1944 Bergen explosion

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An explosion occurred in Bergen, Norway on 20 April 1944.

History

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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

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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

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Bryggen after the explosion
Burning and damaged houses after explosion in Vågen, Bergen on 20 April 1944
Ruined houses in the center of Bergen
Stavangerskes coaster SS Rogaland sinking by the quay in Dreggen
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

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Explosion in Bergen 1944-04-20.

Bergen online encyclopedia on the explosion
Article on the incident by the University of Bergen
Digitalt fortalt: "Evakueringen" by Åsta Vadset, Bergen byarkiv (accessed 7 April 2011)

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in April 1944
Shipwrecks	2 Apr: U-360 3 Apr: U-288 4 Apr: I-169 6 Apr: U-302, U-455 7 Apr: I-2, U-856 8 Apr: U-2, U-962 9 Apr: U-515 10 Apr: USS SC-497, U-68 11 Apr: Akigumo, U-108 12 Apr: I-174 13 Apr: Ikazuchi 14 Apr: Bärenfels, Fort Stikine, U-448 15 Apr: No. 7 16 Apr: U-550 17 Apr: U-342, U-986 18 Apr: USS Gudgeon, Pan-Pennsylvania 19 Apr: U-974 20 Apr: USS Lansdale, Paul Hamilton, Voorbode 21 Apr: M 553 22 Apr: U-311 23 Apr: Amagiri 26 Apr: V 606 Fladengrund, I-180, U-488, Yoshida Maru No. 1 27 Apr: U-803, Yūbari 28 Apr: USS LST-507 29 Apr: HMCS Athabaskan, I-183, USS PT-346, Sirène, U-421 30 Apr: Ro-45 Unknown date: U-193, U-355
Other incidents	2 Apr: I-46, Ro-46 10 Apr: USS Holder 11 Apr: USS Cero 13 Apr: USS Bashaw 14 Apr: Bombay explosion, HMHS Chantilly 16 Apr: Pan-Pennsylvania 20 Apr: Bergen explosion 24 Apr: LST-407 27 Apr: USS Etamin 29 Apr: USS Seahorse
1943 1944 1945 March 1944 May 1944

60°23′58″N 5°18′59″E / 60.39944°N 5.31639°E / 60.39944; 5.31639