''The Heavy Water War'' (original title ' and alternative title ''The Saboteurs'' ( UK)) is a six-episode war drama TV miniseries written by Petter S. Rosenlund and produced by Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. It is a Norwegian/Danish/British co-production directed by Per-Olav Sørensen based on the true story of the

German nuclear weapon project The Uranverein ( en, "Uranium Club") or Uranprojekt ( en, "Uranium Project") was the name given to the project in Germany to research nuclear technology, including nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors, during World War II. It went through seve ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

and the heavy water sabotage in Norway to disrupt it, with a particular emphasis on the role of the Norwegian intelligence officer

Leif Tronstad Leif Hans Larsen Tronstad DSO, OBE (27 March 1903 – 11 March 1945) was a Norwegian inorganic chemist, intelligence officer and military organizer. He graduated from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1927 and was a prolific research ...

. The first two episodes were initially broadcast on

NRK1 NRK1 (pronounced as ''"NRK en"'' or ''"- ein"'') is the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's (NRK) main television channel. History Test broadcasts started on 12 January 1954, regular test broadcasts started on 13 April 1958 and regular broadca ...

, on 4 January 2015. The opening episodes had 1,259,000 viewers, which was a record for the opening of a drama series in Norway. In Denmark, the initial broadcast was on 4 May 2015 on TV 2 titled '. In the UK, the miniseries, retitled ''The Saboteurs'', was aired by

More4 More4 is a British free-to-air television channel, owned by Channel Four Television Corporation. The channel launched on 10 October 2005. Its programming mainly focuses on lifestyle and documentaries, as well as foreign dramas. Content When ...

from 19 June 2015 and had a good critical reception. The series was released in the UK on DVD and

Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of st ...

on 10 August 2015. In Poland the show premiered on 15 January 2016 on VOD to very good reviews. Viewing rights for France were bought by Entertainment One, for

Benelux The Benelux Union ( nl, Benelux Unie; french: Union Benelux; lb, Benelux-Unioun), also known as simply Benelux, is a politico- economic union and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighboring states in western Europe: ...

by Lumière, for Spain by A Contracorriente, for Poland by

Kino Swiat Kino may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasters * KINO, a radio station in Arizona, U.S. * Kino FM (98.0 FM – Moscow), a Russian music radio station * KinoTV, now Ruutu+ Leffat ja Sarjat, a Finnish TV channel Fictional entiti ...

and for the Balkans by Stas Media. Viewing rights for the US were bought by

MHz Networks MHz Networks is an American public broadcaster that specializes in international television programming. Washington, D.C., broadcast operations MHz (pronounced "M-H-Z") Networks began as a project of the Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corpora ...

, which announced a DVD release date of 8 March 2016.

Production

The series was filmed in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

and the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

. Production costs were around 75 million Norwegian kroner, or about

€ The euro sign () is the currency sign used for the euro, the official currency of the eurozone and unilaterally adopted by Kosovo and Montenegro. The design was presented to the public by the European Commission on 12 December 1996. It consists ...

7.8 million. The dialogue is in

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

Main cast

Although the series is based on real events and persons, apart from Aubert, all other Nazi collaborating

Hydro Hydro from Ancient Greek word ὕδωρ (húdōr), meaning ''water''. Hydro may also refer to: Energy technologies * Water-derived power or energy: ** Hydropower, derived from water ** Hydroelectricity, in electrical form * "Hydro", AC mains ...

directors were purposely not mentioned by name. * Espen Klouman Høiner as Major

* Christoph Bach as

Werner Heisenberg Werner Karl Heisenberg () (5 December 1901 – 1 February 1976) was a German theoretical physicist and one of the main pioneers of the theory of quantum mechanics. He published his work in 1925 in a breakthrough paper. In the subsequent serie ...

Pip Torrens Philip D'Oyly "Pip" Torrens (born 2 June 1960) is an English actor. Known for playing urbane, authoritative figures, Torrens portrayed courtier Tommy Lascelles in the Netflix drama ''The Crown'', aristocrat Lord Massen in the HBO series ''Th ...

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

John Skinner Wilson, SOE *

Anna Friel Anna Louise Friel (born 12 July 1976) is an English actress. Born in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, she has been acting professionally since age 13. Friel achieved fame with her portrayal of Beth Jordache on the British soap opera '' Brookside'' ...

as Captain Julie Smith (fictitious) *

Søren Pilmark Søren Louis Pilmark (born 16 October 1955) is a Danish actor. Pilmark has worked as a film and theatrical actor, a director, and as an author. Career Theater Pilmark graduated from the School of Acting at Aarhus Theater in 1977, where he ...

