If the heavy water had come under hitlers control, the dictator would have possessed a weapon that could have ensured control of the world destroying the heavy water factory at vemork in telemark. The missions success, however, was not a final blow to the germans heavy water production. Perhaps the most daring resistance attack, which ray mears describes here, was a successful latenight raid that nine norwegian saboteurs made on the vemork heavywater plant on february 28, 1943. In this tale of espionage and adventure set during world war ii, norway has fallen under nazi occupation, and a factory is producing heavy water a key ingredient in the manufacture of atomic weapons. About that heavy water plant in vermonk, norway theres a question that has been bugging me about the plant in vermonk, norway that was the focus of the various heavy water operations in ww2. The heavy water war tells the story of one of the most dramatic, but least known chapters of world war ii. The nuclear nazis identified norway s heavy water as one of the best candidates to act as this neutron moderator, so when german forces invaded in 1940 the vemork plant was an asset they were quick to snatch. When the nazis captured a heavy water facility in norway, the chemist. Vemork was the location of one of the most important acts of. One of the more common processes was the girdler sulfide process, which was used in canadian heavy water plants at glace bay in nova scotia and at the bruce nuclear power development i. The norwegian heavy water sabotage was aimed at the 60 mw vemork power station at the rjukan waterfall in telemark.
Hitlers nuclear bomb dream was sunk on ferry 9news. Vemork was the location of one of the most important acts of sabotage during the second world war, when norwegian saboteurs prevented the germans from developing nuclear weapons using the heavy water produced here. Heisenberg and the group ordered large amounts of heavy water i think the formula is d2o from a factory in norway, and the movie itself was about the english and norwegian soldiers sabotaging the factory. Heisenberg and the group ordered large amounts of heavy water i think the formula is d2o from a factory in norway, and the movie itself was about the english and norwegian soldiers sabotaging the factory, thus preventing the germans from making the bomb. The sabotage operations which were designed to prevent the germans from obtaining heavy water are some of the most daring and exciting deeds of the second world war. Destroying the heavy water factory at vemork in telemark, set the production back by a half a year and it contributed to the delay of the german effort to produce an atom bomb. The heavy water war the norwegian industrial workers museum is perhaps best known for its presentation of rjukans war history. Episode 6 the germans decide to move heavy water production from norway to germany. Joachim ronneberg, leader of raid that thwarted a nazi atomic. The heroes of telemark is a 1965 british war film directed by anthony mann based on the true story of the norwegian heavy water sabotage during the second world war from skis against the atom, the.
The hydroelectric power plant at vemork was built in 1934. In 1940, the nazis invaded norway which had built the first commercial factory at vemork to make heavy water. Resistance fighter knut straud richard harris enlists the reluctant physicist dr. The following is an edited version of an article which was originally published in 1947 yearbook of the norwegian tourist association. Norwegian hero who blew up nazi plant during world war ii. In 1990, he took a member ofthe editorial board of studies in intelligence on a trip to vemork, retracing part of the journey described in the article. Artifact spotlight german heavy water barrel the national. The heroes of telemark 1965 the heroes of telemark. Vemork norwegian industrial workers museum in rjukan. Hollywood turned the story of the attack into the heroes of. Good movie that describes with reasonable accuracy the sabotage of the heavy water plant in norway.
Heavy water deuterium oxide, 2 h 2 o, d 2 o is a form of water that contains a larger than normal amount of the hydrogen isotope deuterium 2 h or d, also known as heavy hydrogen, rather than the common hydrogen1 isotope 1 h or h, also called protium that makes up most of the hydrogen in normal water. Pages in category films set in norway the following 100 pages are in this category, out of 100 total. Copenhagen, denmark norway on monday mourned world war ii saboteur joachim roenneberg, who headed a fiveman team that daringly blew up a plant producing heavy water. On november the 16th in 1943, 160 flying fortresses flew in over rjukan and bombed vemork, the power station and the factory. Heavy water war the story cultural heritage norway. Helberg, who participated in the operation, is still hearty. Ronneberg was the last of norways celebrated heavywater saboteurs when he died oct.
In 1940, the deuxieme bureau french military intelligence directed three french agents, captain muller and lieutenants mosse and knalldemars, to remove the worlds extant supply, 185 kg 408 lb of heavy water from the vemork plant in thenneutral norway. Tom clancy could have written this as one of his gripping fiction books. Aug 14, 2019 this is part of the route the heroes of telemark took during ww2 in order to blow up the heavy water factory in front of vemork power station. What is the purpose of heavy water in atomic bombs. On february 27, 1942, nine saboteurs scaled a cliff in the middle of the night to blow up a nazicontrolled heavy water plant in norway. When norsk hydro began producing heavy water in 1934, norway became the first country with a commercial heavywater plant. The heroes of telemark is a 1965 british war film directed by anthony mann based on the true story of the norwegian heavy water sabotage during the second world war from skis against the atom, the memoirs of norwegian resistance soldier knut haukelid. Either of two isotopic forms of water, especially deuterium oxide, consisting chiefly of molecules that contain deuterium instead of protium. It was the worlds first site to massproduce heavy water as a byproduct of nitrogen fixing, with a capacity of 12 tonnes per year. After norwegian professor leif tronstad catches wind of germanys interest in heavy water, he escapes to england to enlist allied help in thwarting the plan. In the united states, heavy water was used as a coolant and moderator in nuclear materials production. British intelligence and the norwegian militarys heroic struggle to thwart nazi germanys atomic bomb ambitions by sabotaging the heavy water plant in rjukan, norway.
