On July 22, 2026, Austrian authorities inaugurated a new police station at the birthplace of Adolf Hitler in the town of Braunau am Inn. The project, which involved a 20-million-euro refurbishment, aims to discourage far-right extremists from visiting the site while demonstrating the nation’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
The 17th-century building, where Hitler was born in 1889, underwent a significant architectural redesign by the firm Marte. The structure has been whitewashed, and official police signage now marks the entrance. A memorial stone remains positioned outside to serve as a permanent reminder of the victims of the Nazi regime, including the 65,000 Austrian Jews killed after the 1938 annexation.
The government seized the property in 2016 following lengthy legal battles with the former private owner. Officials, including Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and local Mayor Johannes Waidbacher, stated that the conversion serves as a symbolic act of taking responsibility for history. However, the decision continues to face criticism, with some experts and activists arguing that a police station cannot erase the historical significance of the location or prevent neo-Nazi interest.
