WINTHROP
REALTY TRUSTFORM 10-Q/A - MARCH 31, 2006

Exhibit 31.1

CERTIFICATION

I, Michael L.
Ashner, certify that:

| | 1. | I
have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A of  Winthrop Realty Trust;
| | -- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | 2. | Based
on my  knowledge,  this report does not contain any untrue  statement  of a material
fact or  omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of
the  circumstances  under which such  statements  were made, not misleading  with respect
to the period covered by this  report;
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| | 3. | Based
on my knowledge,  the financial statements,  and other financial information included in
this  report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition,  results
of operations and  cash flows of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
this report;
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| | 4. | The
Registrants  other  certifying  officer and I are responsible for establishing and
maintaining  disclosure  controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules
13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for  the Registrant and have:
| | -- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (a) | Designed
such disclosure  controls and procedures,  or caused such disclosure controls and
procedures  to be designed  under our  supervision,  to ensure that  material
information  relating to the registrant,  including its consolidated subsidiaries,  is
made known to us  by others within those  entities,  particularly  during the period in
which this report is  being prepared;
| | --- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (b) | Evaluated
the  effectiveness  of the Registrants  disclosure  controls and procedures and
presented  in this  report  our  conclusions  about the  effectiveness  of the
disclosure  controls and procedures,  as of the end of the period covered by this report
based on such  evaluation; and
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| | (c) | Disclosed
in this report any changes in the  Registrants  internal control over financial
reporting  that occurred  during the  Registrants  most recent fiscal  quarter,
that has  materially  affected,  or is reasonably  likely to  materially  affect,  the
Registrants  internal control over financial reporting; and
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| | 5. | The
Registrants  other  certifying  officer  and I  have  disclosed,  based  on our
most  recent  evaluation of internal  control over  financial  reporting,  to the
Registrants  auditors and the  audit  committee of the  Registrants  board of
directors  (or persons  performing  the  equivalent  functions):
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| | (a) | All
significant  deficiencies  and  material  weaknesses  in the design or  operation  of
internal control over financial  reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely
affect  the Registrants ability to record,  process,  summarize and report
financial information;  and
| | --- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

| | (b) | Any
fraud,  whether or not material,  that involves management or other employees who have  a
significant role in the Registrants internal control over financial reporting.
| | --- | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

|Date:
      August 23, 2006 | /s/ Michael L. Ashner                     
|--------------------------- | ------------------------------------------
|                            |                                           
|                            | Michael L. Ashner 
Chief Executive Officer

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