Hitler's Birthplace Transformed into Police Station to Deter Neo-Nazi Gatherings
The building where Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, has been converted into a police station. The move aims to change the building's symbolic meaning and prevent its use by far-right activists.
In the Austrian town of Braunau am Inn, a police station has officially opened in the building where Adolf Hitler was born in 1889. This is an attempt to neutralize the site's appeal to far-right activists, who had been using it as a symbolic shrine.
Police Station and Costs
The building now houses a police unit specializing in drug enforcement. Local police chief Stefan Haslberger noted that Braunau's proximity to the German border makes it a key drug trafficking route. The renovation cost approximately 20 million euros.
History and Decision
The decision follows years of debate. In recent years, far-right activists laid roses and wreaths at the facade on Hitler's birthday, and some visitors photographed themselves performing the illegal Nazi salute. Locals dubbed the building the "house of evil."
An expert commission recommended using the building for social, charitable, or administrative purposes rather than a museum, to avoid attracting extremists. Demolition was rejected to avoid obscuring historical significance.
Opening Ceremony
At the opening ceremony, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner declared the building had entered a "new chapter" and would now be a place for democracy, the rule of law, and security.
Additional Measures
Before the police station was established, a memorial stone from the Mauthausen concentration camp stood in front of the building, inscribed with a message for peace, freedom, and democracy. The Austrian government hopes the new function will neutralize the site and reduce interest from Hitler admirers.
Building's History and Broader Context
The 17th-century building previously served as a hotel and brewery. Ten years ago, the government took ownership from a private owner. It once housed a care center for people with disabilities and had been vacant since 2011.
Recently, hackers changed the building's address on Google Maps to 88, a neo-Nazi code for "Heil Hitler." A similar step was taken in Munich, where Hitler's former apartment was turned into a police station after WWII.
Meanwhile, Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), founded by former Nazis, won the most votes in the 2024 elections but failed to form a government. Since then, support for the party has continued to grow.
