At Villa Winter
Villa Winter – a bumpy journey into the past
Even getting to Villa Winter was an adventure in itself. After making our way along the long, bumpy track through Fuerteventura’s impressive landscape, only the final few metres to the villa remained.
And, of course, those last metres had a surprise waiting for us.
Potholes and rocky sections put our shock absorbers to the test … and our backsides as well. So we were rather pleased when we could finally get out of the car and give our battered seats a well-earned break.
At the entrance, we were welcomed by a relative of former members of the household staff. Admission is based on a voluntary donation, which you are kindly invited to make before entering the house.
After all, even voluntary donations need a little organisation. 😁
A house full of secrets
Even from the outside, Villa Winter is an unusual sight. With its thick walls, distinctive tower and rather unique architecture, it almost looks like a small castle in the middle of Cofete’s remote landscape.
We stood there admiring the building and soon found ourselves wondering what had persuaded Gustav Winter to build such a house here, of all places, so far away from almost everything.
There was plenty to discover inside as well.
We were particularly fascinated by the old telephones and the shelves filled with dusty books, some apparently dating back many decades.
Another striking feature is the inner courtyard, which gives the building a very special character.
The overall design of the house surprised us. You quickly realise that this is certainly not an ordinary family home.
There are numerous rooms, unusual details and hidden corners that make your imagination start working overtime almost automatically.
Between history and legend
It is almost impossible to visit Villa Winter without thinking about the many stories and rumours that have surrounded it for decades.
Some of the rooms contain uniforms, weapons and other objects connected with the period of National Socialism. Inevitably, these exhibits bring to mind one of the darkest chapters in German history.
And then the stories begin.
There are tales of high-ranking Nazis who supposedly found refuge here. German submarines are said to have been supplied off the coast. There are stories of secret facilities, underground rooms and all kinds of mysterious activities.
In short: all that is missing is Indiana Jones suddenly appearing from behind a wall.
The problem is that many of these spectacular stories have never been historically proven.
According to information from the Winter family, construction of the villa began in 1946, after the end of the Second World War.
There is also no conclusive evidence that Villa Winter was used as a secret German submarine base during the war.
What really lies behind all these stories therefore remains, at least partly, a mystery.
But perhaps it is precisely this combination of unusual architecture, remote location and unanswered questions that makes the place so fascinating.
You look around, discover another strange detail and suddenly realise that you have already started inventing your own story.
A cemetery that raises even more questions
Very close to the villa, between the house and the vast Playa de Cofete, lies a small and simple cemetery.
This place, too, somehow fits perfectly into Cofete’s quiet and almost unreal landscape.
Surrounded by the sea, mountains and constant wind, it feels almost forgotten.
But once again, it is worth separating history from rumour.
The cemetery is part of the history of the old settlement of Cofete. People were already living and working in this remote area in the 19th century. Because of the great distance to other settlements, a small local cemetery was established here.
There is no conclusive evidence that it was ever used as a secret German cemetery or one connected with National Socialism.
But, of course …
Villa Winter is just nearby.
And when a mysterious villa and a lonely cemetery appear in the same landscape, the human imagination usually does not need much encouragement.
Our conclusion
We definitely found our visit to Villa Winter fascinating.
We discovered unusual architecture, old telephones, historical exhibits and plenty of stories that transported us back into the past for a while.
Is it possible to leave with more questions than answers?
Absolutely.
But perhaps that is exactly part of the charm of this place.
One thing is certain: Villa Winter provides more than enough material for conversations, speculation and probably several more generations of stories.
And the drive there?
We probably will not forget that either.
Not because of any secret Nazi stories, but because of the potholes, rocks and our shock absorbers, which we hope had not already handed in their resignation by the time they saw the next dirt road.
