prize to be accepted on his behalf.
4. Boris Pasternak (Literature, 1958): Author Boris Pasternak initially accepted the Nobel Prize in Literature for his novel "Doctor Zhivago," but faced immense pressure from the Soviet government. He then declined the prize under pressure, fearing negative consequences for himself and his family.
5. Adolf Hitler (Peace, 1939): Although not commonly known, Adolf Hitler was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1939 by Swedish politician Erik Brandt. The nomination was widely criticized and ridiculed, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee chose not to award the prize that year. Hitler himself, of course, did not accept the nomination.
These are a few examples of individuals who have declined or been prevented from accepting the Nobel Prize for various personal, political, or ideological reasons.