What is a submarine doing on the beach?", many people will ask themselves when they see the huge submarine on Labo beach. Built in 1943, the U-995 submarine was set down in front of the naval memorial in 1972 after a long period of service to serve as a historical and technical museum. The extraordinary museum illustrates the oppressive living conditions of the soldiers and serves as a reminder and deterrent of the horror and suffering of the Second World War.
On March 13, 1972, U 995 was transferred to Laboe by two floating barges and deposited on the beach in front of the naval memorial as a technical museum. The boat was commissioned by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg on September 16, 1943. It belonged to type VII C, of which a total of 693 units were completed by 1945. Until it was decommissioned on May 8, 1945 in Drontheim, Norway, U 995 was mainly used in the North Sea against convoys and outbound convoys and security forces.
As a historical-technical museum, it is by no means only intended to arouse devout amazement at the achievements of the men who once had to suffer the horrors of war in the agonizing confines of its interior. Rather, it is intended to serve as a warning and deterrent reminder to today's generation of the horror and suffering of the Second World War.
The naval memorial in Laboe
It is one of the landmarks of the Kiel Fjord and can be seen from afar: the naval memorial in Laboe. It is a memorial to all navy soldiers who remained at sea. The museum submarine U 995 is moored in front of the memorial.
The memorial was built between 1927 and 1936. Two elevators or 341 steps lead up to a viewing platform, from which you can see the entire Kiel Fjord and as far as the Danish islands on a clear day.
The memorial initially stood for the soldiers of the Imperial Navy who died in the First World War. As they had remained at sea, there was no place for their relatives to mourn. This gave rise to the idea of a memorial. After the Second World War, the memorial was conceptually expanded several times and today stands for those of all nations who remained at sea. It is also intended as a memorial for peaceful seafaring in open waters.
The complex includes an underground memorial hall. Here you can discover numerous ship models and exhibits from the history of seafaring.
