Austria has officially converted the house where Adolf Hitler was born into a police station, in a long-debated effort to prevent the property from becoming a gathering point for neo-Nazi sympathisers.
The building, located in Braunau am Inn near the German border, has attracted controversy for decades because of its connection to Hitler’s birth in 1889. While the structure has no historical link to Nazi ideology beyond being his birthplace, it has repeatedly drawn unwanted attention from extremists seeking to glorify his legacy.
To stop the site from being used as a symbol of far-right propaganda, the Austrian government took control of the property years ago and approved its transformation for public use. After extensive renovation work, the building has now been repurposed to house police offices and administrative functions. Authorities say placing active security operations in the building will discourage extremist visits and eliminate any possibility of it becoming a shrine.
Officials explained that the decision was made after prolonged legal discussions and public debate about how best to handle the site. Some experts argued for turning it into an educational or memorial centre focused on democracy and anti-extremism, while others supported repurposing it for practical civic use to neutralise its symbolic value.
The move reflects Austria’s broader commitment to confronting its historical association with the Nazi era while ensuring that locations connected to that history are not exploited for hate or radicalisation. Government representatives have described the conversion as a preventive measure aimed at protecting democratic values and maintaining public order.
With the building now serving a functional role in law enforcement, Austrian authorities say the transformation sends a clear message: the site will be used for civic duty not ideology.
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