The norwegian attack on heavy water that deprived the nazis of the atomic bomb after handing them their suicide capsules, norwegian royal army colonel leif tronstad informed his soldiers, i cannot tell you why this mission is so important, but if you succeed, it will live in norways memory for a hundred years. The question is why was the heavy water facility at the plant built when it was. Kirk douglas and richard harris, more troubling is the overall look of the film. The name comes from the second world war and the history of the norwegian heavy water sabotage. This plant in vemork, norway was the worlds major source of heavy water in the early 1940s. The heavy water war is a sixpart dramatization of one of the most compelling. The months of setback caused by the norwegians sabotage of the vemork chemical plant may very well have prevented a german victory. Hitler ordered it to be seized as he accelerated germanys nuclear bomb making. The author, who was a member of a norwegian sabotage team, has authoriled its inclusion in studies in intelligence. Fictionalized account of the norwegian resistances success at destroying german heavy water production during world war ii. The nuclear nazis identified norways heavywater as one of the best candidates to act as this neutron moderator, so when german forces invaded in 1940.
The leader of the norwegian team which carried out the operation to destroy. In the front building, the norsk hydro hydrogen production plant, a norwegian special operations executive soe team operation gunnerside blew. And the only source of heavy water was in germanoccupied norway, at vemork, in rjukan. Part 3 sn 1 ep 3 episode 3 the americans insist on bombing the heavy water factory, but tronstad persuades the allies to send in a team of norwegians instead. The doors to the heavywater plant were closed and so mr. Andreassen attended the event representing norwegian ambassador knut vollebaek to present the rare gift to the museum on. The heroes of telemark is a 1965 british war film directed by anthony mann based on the true story of the norwegian heavy water sabotage during. Oct 22, 2018 copenhagen, denmark norway on monday mourned world war ii saboteur joachim roenneberg, who headed a fiveman team that daringly blew up a plant producing heavy water, depriving nazi germany of.
The norwegian attack on heavy water that deprived the nazis of the atomic bomb after handing them their suicide capsules, norwegian royal army colonel leif. One of the more common processes was the girdler sulfide process, which was used in canadian heavy water plants at glace. When they learn that the germans are rebuilding the factory, the americans decide to bomb it. Sep 05, 2018 in 1940, the nazis invaded norway which had built the first commercial factory at vemork to make heavy water. Artifact spotlight german heavy water barrel in 2006, at the museums inaugural international conference on world war ii, officials from norway donated a unique nazi atomic artifact. You can bungeee jump from the bridge if you have not released enough energy and money on your trip. The nazis required heavy water deuterium to manufacture an atomic bonb, and took over the formerly fertilizer plant to acquire the deuterium. This was a series of actions taken by norwegian saboteurs during world war ii to prevent a german nuclear energy project from acquiring a factory. Norwegian resistance tries to stop german efforts to produce an atomic bomb component. Nova hitlers sunken secret norwegian resistance coup pbs. This sixpart miniseries recounts the sabotage of the heavy water plant at vemork, part of hitlers atomic bomb program, and touches on morality and collaboration in wartime. In september 1939, the nazis had felt so pressured by the french atomic bomb project and so fearful. The spoken language is listed as norwegian however much of the movie is in. Several shots of the norwegian heavy water plant for use in atomic energy.
Rjukan, norway, was home to the worlds finest heavy water reactor, a cascading tower of electrolysis chambers where heavy water molecules would fall, plinkolike, downward until they. Nazi germanys attempt to build a nuclear bomb and the allied effort to prevent it. Steam workshop 24 heroes of telemark rjukan, norway. Rolf pedersen and richard harris as knut straud, along with ulla jacobsson as anna pedersen. Under tightened security, the german scientists doubled the heavy water production capacity and began shipping barrels of the material back to the. The walk takes 3 hrs and ends by the old bridgeover the gorge to vemork. In september 1939, the nazis had felt so pressured by the french atomic bomb project and so fearful that they were well behind that they created a special top secret project under german army ordnance heereswaffenamt to develop an atomic bomb. Heavy water deuterium oxide, 2 h 2 o, d 2 o is a form of water that contains a larger than normal amount of the hydrogen isotope deuterium 2 h or d, also known as heavy hydrogen, rather than the. How a sneak attack by norways skiing soldiers deprived. The heavy water war is a sixpart dramatization of one of the most compelling stories of world war ii. Nov 25, 2014 the heavy water war tells the story of one of the most dramatic, but least known chapters of world war ii. In the movie we saw heisenberg study the potential of atomic bombs in ww2. Joachim ronneberg, saboteur who crippled nazi atomic bomb. The norwegian resistance sabotage the vemork norsk hydro plant in the town of rjukan in.
