1944 Bergen explosion
{{Short description|Disaster in Bergen, Norway}}
{{Expand Norwegian Bokmål|date=November 2024}}
File:Voorbode minneplate.JPG This marks where a piece of the anchor belonging to Voorbode landed, 3 km from the explosion area.]]
History
The Dutch vessel ST Voorbode loaded with 273,000 lb of explosives caught fire and exploded by the quay in the center of Bergen Vågen at 08:39. 158 people (including 98 civilians) were killed and some 4,800 wounded. 131 houses were destroyed outright, while 117 were so damaged that they had to be condemned.
Evacuation
Following the explosion 4,260 children were evacuated. Important cultural buildings, including Nykirken, the Customs House, Bryggen, the Rosenkrantz Tower and the Haakon's Hall, were severely damaged, but have later been restored.
Photos
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-117-0353-30, Norwegen, Bergen, beschädigte Gebäude.jpg|Bryggen after the explosion
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-117-0353-34, Norwegen, Bergen, brennendes Gebäude.jpg|Burning and damaged houses after explosion in Vågen, Bergen on 20 April 1944
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-117-0354-39, Norwegen, Bergen, beschädigte Gebäude.jpg|Ruined houses in the center of Bergen
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-117-0353-29, Norwegen, Bergen, Motorschiff "Rogaland".jpg|Stavangerskes coaster {{SS|Rogaland|1929|6}} sinking by the quay in Dreggen
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-117-0357-34A, Norwegen, Bergen, deutsche Offiziere.jpg|German officers from Kriegsmarine, Heer and on inspection after the accident. Among them Reichskommissar für Norwegen Josef Terboven and Admiral Otto von Schrader. In the background Rosenkrantz Tower and Haakon's Hall
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.bergenbyarkiv.no/bergenbyleksikon/arkiv/1424148?s=Eksplosjonskatastrofen Bergen online encyclopedia on the explosion]
- [http://da2.uib.no/1944/ Article on the incident by the University of Bergen]
- [http://digitaltfortalt.no/things/evakueringen/H-DF/DF.3067 Digitalt fortalt: "Evakueringen"] by Åsta Vadset, Bergen byarkiv (accessed 7 April 2011)
{{April 1944 shipwrecks}}{{Coord|60|23|58|N|5|18|59|E|scale:10000_type:event_region:NO-46|display=title}}