Prora is a beach resort on the island of Rügen known especially for its colossal Nazi-planned tourist structures. The massive building complex was built between 1936 and 1939 as a Strength Through Joy (Kraft durch Freude or KdF) project. The eight buildings are identical, and although they were planned as a holiday resort, they were never used for this purpose. The complex has a formal heritage listing as a particularly striking example of Third Reich architecture.
In 1945 the Soviet Army took control of the region and established a military base at Prora. The Soviet Army's 2nd Artillery Brigade occupied block 5 of Prora from 1945 to 1955.
In the late 1940s two of the housing blocks - one on the North and one on the South - were demolished and the remains mostly removed. In the late 1950s the East German military rebuilt several of the buildings.
Now the buildings are used in different ways: a distoteque, a NVA museum and some of the building have been restored to used as appartments, but most of them (The buildings extend over a length of 4.5 kilometres and are roughly 150 metres from the beach) are still abandoned.
In 1945 the Soviet Army took control of the region and established a military base at Prora. The Soviet Army's 2nd Artillery Brigade occupied block 5 of Prora from 1945 to 1955.
In the late 1940s two of the housing blocks - one on the North and one on the South - were demolished and the remains mostly removed. In the late 1950s the East German military rebuilt several of the buildings.
Now the buildings are used in different ways: a distoteque, a NVA museum and some of the building have been restored to used as appartments, but most of them (The buildings extend over a length of 4.5 kilometres and are roughly 150 metres from the beach) are still abandoned.
