Laboe – U 995
Just north of Kiel and along the North Sea coast lies the small resort of Laboe. At the beach there is a memorial (Marinen-Erenmahl) for sailors of all nationalities who lost their lives while serving in the navy. The construction of the monument began in 1927 and was completed in 1936. It was built as a monument to commemorate German sailors who died in the First World War. After the war, the memorial became an international monument. It is still and exclusively characterized by the German navy throughout history. The museum also contains a number of exhibitions consisting of both ship models, flags and storys about historical events at sea.
Adjacent to the monument is the German submarine U-995 which served in Kriegsmarine between 1943 and 1945. On its merit list it has nine sunked ships, including two warships. U-995 surrendered to British forces in Trondheim, Norway, and for a period served in the Norwegian navy before being sold back to Germany in 1971.
Current status: Preserved with museum (2007).
Address: Strandstrasse 92, 24235 Laboe.
Get there: Car.
Follow up in books: Blair, Clay: Hitler’s U-Boat War: The Hunted: 1942-1945 (1996).
For those who have seen the German film, Das boot (1981), it gives an idea of what it must have been in a submarine. All honor to all who served in the submarine fleet during the Second World War, regardless nationality. The submarine is well worth a visit and one of four preserved German submarines from the Second World War. The other three are U-505, Chicago, USA, U-534, Birkenhead, England, and U-2540, Bremerhaven, Germany. Although the last one never served before the war ended.