Austrian authorities have officially opened a new "police station" at the former birthplace of Adolf Hitler in Braunau am Inn after investing over 20 million euros to completely renovate its appearance. The move aims to resolve a prolonged controversy and prevent far-right and neo-Nazi groups, who frequently make pilgrimages there.
Austria is set to officially open a new police station today (22 Jul) by converting the original house where Adolf Hitler, the Nazi Germany dictator, was born. This aims to end a long-standing debate over the building's future and to stop modern far-right groups from using the site as a gathering or pilgrimage point.
This charming 17th-century building, located in the heart of Braunau am Inn near the German border, is where Hitler was born on 20 April 1889. The 20-million-euro (about 770 million baht) renovation project, delayed by three years, has now been completed. Austrian architectural firm Marte painted over the original yellow plaster walls with a clean white color to erase past associations, while a clear police station sign has been installed at the front.
However, the sidewalk in front of the building still preserves a "stumbling stone" engraved with a reminder: "For peace, freedom, and democracy. Fascism must never arise again. Millions of lives are a warning."
This 800-square-meter building was owned by the Pommer family since 1912. In 1972, the Austrian government leased it to serve as a center assisting disabled people, who were among the victims murdered during the Third Reich era.
However, amid ongoing visits by neo-Nazi groups, Gerlinde Pommer, the last private owner, opposed the building's conversion and fought legal battles against state expropriation. In 2016, Austria passed a law to take control of the property, and in 2019, the Austrian Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state purchasing the property for 810,000 euros.
Historians opposed demolishing the building, warning that Austria must confront historical realities, including its annexation by Germany in 1938, which led to the murder of over 65,000 Austrian Jews and the exile of more than 130,000. Yet, turning the site into a museum or memorial risks attracting far-right groups.
An expert committee thus decided to convert the building into a "police station." The Austrian government believes having police officers stationed there permanently will help "restore neutrality" to the area and clearly demonstrate that Nazi commemoration will no longer occur at this location.
This move comes amid rising far-right politics in Austria, with the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), founded by former Nazis, currently polling as the country's most popular party with approximately 37% support, according to Europe Elects.
Meanwhile, opponents argue that turning the site into a police station cannot erase its history. Robert Aiter, spokesperson for the Mauthausen Committee Austria, an association of Nazi camp survivors, told AFP, "It's a complete joke. Humanity will never forget where the worst genocide perpetrators were born, and this renovation will not stop a single neo-Nazi from making a pilgrimage to Braunau."
. AFP