Prora: Between Baltic Sea tourism and Nazi past-where is the journey going?

Prora: Between Baltic Sea tourism and Nazi past-where is the journey going?

Prora, Deutschland - The holiday complex Prora on the island of Rügen, which was once planned as a monstrous achievement of the National Socialists, is the focus of current discussions. Critics criticize the lack of clear strategy for the long -term development of the location. While the facility, known as the "Colossus of Rügen", attracts tourists in high season, it can be seen that the problems so far could still be tightened by new construction projects. Prora has recorded around 800 inhabitants and some positive developments such as the increasing popularity of a youth hostel and renovated apartment blocks. Nevertheless, the vacancy of a large part of the buildings remains an issue that signals unrestricted need for action. The state of affairs in Prora reflects the ambivalent relationship with the Nazi past, which is deeply rooted here. Infranken reports that the only rudimentary construction work is remembered by the challenges with which modern tourism projects are faced with historical places.

The penetration of the Nazi architecture is obvious. Prora was planned in the 1930s by the Nazi organization "Power through Joy" to offer affordable holidays for 20,000 vacationers at the same time. The construction began in 1936 under the direction of the architect Clemens Klotz, whose monumental design reflects the spirit of time. This architecture is not only an expression of the aesthetic preferences of the regime, but also an instrument for the ideological strengthening of the population. The focus on monumentalness and ascetic facade design should symbolize the superiority of the Aryan breed. wikipedia describes that such elements can be found in numerous buildings of the Nazi regime that are still visible in many German cities.

historical use and decay

The original plans, however, remained unfulfilled because the Second World War stopped the construction work in 1939. Vacationers should never reside in the planned rooms with a sea view. Instead, the shell buildings were used by the Wehrmacht and later by the National People's Army (NVA) of the GDR as barracks. After the end of the war, the complex fell. In recent years, however, efforts have been made to renovate parts of the building in order to protect the cure of the building symbolic for the Nazi regime. But the use and dealing with this historical legacy also remain controversial, which leads to intensive debates.

A central point in the discussion about Prora is the recurring interest in Nazi history. The documentation in the building itself addresses the dark past and attracts numerous visitors. In addition, the Naturerbe center with its tree top path offers impressive views of the coast and forests, which is important not only for tourists, but also for the residents. The sand sculpture exhibition in the Glaspalast Prora on 4,000 square meters is also a popular destination that inspires a new topic annually. This activity strengthens the tourist attractiveness, but the ambivalent relationship with this past remains inseparable. Welt points out that other such remains of the Nazi regime, such as the ambitious plans for Albert Speer for the "world capital Germania", show similar challenges.