Balkan prison camp sees new life as luxury resort

The plans to redevelop the World War II-era prison were approved by the government of Montenegro

Mamula of the coast of Montenegro
Mamula of the coast of Montenegro

A Balkan World War II-era concentration camp is undergoing an unlikely transformation into a luxury resort.

The government of Montenegro has given developers the go-ahead to build a luxury retreat on the island, which once housed prisoners under the rule of Benito Mussolini. Some families of those once imprisoned on Mamula Island have protested, according to the New York Post.

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Mamula was a 19th century Austro-Hungarian fortress and then a fascist prison where thousands were held and more than 130 were killed or starved.

The Montenegrin parliament approved the project, which is backed by a Swiss-Egyptian company, Orascom. The developers have stated that they intend to preserve Mamula’s historical character. [NYP]Christopher Cameron