Austria turns Hitler's birthplace into police station in £15M renovation

Published Jul 27, 01:18 PM UTC

The Austrian government has completed a £15 million renovation of Salzburger Vorstadt 15 in Braunau, the building where Adolf Hitler was born in 1889, transforming it into a police station. The decision, reached after years of debate, aims to 'neutralise' the site's historical significance and prevent it from becoming a pilgrimage destination for Nazi sympathisers. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner stated the police station represents democracy, rule of law, and human dignity, contrasting with the darkest period of Austrian history. A memorial stone from the Mauthausen concentration camp remains outside, inscribed with a message against fascism. The move has drawn mixed reactions: while some residents were fed up with extremists posing for photos, a 2023 poll showed only 6% public support for the police station idea. Critics, including local resident Eveline Doll, raised concerns about comparisons to the Gestapo, but historian Florian Kotanko defended the decision, emphasizing democratic accountability.