The Nazi Navy: A Guide to the Laboe Naval Memorial and German Submarine U-995

Kiel, Germany

(3)

Indoor Tour

60 mins

0.5mi

About the Tour

Explore the Laboe Naval War Memorial and WWII German Submarine U-955 on this self-guided tour that takes you into the heart of the museum. You’ll journey into Kiel’s World War I and II naval history, and find out about the last German Kaiser’s impact on the city. You’ll also hear about the rise and fall of the German Imperial and Nazi navies, and how Kiel’s sailors helped bring WWI, and the German monarchy, to an end.

Our tour starts outside the main entrance and gift shop, and while it doesn’t include entry to the museum, it’s designed to enhance your experience. You’ll gain valuable insight into the exhibits around you and discover parts of the memorial that you might never find on your own, including the flag room and model ship museum. You’ll also hear how incredibly tough the conditions aboard WWII submarines were, and gain new appreciation for the fresh, clean air that Laboe enjoys.

On this tour, you can look forward to:

• Taking in incredible views from the observation deck on top of the memorial tower, and seeing all the way to Denmark
• Sampling a fish roll by the sea, a local favourite
• Learning about the construction of the Kiel Canal, the most used man-made canal in the world
• Appreciating the sombre tomb-like reflection space dedicated to all those lost at sea
• Exploring the WWII submarine and seeing the inner workings of the engine room, crew quarters and torpedo room
• Hearing about the Battle of Jutland that claimed the lives of 10,000 sailors in just 24 hours

Allow 60 minutes for the tour and any extra time you may want to stop and enjoy the sunshine on the neighbouring Laboe beach. This tour is the perfect half-day excursion whether your cruise is stopping off in Kiel, you simply find yourself in Kiel for the day, or you’re a curious local wanting to know more about the city’s naval history.

Tour Producer

Kirk Wilson

A New Zealander who ended up on the other side of the world who loves telling stories and sharing anecdotes with a touch of humour.

Check out kielwalkingtours.com to find out more.

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Major Landmarks

Laboe Naval Memorial
U-995 Submarine
Laboe Beach

Directions to Starting Point

The Laboe Naval Memorial and WWII Submarine are located in the resort town of Laboe which sits at the mouth of the Kiel fjord and is approximately 30 minutes by car from the Kiel city centre.

This tour starts directly from outside the main entrance to the Laboe Naval Memorial. The address is 92 Strandstrasse, 24235, Laboe.

From Kiel you can reach Laboe by ferry, taxi or bus.

Access via ferry:
You can take a ferry to Laboe directly from the centre of Kiel. The ferries leave from the Seegarten pier right next to the main cruise ship terminal Ostseekai and take just under an hour to reach Laboe. From the Laboe ferry terminal, it is an easy 20 minute walk to the Naval Memorial and Submarine.
Check out www.sfk-kiel.de/en/ferries/fjord for ferry times and prices.

Access via taxi:
A taxi from Kiel to Laboe will take about 35 minutes and depending on traffic will cost between €30 - €40 each way. Tell the taxi driver you want to go to the 'Laboe Ehrenmal' (Ear-rin-mal).

Access via bus:
From bus stop outside the main Kiel train station take Bus #14 to the Laboe Harbour.
Check out www.kvg-kiel.de/en/ for bus times and prices.

Access via car:
Park your car at the main Laboe Memorial car park on Professor-Munzer-Ring, 24235, Laboe. It is a 3 minute walk down the hill to the Naval Memorial and Submarine entrance.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

After exploring the naval memorial and submarine why not try a traditional north German delicacy for lunch - a fish roll They are available from many of the vendors along the main beach as well as directly across the road from the main entrance and gift shop.

Best time of day

The Laboe Naval Memorial is open all year round except Christmas Eve and New Years' Eve.

Opening times:

1 April - 31 October 9am - 6pm

1 November - 31 March 10am - 4pm

Precautions

There are a lot of stairs in the main memorial tower, so while I recommend taking the stairs to fully experience the chasming abyss beyond the stairwell, there is also a lift for your convenience.

Be aware that the inside of the submarine is very narrow, and requires climbing through various compartments on board. If you have any mobility issues, I recommend appreciating the submarine from the outside.

Comments

Kirk is great! Definitely nice to have commentary and understand the museum better :)

Posted by Anonymous Explorer , 5 days ago