But it is a true story and to read about the struggles of the soe men in the harsh climate in that part of the world is to realize the focus and dedication they had. If the heavy water had come under hitlers control, the dictator would have possessed a weapon that could have ensured control of the world. The norsk hydros energy plant in vemork could have changed the world history if. Perhaps the most daring resistance attack, which ray mears describes here, was a successful latenight raid that nine norwegian saboteurs made on the vemork heavy water plant on february 28, 1943. In 1943, as a world war ii resistance fighter, he commanded a daring mission to blow up a heavywater plant in norway, helping sabotage hitlers nuclear program.
The sabotage operation against the german heavy water production plant was celebrated in a movie, the heroes of telemark. This was a series of actions taken by norwegian saboteurs during world war ii to prevent a german nuclear energy project from acquiring a factory producing heavy water in telemark, norway, which because of its contents, could be concentrated and used to produce nuclear weapons. Inside the daring mission that thwarted a nazi atomic bomb. The nazis required heavy water deuterium to manufacture an atomic bonb, and took over the. A new mission for the hero of telemark aged 90, joachim ronneberg, who lead a daring raid on a heavy water plant in telemark, preventing the nazis building the atomic bomb, now feels a. When the attempt fails to be completely effective, the resistance finds themselves debating whether or not to sink a ferry on which the precious heavy water is being transported to germany on a ferry which also carries several dozen innocent civilians. The plant was accessed by norwegian saboteurs after a risky, daring approach in deadly norwegian. The heroes of telemark and the norwegian film, kampen om tungtvannet on the. Heavy water war the story cultural heritage rjukan norway.
The raid caused the germans to lose about 500 kg of heavy water and decommissioned the plant for a few months. The initial plan is for british commandos to destroy the heavy water. When norsk hydro began producing heavy water in 1934, norway became the first country with a commercial heavy water plant. In the front building, the norsk hydro hydrogen production plant, a norwegian special operations executive soe team operation gunnerside blew up heavy water production cells on the night of 2728 february 1943 in order to sabotage the efforts of the german nuclear energy project. The heavy water war nyt watching the new york times. The aim was to slow down the production of the factory destroying it to avoid the. Based on real events, the film tells the story of norwegian resistance efforts to blow up the german heavy water factory high in the norwegian mountains. Hitler ordered it to be seized as he accelerated germanys nuclear bomb. Set in germanoccupied norway, this is an embellished account of the remarkable efforts of the norwegian resistance to sabotage the german development of the atomic bomb. This is part of the route the heroes of telemark took during ww2 in order to blow up the heavy water factory in front of vemork power station. Jun 05, 2016 on february 27, 1942, nine saboteurs scaled a cliff in the middle of the night to blow up a nazicontrolled heavy water plant in norway. How a sneak attack by norways skiing soldiers deprived the. The sabotage operation against the german heavy water production plant was celebrated in a movie.
May 02, 2010 a new mission for the hero of telemark aged 90, joachim ronneberg, who lead a daring raid on a heavy water plant in telemark, preventing the nazis building the atomic bomb, now feels a duty to. Operation gunnerside successfully destroyed the vemork heavy water production facility and supplies. The heavy water war english subtitled in norwegian with english subtitles. For making this, they needed heavy water, which they produced in norway.
Norwegian resistance tries to stop german efforts to produce an atomic bomb. Jun 16, 2016 rjukan, norway, was home to the worlds finest heavy water reactor, a cascading tower of electrolysis chambers where heavy water molecules would fall, plinkolike, downward until they reached a. The norwegian attack on heavy water daily scandinavian. Before ww2 the vemork hydroelectric plant in norway was the worlds largest producer of heavy water.
The heavy water war and the wwii hero you dont know. Joachim ronneberg, leader of raid that thwarted a nazi. Heavy water definition of heavy water by the free dictionary. The nazi invasion of norway in 1940 transferred control of the plant. Oslo university, attempt to destroy a german heavy water plant in telemark. In this tale of espionage and adventure set during world war ii, norway has fallen under nazi occupation, and a factory is producing heavy water a key ingredient in the manufacture of atomic. Werner heisenberg must continue his research without heavy water. How a sneak attack by norways skiing soldiers deprived the nazis of the atomic bomb. With kirk douglas, richard harris, ulla jacobsson, michael redgrave.
82 856 73 242 1317 1084 736 823 1034 1194 327 873 1329 1197 982 56 1471 1339 331 1470 1350 603 1247 802 1143 1421 652 500 1097 106 1478 166 744 590 179 147 801 946 1080 705 461 1099 28 606 1126 108 919