ABSTRACT
This chapter examines changing cultural attitudes over the past century to Rjukan, a town and municipal centre in the municipality of Tinn located in the region of Telemark in southern Norway (Figure 10.1). Rjukan underwent rapid industrialisation in the early twentieth century, and holds a special place in Norwegian history and identity as the cradle of Norway’s industrial adventure. The town was built by Norsk Hydro, which can be described as Norway’s first modern industrial company. Industrial development took place here because of the opportunities for hydroelectric power production afforded by the Rjukan waterfall, whose force was captured and channelled to a power station, Vemork, which when opened in 1911 was the largest in the world. Because of technological development, however, and global shifts in the world’s economy, particularly since 1945, Rjukan experienced a long and continuing decline in industrial jobs, outmigration, and falling population numbers.
