Battlefield Travel - Exklusive militär-historische Reisen

Dip into a fascinating world

In the north of the country - where else - is the birthplace of the German navy. This is where daring projects were developed, bold plans mapped out and a strong fighting force built.

Five days packed with information, with a splendid backdrop, staying at excellent and unusual hotels. View impressive proof of German ship-building skills and glean so much detail that you can at last feel well-informed about the history of the German navy.

Historical background to this trip

To get an overview of Germany's 100 years of naval development it is necessary to go to Wilhelmshaven. The Navy Museum there, already a fine display featuring large-scale exhibits like a U-10 (built in 1967) and the mine-weeper "Weilheim", has been expanded since Easter 2005 by the addition of the destroyer "Mölders". This naturally includes a marine history boat trip giving details of the town as an important military site.

Part of that history is the enormous "Valentin" U-boat factory in Bremen, an example of bombastic building plans incorporating ultra-modern production lines and the latest technology of the era with the inhumane face of Nazism dependent on forced labour and concentration camp inmates.

Following on seamlessly from "Valentin", there is a visit to the only preserved U-boat of the XXI series, in Bremerhaven. This ultra-fast diesel-electric boat, originally designed for the revolutionary Walter engine, is rightly seen as the foundation stone for Germany's modern-day advanced technology in the field of submarine construction.

There is yet another gem of maritime history on the programme: Heligoland. German sovereign territory for over 100 years, this rocky island off the north-west German coast survived two world wars which brought it to the brink of collapse: a fine illustration of the consequences of megalomania against an impressive backdrop.

The trip is rounded off by a visit to the world-famous U-boat archive in Cuxhaven.