Today marks my first day of sightseeing, and the experience is breathtaking! The U-995 and the Maritime Memorial at Kiel are truly impressive. Located about 10 miles north of Kiel in Laboe, a quaint holiday village, one can find a WW2 U-boat alongside a maritime memorial. At the close of WW2, U-995 was surrendered to the Danish, who utilized it as an active submarine for many years. Towards the end of its service, the Danish returned the U-boat to Germany as a gesture of reconciliation. Germany then decided to convert it into a living museum. After restoration to its WW2 condition, U-995 was placed on land near the Maritime Memorial.
My lifelong fascination with submarines led me to explore a U-boat firsthand, and I was amazed to discover that you could actually enter one. It appears quite sizable from the outside, but once inside, the space is incredibly compact and remains in pristine WW2 condition. The thought of 46 men living in such confined quarters for weeks is truly beyond my comprehension.
Afterward, I ascended to the Maritime Memorial and explored the German Maritime Museum, which was quite fascinating. For those who appreciate ship models, there’s a remarkable exhibition showcasing the Kriegsmarine’s historical fleet. The most striking features for me were the Hall of Remembrance located beneath the museum and the memorial itself. Erected in 1938, it was originally dedicated to the Kriegsmarine but now stands as a tribute to all seafarers from wartime, serving as an appropriate homage to these courageous individuals.
