[ RadSafe ] A good and fascinating story....Moe Berg

[Johansen, Kjell]

As a Norwegian (born in Norway during the Nazi occupation and living next door to an officer in Quisling's state police) whose grandfather and great-uncle worked at the "secret" heavy water (tungtvann in Norwegian)  plant I can tell you it was not a secret.  Everyone knew where the Vermork plant in Rjukan was located.   Read Richard Rhodes' book where he tells how 1 liter of D2O was smuggled out pre-WWII and sent to Fermi, Rutherford, and others for their work on fission.  So, any scientist working with atoms  would know about this hydroelectric plant.  It had to be smuggled out because in addition to Norwegian, English, and French ownership, a part also was owned by the Germans.   And the Allies did not destroy it.  During the bombing, my grandfather and great-uncle had to keep the plant running while the German guards ran for the bomb shelters.  One of the bombs dislodged a huge boulder which tumbled down the mountain side and landed on my great-uncles house.  It went through the roof the 3d floor, the 2d floor and finally stopped on the floor beam above the basement where my great-aunt and neighbors were taking shelter.  The German's were able to increase production after the Norwegian resistance sabotage failed to completely destroy the plant.  Over 100 liters was produced and put on a ferry to ship it.  The Norwegian resistance had to sink the ferry killing many of their own civilians in the process.

Kjell Johansen
Sr. Nuclear Chemistry Analyst
Point Beach Nuclear Plant -NextEra Energy
6610 Nuclear Rd
Two Rivers, WI 54241
Pager 920-288-4875
Phone 920-755-6869
kjell.johansen at nee.com<mailto:kjell.johansen at nee.com>