The Heavy Water War

The series was filmed in Norway and the Czech Republic. Production costs were around 75 million Norwegian kroner, or about €7.8 million. The dialogue is in Norwegian, German, English and Danish. == Main cast ==

Although the series is based on real events and persons, apart from Aubert, all other Nazi collaborating Hydro directors were purposely not mentioned by name. • Espen Klouman Høiner as Major Leif Tronstad • Christoph Bach as Werner Heisenberg • Pip Torrens as Colonel John Skinner Wilson, SOE • Anna Friel as Captain Julie Smith (fictitious) • Søren Pilmark as Niels Bohr • Stein Winge as Axel Aubert, Director-General of Norsk Hydro • Dennis Storhøi as Bjørn Henriksen, plant director (fictitious) • Maibritt Saerens as Ellen Henriksen, plant director's wife (fictitious) • Espen Reboli Bjerke as Jomar Brun • David Zimmerschied as Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker • Andreas Döhler as Kurt Diebner, director of the German nuclear energy project • Robert Hunger-Bühler as General der Artillerie Emil Leeb, Chief of the Waffenamt • Corey Johnson as Major General Pat Pritchard, USAAF (fictitious) • Peri Baumeister as Elisabeth Heisenberg Operation "Grouse" • Torstein Bjørklund as Sergeant Arne Kjelstrup • Benjamin Helstad as Second Lieutenant Jens-Anton Poulsson • Rolf Kristian Larsen as Einar Skinnarland • Christian Rubeck as Sergeant Claus Helberg • Audun Sandem as Second Lieutenant Knut Haugland Operation "Gunnerside" • Endre Ellefsen as Sergeant Hans Storhaug • Ole Christoffer Ertvaag as Sergeant Birger Strømsheim • Eirik Evjen as Second Lieutenant Kasper Idland • Frank Kjosås as Second Lieutenant Knut Haukelid • Mads Sjøgård Pettersen as Sergeant Fredrik Kayser • Tobias Santelmann as Second Lieutenant Joachim Rønneberg ==Episodes==

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 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, starring Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris, was another version of the story. Ray Mears 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. == See also ==