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Hitler house 'historically contaminated': officials

The Local Austria
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Hitler house 'historically contaminated': officials
Hitler's birthhouse in Braunau. Photo: APA

The dispute over an appropriate use for the house where Austria's most infamous son, Adolf Hitler, was born and raised continues to plague the Austrian government and local officials in Braunau.

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Despite several recent attempts to find a tenant acceptable to the house's private owner, she has rejected plans for the house to become a community college, a migrant center or a holocaust museum, according to a report from the Austrian Press Association (APA).

The latest proposal, under which the house would be renamed as the House of Responsibility, would have made the building into a museum dedicated to depicting the crimes against humanity committed by Hitler's Nazi's during the so-called Third Reich.  This proposal was summarily rejected by the owner, whose agreement with the government rules out any use of the building as a museum.

Calls for demolishing the house have also been rejected.  It has stood empty for the past three years, while the owner receives a monthly rent of €4,600 paid for by the Interior Ministry.

The Republic takes its responsibilities seriously when it has 'historically contaminated buildings', stressed section chief Hermann Feiner, who is responsible for memorials of the Austrian Republic. 

The latest plan is for some government department that can be found to occupy the 800 square-metre dwelling. Whatever decision is made, the owner has to agree before the house can again be occupied.

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