Dokumentationszentrum in Prora

Located between the cultural area (now the M3 disco) and the entrance hall in Prora is the “Dokumentationszetrum”.  This documentation centre contains a number of exhibits connected to the building complex in Prora  and is well worth a visit.

It starts with a film which lasts 33 minutes about the history and construction of the complex. Outside the small theatre is a model of what the completed building would have looked like.

Outside the theatre, now a disco, at the start of the tour

If you are there at the right time (and have paid the €2 supplemental charge) you can join at tour at this point. The tours start at 11.45am and 2.30pm.  The tour starts by explaining the model and then goes outside the building. It takes you through areas of the grounds that you may otherwise not discover on your own and uses photos taken during and after construction to show you what it once looked like.

The guide explains why and when changes to the building were made, many of them during the GDR era, but also what has become of them since re-unification.

During the GDR era, this was the parade ground

The parade ground, for example, has become overgrown and only parts of it can be seen through the trees. The area behind the entrance hall appears to be derelict. The quay is out of bounds and part of the original steps leading down to it across the beach are now hidden in the woods. There is even a concrete barrier to stop the high tide making its way into the buildings.

The entrance to what would have been one of the large halls

The tour alone takes around two hours and is 1.8km long, but afterwards you can return to the documentation building to see the permanent exhibits on the “Kraft durch Freude” (KdF) organisation and the construction of the complex. There are also rooms for temporary exhibits, and during my visit this space was occupied by one on Leni Riefenstahl.

The remains of the quay

Photography is permitted and there is plenty of parking outside, although if you intend to take the tour buy a parking ticket for the whole day, which costs €5 (as of June 2013), especially if you plan to eat at one of the stands outside afterwards. Watching the film, taking the tour and seeing all of the exhibits takes around 4 hours, and if this is all too much for you, you can have your ticket stamped at the exit and return within 3 days for a second visit.

Steps down to the beach can be found in the woods

There is also an extensive guide to the museum and the exhibition available in English, which costs €9.80.

The centre’s opening times vary throughout the year, so it is best to check the website before going.  At the time of writing (May 2014), entry costs €6 for adults and €3 for teenagers.  Children under 13 can enter free of charge.