BRAUNAU AM INN, Austria: Austria has converted the house where Adolf Hitler was born into a police station, a move the government says is intended to “neutralise” the site and prevent it from becoming a pilgrimage destination for far-right extremists.
The yellow building in the border town of Braunau am Inn, where Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, has long been a source of controversy. After years of legal wrangling, Austria passed a law in 2016 to seize control of the property from its private owner, citing public interest.
Police officers are expected to move into the renovated building in the second quarter of 2026, according to the interior ministry.
Mixed Reactions
The decision has stirred debate in a country still grappling with its Nazi-era legacy.
Supporters argue that turning the building into a functioning police station strips it of symbolic power. “It makes sense to use the building and give it to the public authorities,” said one local resident, adding that the move could prevent it from becoming a shrine for extremists.
Others, however, question whether the site could have been repurposed in a more educational or commemorative way. Author Ludwig Laher, a member of the Mauthausen Committee Austria representing Holocaust victims, suggested that transforming the building into a space dedicated to peace-building and historical reflection might have been more appropriate.
A memorial stone outside the house reads: “For Peace, Freedom and Democracy. Never Again Fascism. Millions of Dead Warn.”
A Broader Reckoning
Austria, annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, has faced repeated criticism over its handling of Holocaust responsibility. Around 65,000 Austrian Jews were murdered during Nazi rule, while approximately 130,000 were forced into exile.
The debate comes at a politically sensitive time. The far-right Freedom Party, founded by former Nazis, topped the vote in Austria’s 2024 national election, though it failed to form a government.
Last year, two streets in Braunau am Inn that commemorated Nazi figures were renamed following pressure from activists — another sign of the ongoing struggle over memory and accountability.
By converting Hitler’s birthplace into a police station, Austrian authorities hope to send a message that the building belongs to the democratic state, not to history’s darkest chapter. Whether that step achieves closure or fuels further debate remains to be seen.
