Axel Aubert (11 December 1873 – 16 December 1943) was a Norwegian chemical engineer who served as Director-General of Norsk Hydro.

Biography

He was born in Kristiania (now Oslo, Norway). He was the son of Otto Benjamin Andreas Aubert (1841–98) and Hilda Thaulow (1846–1923). After first studies at the Oslo Technical College, he then studied engineering at the

University of Berlin The Humboldt University of Berlin (, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin, Germany. The university was established by Frederick William III on the initiative of Wilhelm von Humbol ...

and earned a

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...

at the

University of Basel The University of Basel (Latin: ''Universitas Basiliensis''; German: ''Universität Basel'') is a public research university in Basel, Switzerland. Founded on 4 April 1460, it is Switzerland's oldest university and among the world's oldest univ ...

in 1895. He became the managing director of Engene Dynamitfabrik and Norsk Sprængstofindustri. In 1926 he was hired as Director-General (CEO) of Norsk Hydro. In 1940, while Norway was still neutral in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Aubert was contacted by agents from French military intelligence regarding Norsk Hydro's production of

heavy water Heavy water (deuterium oxide, , ) is a form of water (molecule), water in which hydrogen atoms are all deuterium ( or D, also known as ''heavy hydrogen'') rather than the common hydrogen-1 isotope (, also called ''protium'') that makes up most o ...

(

deuterium Deuterium (hydrogen-2, symbol H or D, also known as heavy hydrogen) is one of two stable isotopes of hydrogen; the other is protium, or hydrogen-1, H. The deuterium nucleus (deuteron) contains one proton and one neutron, whereas the far more c ...

oxide) at its Vemork hydroelectric plant. Heavy water was an important material for Germany's nuclear weapon project and was only produced in any significant quantities at Vemork. He agreed to 'lend' Norsk Hydro's entire existing stock of heavy water to France for the duration of the war, observing that if Germany won the war he was likely to be shot. The French agents transported of heavy water secretly to

Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...

, to

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

in Scotland, and then to France. Aubert retired as Hydro president in late 1941, but took over as the company's chairman and held this position until his death in 1943. Aubert emphasized the scientific and technological research. He was a member of the Executive Board of the Norwegian Industry Association from 1926 to 1934.

Honours

Aubert was appointed Knight of the 1st Class of the Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1928. He also held the Belgian Order of Leopold, the French

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

, the Danish

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog () is a Denmark, Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V of Denmark, Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the Order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single cla ...

and the Polish

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

References

1873 births 1943 deaths University of Basel alumni Norwegian chemists Businesspeople from Oslo Norsk Hydro people Engineers from Oslo Norwegian people of World War II Officers of the Legion of Honour Commanders of the Order of the Dannebrog Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the St. Olav's Medal d'Aubert family {{Norway-business-bio-stub