The submarine pens originally built for holding German U-boats are now being used as a harbour for civilian boats.While I have personally used many of these services and tools I have not used all of them. Today, the former naval base is the home of the city and state archives, a bowling alley and several other businesses. The base was used briefly by the Norwegian Defence Forces two extra stories, painted in blue, were added. Blowing it up would have caused serious damage to the surrounding buildings as well. Submarines could enter the base using these pens, for a closeup, click hereĪfter the war, Dora 1 was to be blown up using dynamite, but this project was eventually cancelled due to the massive construction and the sheer size of the bunker. This building is presently used by a shipyard. The bunker, which could be hermetically sealed when attacked, had room for 16 U-boats.Ĭonstruction of a smaller bunker to the west of Dora 1, Dora 2, was started in 1942, but it was only half-completed by the end of the war. It was finally handed over to the Kriegsmarine on 20 June 1943 as the home base of the 13th U-boat Flotilla. Accumulated mud, on top of clay and sand layers proved to be incompatible with existing designs.ĭora 1 developed a noticeable sag of up to 15 cm (5.9 in) which seemed to concern the builders more than the U-boat men. The idea was abandoned at the end of 1941 due to the problems already mentioned. This was to house accommodation, workshops and offices. The bunkers in Norway were originally slated for a second floor to be built over the submarine pens. Most construction machinery also had to be imported. More ships were delayed by the weather than enemy interference. Pre-fabricated accommodation units from Germany proved to be inadequate. The weather also played its part roads and railways were often affected by snow and ice. The steel required for reinforcing was mostly imported from Germany. Many Norwegian buildings were erected from timber so cement, sand and aggregate - components essential for the production of concrete - were often hard to extract in sufficient quantities. The acquisition of raw materials was also a problem. ĭifficulties with the labour force was not the only problem. While German engineers did calculate that the five bodies would not weaken the fortification considerably, the bodies were removed before construction continued. This incident fuelled a widespread urban legend that the Germans simply left the bodies inside the wall. The OT used slave labour extensively five Serbian workers died when a wall fell on them. The work was undertaken by the Todt Organisation's (OT) Einsatzgruppe 'Wiking' and the Sager & Wörner construction company from Munich. The walls were also concrete but these were 3 m (9 ft 10 in) thick. The concrete roof was 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) thick and reinforced with steel. ConstructionĬonstruction of the bunker which would become part of the largest German naval base in Northern Europe, started in the autumn of 1941, one year after the invasion of Norway.
Nevertheless, better protection for U-boats from aerial attack was required so a bunker-building programme was instigated. The capitulation of France two months later overshadowed the strategic importance of Norway to some extent, but it was still regarded as a better location for access to the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans than Germany. More extensive work usually meant a return to Germany. Further information: Nordstern Backgroundįollowing the occupation of Norway in 1940, it was soon realised that the country only had limited facilities for minor naval repairs.
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