Niels Bohr Niels Henrik David Bohr (; 7 October 1885 – 18 November 1962) was a Danish physicist who made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum theory, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922 ...

Stein Winge Stein Winge (born 10 November 1940) is a Norwegian stage producer, theatre director and International Emmy Nominated actor. He has produced numerous plays and operas, and was theatre director at the National Theatre from 1990 to 1992. He was decor ...

Axel Aubert Axel Aubert (11 December 1873 – 16 December 1943) was a Norwegian chemical engineer who served as Director-General of Norsk Hydro. Biography He was born in Kristiania (now Oslo, Norway). He was the son of Otto Benjamin Andreas Aubert (1841–9 ...

, Director-General of

Norsk Hydro Norsk Hydro ASA (often referred to as just ''Hydro'') is a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, headquartered in Oslo. It is one of the largest aluminium companies worldwide. It has operations in some 50 countries around the world a ...

Dennis Storhøi Jahn Dennis Storhøi (born July 15, 1960 in Fredrikstad, Norway) is a Norwegian actor. Biography He is an acclaimed theatre actor in Norway, having won several awards. However, he is known for his role as ''Herger the Joyous'' in John McTiernan' ...

as Bjørn Henriksen, plant director (fictitious) *

Maibritt Saerens Maibritt Saerens (born 25 May 1970 in Silkeborg, Denmark) is a Danish actress. Her breakthrough was in the role as Søs in the TV series '' Better Times''. Saerens played in the 2015 TV series ''The Heavy Water War'', appeared as Stella Shearwo ...

as Ellen Henriksen, plant director's wife (fictitious) * Espen Reboli Bjerke as Jomar Brun *

David Zimmerschied David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker Carl Friedrich Freiherr von Weizsäcker (; 28 June 1912 – 28 April 2007) was a German physicist and philosopher. He was the longest-living member of the team which performed nuclear research in Germany during the Second World War, under ...

* Andreas Döhler as

Kurt Diebner Kurt Diebner (13 May 1905 – 13 July 1964) was a German nuclear physicist who is well known for directing and administrating the German nuclear energy project, a secretive program aiming to build nuclear weapons for Nazi Germany during World War ...

, director of the

German nuclear energy project The Uranverein ( en, "Uranium Club") or Uranprojekt ( en, "Uranium Project") was the name given to the project in Germany to research nuclear technology, including nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors, during World War II. It went through seve ...

Robert Hunger-Bühler The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

General der Infanterie General of the Infantry is a military rank of a General officer in the infantry and refers to: * General of the Infantry (Austria) * General of the Infantry (Bulgaria) * General of the Infantry (Germany) ('), a rank of a general in the German Imp ...

Emil Leeb Emil Leeb (17 June 1881 – 8 September 1969) was a German general during World War II. A professional soldier, he saw active service during both World Wars. Leeb's older brother was Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb. First World War Leeb ...

, Chief of the

Waffenamt ''Waffenamt'' (WaA) was the German Army Weapons Agency. It was the centre for research and development of the Weimar Republic and later the Third Reich for weapons, ammunition and army equipment to the German Reichswehr and then Wehrmacht ...

* Corey Johnson as

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

Pat Pritchard,

USAAF The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

(fictitious) *

Peri Baumeister Peri Baumeister (1986) is a German TV and film actress best known in the UK for her role as Lady Gisela in series two and three of ''The Last Kingdom'' (2018) and as Sara in the 2019 Netflix television series '' Skylines'' and the vampire plan ...

as Elisabeth Heisenberg

Operation "Grouse"

* Torstein Bjørklund as Sergeant

Arne Kjelstrup Arne Kjelstrup, MM (30 October 1913 – 5 May 1995) was a Norwegian resistance member during World War II, especially noted for his role in the heavy water sabotage 1942–1943, and for being military leader of Milorg section D-161 (Ko ...

Benjamin Helstad Benjamin Helstad is a Norwegian actor and musician mostly known for ''King of Devil's Island'', ''Body Troopers'' and ''Permafrost''. He has also done the Norwegian dubbing for several American films, including Disney's ''Fillmore'', ''Jungle Cu ...

as Second Lieutenant

Jens-Anton Poulsson Jens-Anton Poulsson Distinguished Service Order, DSO, (27 October 1918 – 2 February 2010) was a Norwegian military officer. During World War II he was a Norwegian resistance movement, Norwegian resistance member, especially noted for his role in ...

