September 2, 2024, 3:49 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
80 years ago, the Nazis planned the Prora resort on Rügen as the “seaside resort of 20,000”. Now, the town with the giant building on the beach, in which 1,000 vacation and owner-occupied apartments are being built, could actually be granted spa status. The main reason for this is financial.
The legacy of the Nazi era in Prora on the island of Rügen, which has been converted into a modern vacation destination, could soon become a seaside resort. The municipal council of Binz, which owns the as-yet unclassified Prora district, is discussing membership of the state’s spa association.
“Prora is developing rapidly”
One argument in favor of the project is the desired spa title for Prora, Mayor Karsten Schneider (non-party) told the German Press Agency. The conversion of the giant property, which the Nazis planned as the “KdF seaside resort of the 20,000”, had recently gained momentum after initial difficulties. “Prora is developing rapidly and is already almost as big as Binz,” said Schneider.
The Ministry of Social Affairs awards the promotional and financially lucrative designation of “health resort.” The state law on recognition designates seven types of health and recreation resort. These are spa, sea spa, seaside spa, Kneipp spa, Kneipp health resort, climatic health resort, and climatic health resort.
Health resort status has financial advantages
In addition to tourism considerations, the main reason for the planned application is financial. The municipality would have to pay in advance for beach cleaning, staffing rescue towers, or constructing toilets. “That’s why we don’t want to wait much longer to apply for resort status,” said Schneider.
The National Socialists constructed a massive “Strength through Joy” facility in the once wooded, idyllic Prorer Wiek directly on the Baltic Sea beach. The aim was to bring the masses into line by offering them an inexpensive Baltic Sea vacation experience and to train them to be loyal to the system. The outbreak of the Second World War halted work on the 4.5-kilometre-long complex. The building was not completed and was not used as a vacation home.
In the meantime, the National People’s Army moved in, and after the collapse of the GDR, the federal government became the owner. In blocks I to IV, which have been sold to private investors since 2006, more than 1,000 condominiums and vacation apartments have been and are being built. One part of the building serves as a youth hostel. As the new owner, the district also wants to sell Block V as soon as possible.
Prora should not compete with Binz
Schneider sees no parallels to the Nazi history in the application for the seaside resort title for Prora. For the first time, the area is now being put to broad civilian use, he said. The development of Prora is a gain for Binz, which is popular with holidaymakers. “I don’t see competition between the districts of Binz and Prora, but rather a symbiosis,” he said. While the old Binz stands for elegant and sophisticated, Prora can represent the young, fresh, and trendy.
With 5,900 inhabitants and over 14,500 vacation beds, Binz is the largest vacation resort on Rügen. The resort sees around 400,000 guests every year and 2.2 million overnight stays.
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Critics complain about the “de-historicization” of Prora
Museums and associations that deal with the history of the KdF complex in Prora complain about the increasing dominance of tourism and the “de-historicization” of the site. Director Susanna Miskgajski recently complained that the Prora Center could no longer show its exhibition in Block V because the plaster was falling off the façade.
Investors see great potential for tourism development in Prora. “We are setting a starting point for a new seaside resort in Prora, where people will live and relax in the future,” said the project developer of Prora Solitaire GmbH, Ulrich Busch, with conviction. Ten years ago, he acquired the first two blocks from the federal government. These include 36 hectares of land, and he paid 455,000 euros. Block II will also feature luxury vacation apartments at prices of 10,000 euros per square meter, according to a company spokesperson.
This spring, vacation home provider Novasol will start marketing the vacation apartments in Prora. 50 apartments in Block II of the former Nazi complex will be on offer.
“Prora on Rügen is a prime example of the renaissance of a vacation destination,” explained Bernd Muckenschnabel, Chairman of the Novasol Supervisory Board, in a press release. Impressive vacation apartments have been developed. Buyers purchased the 30 to 120 square meter apartments at prices between 3,500 and 6,000 euros per square meter. They are now renting them out.