Kiel Sailors' Uprising 1918: Self-Guided Podcast Tour

Walk the streets where mutiny became revolution

A self-guided podcast tour of Kiel traces the 1918 sailors' uprising across 6 stops over roughly two hours, following the route where naval mutiny exploded into the revolution that ended the German Empire. The app provides audio from experts and locals, precise navigation between stops, and answers to questions about the story and the sites themselves. Minimum age is 13. The tour suits all fitness levels and works in English or German.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kiel Sailors' Uprising sites

• Visit open-air venue of mass gathering
• See site of military shooting
• Explore trade union building
• Visit city administration seat
• See naval headquarters surrender site
• View waters of high seas fleet anchorage

The experience

The tour starts at the vast open-air venue where tens of thousands gathered on November 4th, 1918, to solidify the revolution's power. From there, the app guides you through Kiel's streets to the spot where the military opened fire on unarmed demonstrators: the moment that ignited the armed uprising. You walk past the trade union building that became the revolution's organizational heart, then to the city administration building where revolutionaries hoisted a red flag from its tower. The route covers 4.3 kilometers and ends at the naval headquarters where Admiral Souchon was forced to surrender to the mutineers, with a final stop overlooking the waters where the high seas fleet anchored and the initial mutiny began.

The podcast-style audio features experts and locals telling the story of how sailors and shipyard workers said no to a suicidal final battle as the German Empire collapsed. Rather than a guide walking beside you, you control the pace and can pause to absorb each location. The in-app guide answers questions about the story and the surroundings, so you're not left wondering what you're looking at. Navigation is precise enough that you won't lose the thread between stops, and the whole arc, from the gathering to the surrender, unfolds across the actual places where it happened.

What’s included

• Podcast-style audio narration from experts and locals in English or German.
• in-app navigation between the six stops.
• interactive guide to answer questions about the story and the sites.
• precise directions so you don't lose the route.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

Audio guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Red Thread

Is this one for you?Solo travelers and small groups move at their own pace, pausing to absorb each location without waiting for a guide or keeping up with a schedule. The self-guided format suits anyone who wants to explore the revolution's geography on their own terms.

Top questions

Can I do this tour on my own schedule, or is there a set time to start?

The tour is self-guided, so you start whenever you want and move through the six stops at your own pace. There's no fixed departure time or group to join.

What exactly happened at the trade union building during the 1918 uprising?

The trade union building became the organizational heart of the revolution and the birthplace of the 14 points: the demands that shaped the new republic.

How long does the whole tour take?

The tour covers 4.3 kilometers across six stops and runs roughly two hours, though you can take longer if you want to linger at any location.

Do I need to download anything before I start, or does the app work on the street?

The app provides navigation and audio content as you walk, so you'll want to have it downloaded and ready before you leave your hotel or starting point.

Is this tour suitable for teenagers, or is it only for adults?

The minimum age is 13, and the tour is designed for anyone interested in history, memory, power and protest, so teenagers old enough to engage with the story are welcome.