Austria has inaugurated a police station within the residence of Adolf Hitler's birth located in Braunau am Inn.

This comes after extended discussions on handling the 17th-century former inn where the Nazi leader was born in April 1889.

The structure has undergone major renovations and facade alterations, yet it posed significant challenges for Austrian officials aiming to deter neo-Nazi visits.

Hitler resided at Salzburger Vorstadt 15 only briefly before his family relocated within Braunau, departing the town permanently at age three.

He made a short return to Braunau in 1938 en route to Vienna following the annexation of Austria.

The police station opening featured police musicians with brass instruments and was attended by Interior Minister Gerhard Karner along with local officials.

Austria is assuming responsibility for the terrible legacy of history, noted Karner, who views the station as marking a fresh beginning for the site.

The house will now serve as a symbol of democracy, rule of law, security, freedom and human dignity, he added.

A Catholic police chaplain blessed two crosses for the new station.

The interior ministry had long rented the property from owner Gerlinde Pommer, providing substantial payments to avoid extremist tourism.

Former interior minister Wolfgang Sobotka advocated demolition and reconstruction, echoing a past Russian proposal to purchase and destroy it.

This idea faced backlash as it was seen as erasing Austria's Nazi history.

In 2019, plans were set to convert it into a police station via an EU-wide architectural contest.

Substantial funds were invested in refurbishing the yellow building, which now appears markedly altered.

Painted white inside and out, it features polished oak woodwork while retaining the winding staircase and arched hall.

It contrasts sharply with its prior state when Lebenshilfe operated a shop there nearly two decades ago.

Police Chief Inspector Ludwig Heise expressed satisfaction with the modern facility offering more space, comparable to other Austrian stations.

Not all approve, with concerns it sends an inappropriate message; some preferred a center addressing the Nazi past or the return of the charity.

Historian Florian Kotanko noted the charity declined to avoid being a political cover, forcing governmental action.

No historical plaque exists, but security cameras monitor for potential neo-Nazi activity.

The sole connection is a 1989 street stone from Mauthausen camp stating Never again Fascism; In memory of millions of dead.

Hitler's name is absent, yet Kotanko asserts the history persists and must be confronted openly.