Austria announced it will use the house where Adolf Hitler was born to provide human rights training to police officers. The German dictator was born in a rented room on the top floor of the house in 1889. The decision follows a lengthy discussion by an expert committee, which ruled out demolition or turning the house into a memorial centre. The 17th-century house in Braunau am Inn, near the German border, was bought by the government in 2016 as a compulsory purchase after a long-running legal battle.
The cost of turning the building into a training centre incorporating a police station is expected to reach about €20 million, and will begin in the autumn, The Guardian reported authorities as saying.
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The Guardian report cited a recent survey as revealing that a majority of Austrians were against turning it into a police station as 53% of respondents said it should be turned into an establishment dedicated to dealing with the topics of National Socialism, anti-fascism, tolerance and peace. Over 20% said it should be torn down and only 6% favoured its use by authorities.
The possibility of Demolition was ruled out as the act would be interpreted as Austria denying its Nazi past and hence, viewed negatively internationally. There were apprehensions that if the spot became a public meeting point, the house could attract far-right enthusiasts.
The house stood empty since 2011 when the last owner was forced to leave following a court order after authorities failed to reach an agreement with her. She received a compensation payment of more than €800,000.
The house will open as a police station and training centre in 2026, as per The Guardian. A memorial stone in front of the house engraved with the words “For peace, freedom and democracy – never again fascism – remembering the deaths of millions” will remain in place.
Hitler had lived in the house for only several months, but during the Nazi era, it became a pilgrimage site for his admirers, bringing a lot of tourism to the town. After World War II, it was boarded up.
Governments have been making efforts to prevent it from becoming a far-right tourist attraction which includes renting the house from its last owner. However, she halted plans for its use as a charity-run day care centre for people with special needs after preventing renovation work on it, the report mentioned.