Salutes and scandal, Austrians face jail for Hitler tribute

They brought a bouquet of white roses to the house where Adolf Hitler was born and saluted in his honour while posing for photos. The police stopped the scandalous behaviour of a group of young Austrians.

Two pairs of young Austrians detained by local police say flowers and a Roman salute at the birthplace of the Third Reich's leader on his birthday were intended to be a jest.

Jokes ceased to be humorous, however, when Nazi content was discovered on young people's phones. Given that the use of Nazi symbols is illegal in Austria, the case was forwarded to the prosecutor's office. Admirers of Hitler could even face imprisonment.

The house in Braunau am Inn, born on 20 April 1889, is where Adolf Hitler was born and lived with his family until he was three. After the Austrian authorities purchased it in 2016, there were plans to demolish it. Previously, it belonged to Gerlinde Pommer, a descendant of the property's original owners before the dictator's birth.

Finally, in 2020, after years of dispute, the building was repurposed as a police station and training centre. It is planned to be renovated by 2026 to serve as a venue for officers to enhance their knowledge of human rights.

The building has long been a source of controversy, with residents pointing out it attracts totalitarian admirers. Indeed, such individuals reappeared at Adolf Hitler's birthplace to mark his birthday with flowers and Nazi salutes. Now, they may face incarceration and must account for possessing prohibited content.

Adolf Hitler, an Austrian who rose to power in Germany, later annexed his homeland into the Third Reich. The aspiring painter instigated World War II and is blamed for the deaths of tens of millions of people. Understandably, residents of Braunau am Inn are dismayed by the house that sheltered the infamous dictator.