The birth home of one of history’s most notorious individuals has been repurposed and is set to reopen in an effort to prevent it from becoming a site of reverence for neo-Nazi groups. Adolf Hitler’s former residence in Braunau am Inn, Austria, has been transformed into a police station following a €20 million renovation to deter far-right extremists from gathering there.
Previously a private residence, the Austrian government took ownership of the property a decade ago after a prolonged legal dispute with the previous owner. Renovation efforts included removing Nazi-era elements from the building’s exterior, such as repainting the yellow plaster facade white and installing a police sign above the entrance.
A memorial stone outside the building now bears the inscription: “For Peace, Freedom, and Democracy. Never Again Fascism. Millions of Dead Warn.” Hitler, born in the house in 1889, resided there briefly before his family relocated to another address in the same town.
During World War II, the Nazi party made modifications to the building to enhance its “Germanic” characteristics. Post-war, the Pommer family purchased the three-story home and later leased it to the Austrian government for charitable purposes. However, a dispute over accessibility modifications in 2011 led to the eviction of the last tenants, prompting Austrian lawmakers to pass a law enabling the government to acquire the property for €810,000 in the public interest.
Despite suggestions to convert the site into a historical monument, experts advised against it due to the potential attraction of extremist groups. The decision to repurpose the building as a police station was announced in 2020, with construction completing three years later.
The Austrian government emphasized that the police station, inaccessible to the public, would send a clear message that individuals with Nazi sympathies are unwelcome. However, not everyone supported this move, with some advocating for a tribute to the millions of victims of the Nazi regime, including six million Jews, instead.
Ludwig Laher, a member of the Mauthausen Committee Austria, expressed a preference for a peace-promoting establishment over the police station, highlighting the importance of honoring pacifism in the context of the historical site.