The House of Responsibility (HRB) in

Braunau am Inn Braunau am Inn (; German for "Braunau on the Inn") is a town in Upper Austria on the border with Germany. It is known for being the birthplace of Adolf Hitler. Geography The town is on the lower river Inn below its confluence with the Salzach, w ...

is the idea of establishing an international meeting place and a place of learning in the birth house of Adolf Hitler. People from all countries, backgrounds, religions and cultures should meet in order to discuss, learn and develop projects revolving around the concept of ''responsibility'' relating to the dimensions of past, present and future. The main demography shall be young people. The idea for a House of Responsibility originates from the founder of the

Gedenkdienst Gedenkdienst is the concept of facing and taking responsibility for the darkest chapters of one's own country's history while ideally being financially supported by one's own country's government to do so. Founded in Austria in 1992 by Andreas M ...

and chairman of the

Austrian Service Abroad The Austrian Service Abroad is a non-profit organization founded by Andreas Hörtnagl, Andreas Maislinger and Michael Prochazka in 1998, which sends young Austrians to work in partner institutions worldwide serving Holocaust commemoration in f ...

Dr.

Andreas Maislinger Andreas Maislinger (born 26 February 1955 in St. Georgen near Salzburg, Austria) is an Austrian historian and political scientist and founder and chairman of the Austrian Service Abroad, including the Gedenkdienst, the Austrian Social Service an ...

Conceptual background

The conceptual challenge surrounding the birthplace of Adolf Hitler roots in the fact that the place is neither a “perpetrator’s site”, such as the

Obersalzberg Obersalzberg is a mountainside retreat situated above the market town of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, Germany. Located about south-east of Munich, close to the border with Austria, it is best known as the site of Adolf Hitler's former mountain resi ...

, the Brown House or the

Reichsparteitagsgelände The Nazi party rally grounds (german: Reichsparteitagsgelände, literally: ''Reich Party Congress Grounds'') covered about 11 square kilometres in the southeast of Nuremberg, Germany. Six Nazi party rallies were held there between 1933 and 1938. ...

; nor is it a “victim’s site”, such as

Auschwitz Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...

Mauthausen Mauthausen was a Nazi concentration camp on a hill above the market town of Mauthausen (roughly east of Linz), Upper Austria. It was the main camp of a group with nearly 100 further subcamps located throughout Austria and southern German ...

or Hartheim, since Adolf Hitler was merely born in that house and lived there for only two months as an infant. Nothing relating to the Holocaust was ever consciously decided or done in that house. Nevertheless, the birthplace of Adolf Hitler is a place of symbolic meaning, a symbol of the birth of the Holocaust, for some a symbol for the birth of evil. The challenge posed is how to commemorate a place that merely is a symbol. The House of Responsibility is about the creation of another symbol, of a counter-symbol with the opposite meaning of what the birth of Adolf Hitler signifies. The House of Responsibility intends and envisions to turn the symbol of the birth of the Holocaust into a symbol of responsibility, learning, peace and creativity while concurrently turning the city of Braunau am Inn into a city representing the same values. The House of Responsibility would be based on the infrastructure and community of the

and its worldwide partner organizations.

Origins: Braunau sets a sign

After the

FPÖ The Freedom Party of Austria (german: Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, FPÖ) is a right-wing populist and national-conservative political party in Austria. It was led by Norbert Hofer from September 2019 to 1 June 2021.Staff (1 June 2021"Aust ...

(Austrian Freedom Party) took part in the government under

Jörg Haider Jörg Haider (; 26 January 1950 – 11 October 2008) was an Austrian politician. He was Governor of Carinthia on two occasions, the long-time leader of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) and later Chairman of the Alliance for the Future of ...

in early 2000, the "Braunauer Rundschau" ( Braunau review) started to collect signatures under the slogan "Braunau setzt ein Zeichen" (Braunau sets a sign).

