U-Boat in Laboe

I went to Laboe Beach near the naval town of Kiel to see the U-boat. A real submarine of the same type featured in the movie “Das Boot” is placed on the sandy beach. Under a clear blue sky, the beach is lively with people enjoying activities like swimming, kite or wind surfing. However, being a military ship enthusiast, I stood out as a somewhat out-of-place figure eagerly exploring the dark and narrow interior of the submarine. This was my first encounter with a real submarine since visiting the small U-1 at the German Museum 30 years ago. The sight of the large Type VII U-boat in its complete form was exhilarating, and I couldn’t leave as I touched, peered, and took photographs from every angle. I entered from the rear and exited from the front, but was overtaken by dozens of people.

The length of this ship is 67 meters, and while its dimensions are large, the human space inside, as shown in the photos, is extremely limited. To think that 44 people could embark on this vessel and sail for weeks in such confined conditions is astonishing. The thin outer hull, which rings like a bell when tapped, allowed it to dive to a depth of 120 meters, facing the terror of enemy ships. It makes one wonder if spending such extended periods in a submarine could affect one’s mental state. Stepping out of the submarine onto the shore, picking seaweed along the water’s edge, and searching for seashells on the sandy beach with daughters evoke a sense of peace, making one appreciate the happiness of such tranquility.

A famous ship U995. It was arrested by Norway and was returned to Germany after WWII

The tower appears on right is Naval museum. Unfortunately I had no time to visit there.

Electric control room right after entering into the submarine from rear. It was so tight, and continues for another 40m

While I was taking photos, the man in the blue uniform patiently watched over with warm eyes, waiting kindly. He also took his time observing, but unfortunately, he was eventually overtaken.

I couldn’t enter the room that was separated by glass from the sonar (listening) room corridor. The adjacent room is the communication room.

The sleeping quarters for ordinary soldiers. There seem to be only about 10 sleeping spaces for 44 individuals. They would sleep in shifts, and the surrounding wooden storage lockers appear to have been used for provisions rather than personal items. The length of a single mattress is approximately as long as I can reach with both hands, suggesting it might be less than 180cm. Can German clues comfortably sleep in such limited space?

The frontmost room is a torpedo loading room and also serves as a bed. With such huge torpedoes being loaded, it seems like there’s only limited space for sleeping.

Room for non-commissioned officers or officers, although it’s just a corridor. Are these storage areas around here for personal use? The interior is extensively covered in wood.

Out side of the Uboat. I can see a guy in the same pause whom I have seen before.

写真をたくさん撮りました。ギャラリーにあるのでご覧下さい。 https://1wishyouwerehere.com/en/laboe_u-boat/