Austria Converts Hitler’s Birthplace into Police Station, Sparking Mixed Reactions

The Austrian government has completed converting the house where Adolf Hitler was born into a police station, a move that has generated both support and criticism in his hometown of Braunau am Inn.

Located on a narrow, shop-lined street in the town center, the building at Salzburger Vorstadt 15 was where Hitler was born on April 20, 1889. After years of legal disputes, the government expropriated the dilapidated property in 2016 and decided to repurpose it as a law enforcement facility. A memorial stone in front of the house reads: “For Peace, Freedom and Democracy. Never Again Fascism. Millions of Dead Warn.”

Workers were seen putting finishing touches on the renovated façade on February 17, 2026. The interior ministry announced that police officers are scheduled to move in during the second quarter of 2026.

The decision has drawn mixed emotions from residents and observers. Sibylle Treiblmaier, a 53-year-old office assistant, described it as a “double-edged sword,” noting that while it could deter far-right extremists from gathering at the site, the building could have been used for a more constructive purpose. Author Ludwig Laher, a member of the Mauthausen Committee Austria, called the police station concept “problematic,” arguing that an earlier proposal to turn the house into a peace dialogue center had received significant support.

Shop owner Jasmin Stadler, 34, said it would have been valuable to present the house’s history in a contextual, educational way, and criticized the 20-million-euro ($24-million) cost of the renovation. On the other hand, electrical engineer Wolfgang Leithner, 57, welcomed the change, saying it would “hopefully bring a bit of calm” and prevent the house from becoming a shrine for extremists.

Austria has long faced criticism for not fully acknowledging its role in the Holocaust. The far-right Freedom Party, founded by former Nazis, recently led national polls after winning the most votes in the 2026 election, though it failed to form a government. Last year, two streets in Braunau named after Nazis were renamed following activist pressure.

The house had previously been rented by the interior ministry and used as a center for people with disabilities before falling into disrepair. Braunau’s conservative mayor’s office declined to comment on the matter.