, an Austrian historian and founder of the

and

Braunau Contemporary History Days The Braunau Contemporary History Days are a series of conferences organised by the ''association for contemporary history''. Scientifically guided by Andreas Maislinger, it has annually taken place in Braunau am Inn since 1992. History During t ...

, reacted on the call and suggested setting up a ''House of Responsibility'' in the house where

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

was born.

Past – Present – Future

The " Braunau review" presented the idea of Andreas Maislinger on May 4, 2000: HRB (Past - Present - Future)

(Translated)

Volunteers from all countries, Austrian Zivildieners and former Austrian Servants Abroad should work and live together in the house. Because of this there should take place a constant exchange of ideas. The 'House of Responsibility' should be something completely new, split into three stories, where the 'unwanted inheritance' and the refurbishment of the background of the NS should take place on the first floor. The second floor will be devoted to the present, and concrete help for people will be offered for example through the
Austrian Social Service The Austrian Social Service (''Österreichischer Sozialdienst'') is part of the Austrian Service Abroad founded by Dr. Andreas Maislinger in 1998. It offers the possibility to substitute the compulsory military service in Austria with a 10-months s ...
and also by human rights – and third-world projects. On the third floor ideas for a more peaceful future should be worked out.

Philosophical basis for this project is the book 'Das Prinzip Verantwortung' (The concept responsibility) written by

Hans Jonas Hans Jonas (; ; 10 May 1903 – 5 February 1993) was a German-born American Jewish philosopher, from 1955 to 1976 the Alvin Johnson Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research in New York City. Biography Jonas was born ...

in 1979.

Realisation

The project couldn't be realized in the following years but the idea of taking responsibility remained. In 2005 the owner of a house close to where Hitler was born offered his house for the project. In 2002 members of the

remembered the Austrian

Righteous Among the Nations Righteous Among the Nations ( he, חֲסִידֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, ; "righteous (plural) of the world's nations") is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to sav ...

in front of Hitler's birth house. In October 2009 mayor

Gerhard Skiba Gerhard Skiba (1947 – 15 March 2019) of the Austrian Social Democratic Party was elected mayor of the city of Braunau am Inn in 1989. He became internationally known after setting up a memorial stone for the victims of Fascism in front of the ...

argued for the first time in support of a 'House of Peace' or 'House of Responsibility' in Hitler's Birthhouse in Austria's Newspaper

Kurier ''Kurier'' is a German-language daily newspaper based in Vienna, Austria. History and profile ''Kurier'' was founded as ''Wiener Kurier'' by the United States Forces in Austria (USFA) in 1945, during the Allied occupation after World War II. ...

. In the first half of 2014 the HRB gained increasing support by the public and by acknowledged international organizations such as the

Anti-Defamation League The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), formerly known as the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, is an international Jewish non-governmental organization based in the United States specializing in civil rights law. It was founded in late Septe ...

in New York, the

Auschwitz Jewish Center Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...

in Oswiecim, the European Roma Rights Center and the

John Rabe John Heinrich Detlef Rabe (23 November 1882 – 5 January 1950) was a German businessman and Nazi Party member best known for his efforts to stop war crimes during the Japanese Nanjing Massacre (also known as Nanking) and his work to prot ...

and International Safety Zone Memorial Hall in Nanjing. On June 2 2020 the Austrian Minister of Interior announced plans for the Austrian police to move into the birthplace of Adolf Hitler. The Austrian Service Abroad opposes this decision and lobbies against it.

Supporting individuals

"It is not an appropriate idea to turn the birth house of Adolf Hitler into a police station. It should be a dynamic center where people of divergent views come together to meet and learn about democracy and anti-semitism. A House of Responsibility would be very important and valuable from the viewpoint of the Simon Wiesenthal Center." ''Rabbi Abraham Cooper'' ;Argentina:

Erika Rosenberg Erika Rosenberg (born 24 June 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an author, interpreter and journalist. She wrote a biography of Emilie Schindler. Life Rosenberg was born in a family of German Jews in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her parents, a l ...

