Previous names: The name “Villa Fortuna” has been retained since the hotel opened.

Architecture: In the book “Pommersche Bäderarchitektur” (Pomeranian Spa Architecture) by Wolfgang Schneider & Torsten Seegert, the hotel is described as follows:

… It is a three-story building. The street front of the building can be divided into two main areas, which are designed to be contrasting in appearance: The right-hand side is completely solid and has a two-axis structure. The left-hand side, which adjoins Lake Schmachter, is characterized by a four-axis wooden loggia construction, which in turn includes a striking corner risalit with a tower. … The porch with shops also wraps around the corner of the building, with the roof serving as an outdoor seating area for the first floor. … Changes made in the mid-20th century, which left the building looking largely unadorned, have been partially reversed by a general renovation at the beginning of the 21st century.

Year of construction: Presumably 1896/1897

History/owners until 1945: From 1890 onwards, Wilhelmstraße, today’s Hauptstraße, was laid out by the Ostseebad Binz stock corporation, and the Hotel “Goldener Löwe” was the first to open. In 1897, Müller’s Rügen guidebook did not yet mention the house. A year later (1898), the Rügen address book listed it as Villa Fortuna with 18 guest rooms, owned by Franz Passow. There were no changes in the following years. It remained in the possession of the Franz Passow family. Historical photographs show a shop on the ground floor. It can be assumed that the Passow family ran a clothing store.

In 1935, there was a change of ownership. The new owner was Hans Huth.

GDR era: The accommodation directory for the Baltic resort of Binz on the island of Rügen from the summer of 1950 stated: “Fremdenheim Fortuna, owner Huth, 6 beds.”

In the following years, there was a shop on the ground floor of the house and apartments on the upper floors.

After 1990: Today, Villa Fortuna houses apartments and shops.

Current use: Residential building and row of shops

Photos: Boy Collection, Lutz Grünke, Binzer Bucht Tourismus Collection

Text: Klaus Boy, Binzer Bucht Tourismus