* Rolf Kristian Larsen as Einar Skinnarland *

Christian Rubeck Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

as Sergeant

Claus Helberg Claus Helberg (31 January 1919 – 6 March 2003) was a Norwegian resistance fighter and mountain guide. He was a member of Company Linge, a resistance commando unit that was best known for carrying out Norwegian heavy water sabotage during World W ...

* Audun Sandem as Second Lieutenant

Knut Haugland Knut Magne Haugland, DSO, MM, (23 September 1917 – 25 December 2009) was a resistance fighter and noted explorer from Norway, who accompanied Thor Heyerdahl on his famous 1947 '' Kon-Tiki'' expedition. Early life and World War II Haugland, b ...

Operation "Gunnerside"

* Endre Ellefsen as Sergeant Hans Storhaug * Ole Christoffer Ertvaag as Sergeant

Birger Strømsheim Birger Edvin Martin Strømsheim, (11 October 1911 – 10 November 2012) was a Norwegian resistance movement, Norwegian resistance member during World War II, especially noted for his role in the Norwegian heavy water sabotage, heavy water sab ...

* Eirik Evjen as Second Lieutenant

Kasper Idland Kasper Idland MM, (21 June 1918 – 25 May 1968) was a Norwegian resistance member during World War II. Idland took part in the Norwegian heavy water sabotage in 1943. Early life and education Idland was born in Figgjo, the second child of ...

Frank Kjosås Frank Kjosås (born 28 July 1981) is a Norwegian actor of theatre and film, known for '' The Half Brother'', and his role as Norwegian resistance soldier Knut Haukelid in '' The Heavy Water War''. Early life Frank Kjosås was born in Øystese ...

as Second Lieutenant Knut Haukelid * Mads Sjøgård Pettersen as Sergeant Fredrik Kayser * Tobias Santelmann as Second Lieutenant Joachim Rønneberg

Episodes

Reception

Norwegian newspaper ' gave the series a 5 out of 6, citing "It will enrage some historians, and some concerned will complain, but most television viewers will be engrossed". The series won the 2015 ''

Prix Italia The Prix Italia is an international Television, Radio-broadcasting and Web award. It was established in 1948 by RAI – Radiotelevisione Italiana (in 1948, RAI had the denomination RAI – Radio Audizioni Italiane) in Capri and is honoured with the ...

'' in the Series and Serials category, with the citation: "A thriller with superb acting, a high-quality production. Great cinematography, outstanding acting, excellent directing."

Viewer numbers

The two first episodes were seen by 1.259 million in Norway, the third episode was seen by 1.239 million and the fourth by 1.288 million. The fifth episode was seen by 1.319 million while the last was seen 1.322 million. The last episode was watched by 64% of TV viewers that hour.

Historicity

From the première there has been debate over its historical accuracy. Among concerns have been Heisenberg's involvement in the development of nuclear weapons and allusions to his homosexuality.

Previous versions

The same story was covered in the 1948 Franco-Norwegian film '' Kampen om tungtvannet'' (also known as ''La bataille de l'eau lourde'' or ''Operation Swallow: The Battle for Heavy Water''). Quite faithful to real events, it even had many of the original Norwegian commandos starring as themselves. The 1965 British film ''

The Heroes of Telemark ''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 soldi ...

'', starring Kirk Douglas and

Richard Harris Richard St John Francis Harris (1 October 1930 – 25 October 2002) was an Irish actor and singer. He appeared on stage and in many films, notably as Corrado Zeller in Michelangelo Antonioni's '' Red Desert'', Frank Machin in '' This Sporting ...

, was another version of the story.

Ray Mears Raymond Paul Mears (born 7 February 1964) is a British woodsman, instructor, businessman, author and TV presenter. His TV appearances cover bushcraft and survival techniques. He is best known for the TV series '' Ray Mears' Bushcraft'', '' Ra ...

presented a documentary called ''The Real Heroes of Telemark'' in 2003. Despite mainly sticking to the factual evidence, some scenes in the documentary were partly dramatised, focusing on the survival skills involved in the operation.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Heavy Water War, The 2010s Norwegian television series 2015 Norwegian television series debuts 2015 Norwegian television series endings Norwegian drama television series Television series based on actual events Television shows set in Norway Television shows set in Scotland Norwegian resistance movement NRK original programming Science docudramas World War II television drama series