;Austria:

Mina Ahadi Mina Ahadi ( fa, مینا احدی, Minâ Ahadi, born 1956) is an Iranian-Austrian political activist. As a Communist political activist, she is a member of the Central Committee and Politburo of the Worker-communist Party of Iran. Advocacy ...

, Martha Bißmann,

Emil Brix Emil Brix (born 1956) is an Austrian diplomat and historian. Life and career Born 1956 in Vienna, he studied English and History at the University of Vienna. Starting in 1982, he worked for the Foreign Service of the Republic of Austria. From ...

Erhard Busek Erhard Busek (25 March 1941 – 13 March 2022) was an Austrian politician from the Christian-conservative People's Party (ÖVP). Throughout his political career, he was widely regarded as one of the leaders of the party's liberal wing. He was c ...

Alfred Dorfer Alfred Dorfer (; 11 October 1961) is an Austrian comedian, writer, and actor. He is one of the most well-known cabaret artists and comedians in Austria, not least due to his commitment to numerous Austrian film productions. After initial success ...

Klaus Eberhartinger Klaus Eberhartinger (born 12 June 1950 in Gmunden, Upper Austria) is an Austrian singer and television presenter. Eberhartinger grew up and graduated in Braunau am Inn in 1968. He then lived in the United States of America for a year before ...

Valie Export Valie Export (often stylized as 'VALIE EXPORT'; born 17 May 1940) is an avant-garde Austrian artist. She is best known for provocative public performances and expanded cinema work. Her artistic work also includes video installations, computer an ...

Franz Fischler Franz Fischler (born 23 September 1946) is an Austrian politician from the Christianity, Christian-Conservatism, conservative Austrian People's Party, People's Party (ÖVP). He was the European Union's Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Developm ...

Alfred Gusenbauer Alfred Gusenbauer (born 8 February 1960) is an Austrian politician who until 2008 spent his entire professional life as an employee of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) or as a parliamentary representative. He headed the SPÖ from 200 ...

Josef Hader Josef may refer to *Josef (given name) *Josef (surname) Josef is the surname of the following people: * Jens Josef (born 1967), German composer of classical music, a flutist and academic teacher * Michelle Josef (born 1954), Canadian musician and tr ...

André Heller Franz André Heller (; born 22 March 1947 as Francis Charles Georges Jean André Heller-Hueart) is an Austrian artist, author, poet, singer, songwriter and actor. Biography Heller was born in Vienna into a wealthy Jewish family of sweets manufac ...

Ludwig Laher Ludwig Laher (born 11 December 1955 in Linz) is an Austrian writer. Life Ludwig Laher studied German, English and American Studies, as well as Classical Studies and graduated with a PhD. He then worked as a high school teacher at the Christian- ...

, Thomas Maurer, Cornelius Obonya, Florian Scheuba,

Danielle Spera Danielle Spera (born 10 August 1957, in Vienna) is an Austrian journalist, writer, and a former director of the Jewish Museum Vienna. Education and work Academic career Spera studied English and French for two semesters at the University of V ...

Dirk Stermann Stermann & Grissemann are an Austrian German comedy duo comprising Dirk Stermann and Christoph Grissemann. Background Dirk Stermann Dirk Stermann (born 7 December 1965 in Duisburg) hails from Germany and is a German radio and television presen ...

, Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff ;Brazil:

Alberto Dines Alberto Dines (February 19, 1932 – May 22, 2018) was a Brazilian journalist and writer. Biography With a career spanning over five decades, Dines directed and launched several magazines and newspapers in Brazil and Portugal. He has taught jo ...

;China:

Pan Guang Pan Guang (; born June 7, 1947) is the Director of and Professor at the Shanghai Center for International Studies and Institute of European & Asian Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Director of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organis ...

