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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 9W2NzU+ppNHWGJVz33Yb7g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000931017-06-000033.txt : 20061121
<SEC-HEADER>0000931017-06-000033.hdr.sgml : 20061121
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20061121161114
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000931017-06-000033
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20061117
FILED AS OF DATE:		20061121
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20061121

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:			ASHNER MICHAEL L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001139233

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-06249
		FILM NUMBER:		061233020

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5168220022

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O WINTHROP FINANCIAL ASSOCIATES
		STREET 2:		TWO JERICHO PLAZA WING A
		CITY:			JERICHO
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11753
</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>2006-11-17</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001139233</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ASHNER MICHAEL L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WINTHROP FINANCIAL ASSOCIATES</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>TWO JERICHO PLAZA WING A</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>JERICHO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>11753</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares of Beneficial Interest</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-11-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.4</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11027000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>see</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">FUR Holdings LLC (&quot;Holdings&quot;) is the sole member of FUR Investors LLC (&quot;Investors&quot;), WEM-FUR Investors LLC (&quot;WEM&quot;) is the managing member of Holdings and Michael L. Ashner is the managing member of WEM and the Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer. Accordingly, for purposes of Section 16 of the Act, Holdings, WEM and Mr. Ashner may be deemed to beneficially own any securities held by reported herein which are held by Investors. Further, WEM holds a 35% interest in Holdings and Mr. Ashner holds a 71.43% interest in WEM and, accordingly, for purposes of Section 16 of the Act, Holdings, WEM and Mr. Ashner may be deemed to own a 100%, 35% and 25% beneficial interest, respectively, in any securities reported herein which are held by Investors.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares are comprised of (i) 27,000 shares held directly by Michael L. Ashner and (ii) 10,416,667 shares held by FUR Investors LLC. Accordingly, in accordance with the ownership percentages set forth in footnote (2) above, for purposes of Section 16 of the Act: (i) Investors beneficially owns 10,416,667 shares of Beneficial Interest, (ii) Holdings beneficially owns the number of shares of Beneficial Interest listed by Investors as held by Investors, (iii) WEM beneficially owns 3,645,833 shares of Beneficial Interest, and (iii) Mr. Ashner beneficially owns 2,606,167 of Beneficial Interest.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This statement is filed as a joint report pursuant to Rule 16a-3(j) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the &quot;Act&quot;) by the undersigned Reporting Person and by the entities listed on the attached Joint Filer Information Sheet who are deemed to constitute a &quot;group&quot; beneficially owning more than 10% of the Issuer's shares of beneficial interest, par value $1.00 per share under Section 13(d) of the Act.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael L.Ashner</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-11-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FUR Investors LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-11-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FUR Holdings LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-11-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>WEM FUR Investors LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-11-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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