Renaming History: Braunau am Inn Takes a Stand Against Nazi Commemoration

In a significant move towards reconciling with its past, the council of Braunau am Inn, Adolf Hitler's birthplace, has voted to rename two streets named after Nazi supporters, following mounting opposition. The streets, named after composer Josef Reiter and entertainer Franz Resl, both affiliated with the Nazi party, will see around 200 households receive new addresses as part of the initiative.

The decision, made during a secret vote on Wednesday and prompted by a local government report deeming the names unconstitutional, has been hailed by the Mauthausen Committee as a vital step towards addressing Austria’s historical accountability. With approximately 90,000 souls lost at the Mauthausen concentration camp, the committee's chairman, Willi Mernyi, expressed gratitude towards all supporters of the renaming effort.

Committee member Robert Eiter suggested that the new names honor resistance figures such as former deputy mayor Lea Olczak and Maria Stromberger, who valiantly opposed the Nazis. This renaming is a part of a broader movement in Austria, which has seen various streets renamed due to their associations with Nazism, despite many remaining after over eight decades since the war's conclusion.

The Holocaust saw the horrific loss of around 65,000 Austrian Jews, along with millions of others targeted by the Nazi regime. As the nation reflects on its past, these changes signify a push for peace, freedom, and a commitment to never allow history to repeat itself.