;France:

Michel Cullin Michel Cullin (17 September 1944 – 3 March 2020) was ''"Maître de conférences“'' at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, University of Nice and director of France, French-Austrian relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. Life ...

Beate Klarsfeld Beate Auguste Klarsfeld (née Künzel; born 13 February 1939) is a Franco-German journalist and Nazi hunter who, along with her French husband, Serge, became famous for their investigation and documentation of numerous Nazi war criminals, inc ...

;Germany:

Aleida Assmann Aleida Assmann (born Aleida Bornkamm, 22 March 1947) is a German professor of English and Literary Studies, who studied Egyptology and whose work has focused on cultural anthropology and Cultural and Communicative Memory. Life Born Aleida Bornk ...

Markus Ferber Markus Ferber (born 15 January 1965) is a Politics of Germany, German engineer and politician who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 1994. He is a member of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria, Christian Social U ...

, Stefan Klein ;Hungary:

György Dalos György Dalos (born 23 September 1943) is a Hungarian Jewish writer and historian. He is best known for his novel '' 1985'', and ''The Guest from the Future: Anna Akhmatova and Isaiah Berlin''. Life Dalos was born in Budapest and spent his child ...

Paul Lendvai Paul Lendvai (born Lendvai Pál on August 24, 1929) is a Hungarian-born Austrian journalist. He moved to Austria in 1957, where he works as an author and journalist. Biography Lendvai was born on August 24, 1929, in Budapest to Jewish parent ...

;Israel: Ben Segenreich,

Moshe Zimmermann Moshe Zimmermann (born 25 December 1943) is an Israeli historian and writer. Since 1986 he has been director of the Richard Koebner Minerva Center for German History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Biography Moshe Zimmerman was born in J ...

;Japan: Sven Saaler ;New Zealand: Chris Harris ;Poland: Wladyslaw Bartoszewski ;Russia:

Ilya Altman Ilya Alexandrovich Altman (russian: Илья́ Алекса́ндрович А́льтман) (born 1955) is a Russian historian and (next to Alla Gerber) founder and co-chairman of the Russian Research and Educational Holocaust Center in Moscow. ...

;South Africa: Tali Nates ;Sweden:

Gerald Nagler Hans Gerald Nagler (10 December 1929 – 23 July 2022) was a Swedish businessman and human rights activist. Gerald Nagler was the son of the Austrian Jewish businessman Siegmund Nagler. The family moved from Vienna to Stockholm in 1931, where he ...

;Switzerland:

Beat Wyss Beat Wyss (born in 1947 in Basle) is a Swiss art historian, professor ordinarius for art history and media theory at Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design, Germany, and member of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Life Beat Wyss ...

;Ukraine: Borys Sabarko ;United Kingdom:

Ladislaus Löb Ladislaus Löb (8 May 1933 – 2 October 2021) was a writer, translator, Holocaust survivor, scholar of the literature and drama of the German Enlightenment and Professor Emeritus of German at the University of Sussex in England. He was the auth ...

;United States:

Abraham Foxman Abraham Henry Foxman (born May 1, 1940) is an American lawyer and activist. He served as the national director of the Anti-Defamation League from 1987 to 2015, and is currently the League's national director emeritus. From 2016 to 2021 he served a ...

Branko Lustig Branko Lustig (10 June 1932 – 14 November 2019) was a Croatian film producer best known for winning Academy Awards for Best Picture for ''Schindler's List'' and '' Gladiator''. He is the only person born in the territory of present-day Croatia ...

, Jack Kliger Mahnstein

Supporting organizations / institutions

;Poland

Auschwitz Jewish Center supports House of Responsibility
/ref> ;USA:

;Ukraine
Past / Future / Art
;Belgium
European Roma Rights Center

References

External links

House of Responsibility

maislinger.net
Non-profit organisations based in Austria Historic sites in Austria Holocaust commemoration Braunau am Inn Adolf Hitler