Austrian authorities have officially transformed the house where Adolf Hitler was born into a police station, aiming to prevent the site from becoming a destination for neo-Nazi supporters.
The building, located in Braunau am Inn near the German border, was opened as a police facility on Wednesday after years of planning and renovation. The Austrian government purchased the property in 2017 and announced plans for its conversion in 2019, with the project costing approximately €20 million.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Braunau Mayor Johannes Waidbacher said the project demonstrates the town's commitment to confronting its history and accepting responsibility for the past. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner also attended the event alongside police officers and local officials.
According to Austria's Interior Ministry, converting the building into a police station is intended to remove its symbolic appeal and discourage extremist groups from treating it as a pilgrimage site. District and local police officers will now operate from the facility.
Despite the change, some historians and anti-racism campaigners argue that the building's historical significance cannot be erased. Robert Eiter of the Mauthausen Committee said the site's association with Hitler would remain, regardless of its new purpose.
Some local residents also expressed mixed feelings, saying they would have preferred the building to be used for charitable or community purposes instead.
A memorial stone from the Mauthausen concentration camp bearing the inscription, "Never Again Fascism," remains outside the building, alongside the newly installed police station sign.
The move reflects Austria's continued efforts to address its Nazi-era history while preventing the site from becoming a symbol for extremist groups.
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