Authorities in Austria have opened a police station in the building where Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was born, aiming to prevent it from becoming a site of neo-Nazi pilgrimage. The 17th-century former inn in Braunau am Inn had been at the center of debate for years about how to handle its dark history.
The building was previously used as a workshop for people with disabilities, but that arrangement ended in 2011. Since then, the Austrian government sought to repurpose the property to discourage far-right sympathizers from visiting. In 2016, the government decided to turn it into a police station, a move that was finalized recently.
Local officials say the presence of police will help ensure the site is not associated with Nazi ideology. The building’s exterior will remain unchanged, but the interior has been renovated for police use. The decision follows years of controversy over whether to demolish the structure or keep it as a memorial.
Austria has strict laws against glorifying the Nazi era. By placing a police station in the building, authorities hope to send a clear message that the country rejects extremism and remembers the victims of the regime. The opening marks the end of a long chapter of uncertainty about the site’s future.