Laboe Naval Memorial

The Laboe Naval Memorial (Marine-Ehrenmal Laboe) is a 20th-century naval memorial on the Baltic coast at Laboe in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The tower, completed and inaugurated in 1936, is the property’s dominant feature.

The memorial tower rises to 72 meters and includes an observation platform that looks out over the Kieler Förde and the Baltic Sea. An exhibition and crypt at the tower’s base explain the memorial’s purpose and list names of lost sailors.

A preserved World War II German Type VIIC/41 submarine, U-995, lies on display beside the memorial as a museum ship; it is open to the public and gives an inside view of a wartime U-boat. The site also includes a sailors’ cemetery and outdoor viewing terraces popular with photographers.

The memorial was designed by architect Gustav August Munzer and built in the interwar period, with completion and inauguration in 1936. Originally dedicated to sailors who died in World War I, its commemorative scope and on-site interpretation have since broadened to acknowledge maritime losses from later conflicts.

The memorial sits on the coast of the Kieler Förde near the town of Laboe, north of the city of Kiel in northern Germany, facing the Baltic Sea. It is easily reached from Kiel and the surrounding coastal towns by road and local ferries.

• Best viewpoint: Climb the tower for clear views across the Kieler Förde and the Baltic coast; mornings and late afternoon give the best light for photography.
• Submarine museum access: The on-site submarine U-995 is a separate entry and can require additional time to tour; check opening times before visiting.

What to See #

• U-995 museum submarine: Contains a preserved World War II German Type VIIC/41 submarine displayed as a museum since 1971, open for internal visits and exhibits on U-boat operations.
• Memorial tower and observation deck: The memorial tower rises to 72 meters and has an observation platform offering panoramic views over the Kieler Förde and Baltic Sea.
• Crypt, exhibition and sailors' cemetery: A crypt and exhibition space at the base present inscriptions and panels commemorating sailors and maritime losses; an adjacent sailors' cemetery contains graves and memorial markers.