-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000931017-06-000026.txt : 20061106
<SEC-HEADER>0000931017-06-000026.hdr.sgml : 20061106
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20061106162954
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000931017-06-000026
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20061103
FILED AS OF DATE:		20061106
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20061106

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Winthrop Realty Trust
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000037008
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798]
		IRS NUMBER:				346513657
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OH
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		7 BULFINCH PLACE
		STREET 2:		SUITE 500 PO BOX 9507
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02114
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6175704614

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		7 BULFINCH PLACE
		STREET 2:		SUITE 500 PO BOX 9507
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02114

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	FIRST UNION REAL ESTATE EQUITY & MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	FIRST UNION REALTY
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19691012

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BERKOWITZ BRUCE R
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001214344

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-06249
		FILM NUMBER:		061190700
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-11-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000037008</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>Winthrop Realty Trust</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FUR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001214344</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BERKOWITZ BRUCE R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares of Beneficial Interest</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-11-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>400000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2035382.6</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>see</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 14,765.6 common shares of beneficial interest acquired on October 16, 2006 in connection with the reinvestment of dividends pursuant to Winthrop Realty Trust's Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Amount consists of (i) 42,122 common shares owned directly by Mr. Berkowitz, (ii) 1,062,916.7 common shares owned by Fairholme Ventures II, LLC, an entity in which Fairholme Capital Management is the managing member, (iii) 16,274.2 common shares owned by Fairholme Holdings Ltd., an entity in which Fairholme Capital Management, LLC is the investment manager and (iv) 914,069.7 owned by Fairholme Associates, L.P., an entity in which Fairholme Capital Management, LLC is the general partner. Mr. Berkowitz is managing member of Fairholme Capital Management, LLC.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">In addition to the foregoing, Fairholme Ventures II, LLC holds 400,000 of the Issuer's Series B-1 Preferred Shares which are convertible into 2,222,222 of the Issuer's common shares of beneficial interest</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Furthermore, Mr. Berkowitz and Fairholme Capital Management have disavowed management and supervision with respect to 547,247 shares of common stock held in the separate accounts of advisory clients, and, accordingly, Mr. Berkowitz and Fairholme Capital Management do not attribute such shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Bruce R. Berkowitz</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-11-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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