Austria: House where Hitler was born converted into police station

The building where Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, has been transformed into a police station, marking the end of a long public debate and government efforts to repurpose the site.

The Austrian government purchased the property in 2017 from a private owner who had been using it to house a facility for people with disabilities. The aim was to prevent the location from being exploited for neo-Nazi purposes. In 2019, plans were announced to renovate the building for police use.

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Never again fascism.

Today, the only visible reminder of its historical association is a stone from the Mauthausen concentration camp placed on the pavement outside, inscribed with 'Never again fascism.' The word 'police' now adorns the facade. During the Nazi era, the site was a museum dedicated to Hitler as part of his cult of personality.

Local authorities report a significant decrease in neo-Nazi visits in recent years, despite passersby still stopping to photograph the building. The mayor of Braunau am Inn, Johannes Waidbacher, stated that the community has largely accepted the police station's presence, noting that while other uses like charitable facilities were considered, housing police services was chosen to limit public access and prevent exploitation of the site.

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The community has largely accepted the new use of the building.