Prora: From the KDF dream to the tourist flop-what's going on at the Baltic Sea location?

Prora: From the KDF dream to the tourist flop-what's going on at the Baltic Sea location?

Prora, Deutschland - The Baltic Sea is still very popular with German vacationers. Last year, about 1.4 million tourists visited the Baltic Sea Islands Rügen and Hiddensee. The region around Prora near Binz in particular has to struggle with a special image. The former KDF complex, which is avoided by many vacationers, is the focus of discussions about the tourist development of the location. This reportsderwesten.de.

Originally planned as part of a large-scale project to create cheap holiday offers for German workers in the 1930s, the Prora complex was built under the direction of the architect Clemens Klotz from 1936. The construction work, which lasted until 1939, comprised eight six -storey house blocks with a total of 10,000 guest rooms. These were kept simple, equipped with two beds, a seating area and a hand wash basin. Various community facilities, including gastronomy, bowling alley and a cinema, were also planned. The costs for the construction stamped the original plans by far and finally amounted to 237.5 million Reichsmarks, such asWikipedianoted.

A split legacy

Although the construction before the Second World War remained largely incomplete, the use after the war was chaotic. The complex was initially used by the Red Army and later rebuilt to serve as barracks for the GDR's national folk army. Prora has only been open to the public since 1993 and has been a listed building since 1994. In the meantime, the facility is to be developed into a modern holiday location that addresses the history of National Socialism and the GDR. But howderwesten.dereports, the tourist development in Prora does not attract the desired number of visitors.

There is reportedly a lack of a sense of welcome, which affects a pleasant atmosphere for visitors. Nevertheless, there are some cafes and restaurants in Prora that attempt to increase the attractiveness of the location. However, the plans for the construction of a family hotel and a museum have not yet been realized. In 2024 the Prora Center reported bankruptcy, which further tightened the situation. Most blocks are empty, which reflects the sad state of the once ambitious holiday planning.

Hope for turn

Nevertheless, there are voices of hope among the business owners in Prora. Mohammed Ali Abid and the operators of the café "Patcus" express the desire for a positive development of the region. The challenges are considerable, but the community hopes for new impulses that could enable the place to revive. The average square meter price for real estate in Prora is currently 5,741 euros, which could be another incentive for potential investors.

Ultimately, Prora stands for the dark side of German history and the possibilities of a tourist redesign. The success of these efforts will have to be shown in the coming years.