Austrian government expropriates Hitler's birthplace

Vienna, July 13: The government of Austria passed a law on Tuesday to expropriate the birthplace of dictator Adolf Hitler to avoid it becoming a place of pilgrimage or sanctuary for neo-Nazis.

It is a building in the city of Braunau, in Upper Austria, near the border with German Bavaria, where Hitler (1889-1945) spent his first three years, EFE news agency reported.

The expropriation ends a long legal battle with the owners, who refused to sell the property to the state and who now will be indemnified.

The decision had already been announced in April and only required approval in parliament.

IANS