Marine-Ehrenmal Laboe

About the museum

The idea of a memorial to the naval personnel who died in World War I emerged in the mid-1920s. On August 8, 1927, the foundation stone was laid on the site of a former coastal battery near Laboe. The architect Gustav August Munzer designed an Expressionist tower that was meant to represent neither a ship nor a sail, but to rise like a flame from earth and sea. Financed mainly by donations from maritime associations, the complex was inaugurated on May 30, 1936 and co-opted by the Nazi regime for propaganda.

After the war, British occupation forces took over the site. In 1954, the Deutscher Marinebund (German Naval Association) got it back and dedicated it to those of all nations who died at sea. From 1993 to 1998, the complex was restored at a cost of around €2.3 million, more than half of it from donations. Since 1996, the memorial has also seen itself as a call for peaceful navigation on free seas and as a memorial to the dead of the Bundesmarine (West German navy) and of civilian shipping.

The 5.7-hectare site includes the 72-meter tower with a viewing platform 85 meters above the Baltic Sea, the underground memorial hall, the Historical Hall with ship models (reopened in 2010) and a large forecourt.

On the beach in front of it, the submarine U 995 has been on display since March 13, 1972. It was commissioned in 1943 at Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, served after the war as the "Kaura" in the Norwegian navy and returned to Germany in 1965 as a sign of reconciliation. As a technical museum, it aims to convey the cramped conditions and suffering on board rather than glorify war; around 250,000 people visit it every year.

Highlights

• Viewing platform 85 m above the Baltic Sea with views over the Kiel Fjord
• Underground memorial hall for those who died at sea
• Historical Hall with ship models on German naval and maritime history
• U 995, the last surviving Type VII C submarine, which you can walk through
• Hall of Flags with historic flags of German navies

Permanent exhibitions

• Historische Halle – Redesigned in 2010, the exhibition in the base of the tower uses numerous ship models and maritime objects to tell the history of the German navies and of seafaring.
• Technisches Museum U 995 – Visitors can walk through the submarine, propped up on the beach, from bow to stern, gaining a sense of how cramped and dangerous life was for the crew.

Founded

1936

Operated by

Deutscher Marinebund e. V.

Admission & discounts

Prices from April 1, 2026. The main prices listed apply to the Marine-Ehrenmal; U 995 costs €8 for adults, and the combination ticket for the memorial + U 995 costs €14.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The site is considered to have few barriers. Two elevators in the tower go up to the first platform; another 40 steps lead to the top platform. The underground memorial hall can be reached by a stairlift operated only by staff. Accessible restrooms available. Assistance dogs with proof allowed, other animals not.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

The Marine-Ehrenmal sees itself as a memorial site. For school classes there are downloadable teaching materials, including a student rally and a teacher's tour for elementary schools. Guided tours of U 995 are not possible due to the cramped space. Family ticket for 2 adults and 2–4 children.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant

Restaurant "Heimathafen" right next to the site. Brochures available on site and in the Marinebund's maritime online shop.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit