Germans arrested in Austria for neo‑Nazi salute at Hitler's birthplace

The Austrian police promptly arrested two young couples from Bavaria who visited the birthplace of Adolf Hitler. The officers intervened immediately upon witnessing one of the women performing the Hitler salute.

The Austrian police disclosed to the media on Monday that the group of four Germans placed white roses in memory of Adolf Hitler at his birthplace in 1889. Their visit to the town of Braunau am Inn on April 20 coincided with the anniversary of Hitler's birth.

The Austrian police reported that two sisters, aged 24 and 26, along with their partners, aged 29 and 31, were arrested.

After placing flowers on the windowsill of Hitler's birthplace and performing the Hitler salute, the couples took photos.

The actions of one of the women prompted the Austrian officers to take action. She insisted that it was all a jest and even her statements were not meant seriously. Nonetheless, evidence on her phone revealed that the group had been sharing Nazi-related content for a while.

The entire group of German tourists was reported to the prosecutor's office on suspicion of violating Austrian laws against the use of Nazi symbols.

Every April 20, the Austrian police stepped up patrols, particularly around the house in Braunau am Inn, where Hitler spent his early years before moving to Passau in Bavaria.

Last October, the renovation of the building began with the objective of deterring visits by neo-Nazis. The state has owned the building since 2016, intending to convert it into a police station and, starting in 2026, use it for human rights training.

Currently, a boulder placed in front of the building bears the inscription: "For peace, freedom, and democracy. Never again fascism. Millions of dead are a warning".