NAZI REST HOMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 15

NAZI REST HOMES.

WORKERS' HOLIDAYS. SEASIDE BATHING RESORTS. BERLIN. Five special "People's Bathing Resorts," capable oE accomodating 1,000,000 workers simultaneously, to be constructed on the North Sea and Baltic coasts, are the latest ambitious project of the Nazi organisation: "Strength through Jov.'' A beginning has been made. Dr. Ley, Nazi trade union "leader," recently laid the foundation stone of the first mass bathing beach and resort which is lo be created on the east coast of the beautiful island of Rugen in the Baltic. Each "People's Bathing Resort" is to be designed to house 20,000 workers, and to deal during the summer season with almost half a million visitors. Owing to the extremely low cost to the worker — two marks per day inclusive for everything (2/ at par)—overhead costs are to he kept as low us possible. Hence the resorts will tie planned, organised, ancl run on well-known Na/.i mass style.

A number of German architects have been asked to submit designs which shall take into consideration the special needs of this proletarian bathing resort. There will be mass community houses fitted with cabins suitable for sleeping or dressing. There will be a number of sea pavilions designed for mass eating. Cinemas, and halls suitable for concerts, will also be built. If the Rugen experiment turns out well, four similar "People's Bathing Resorts" are to bo constructed at other points on the Baltic and the North Sea coasts. The one at Rugen should be ready to receive guests in 1037. Dr. Ley lias promised that these mass bathing beaches will not compete with the numerous popular seaside resorts on the German coast They will only cater, he says, for the very poorest .workers who otherwise would have no opportunity of spending a holiday at the seaside. Judging by the colossal number for which preparations are being made a large percentage of Germany's 14 million workers are not in "the financial position of being able to visit another seaside resort," as Dr. Ley expresses it.