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The so-called Hitler balcony on Vienna's Heldenplatz was to be made accessible to visitors in the future, according to the wishes of the director of the House of Austrian History (HdGÖ), Monika Sommer.
"A ban on entry as before is not an appropriate approach," said Sommer.
Just the view from there of the Chancellery, the Parliament, the official seat of the Federal President and the Vienna City Hall is suitable for educating people about democracy as a counterweight to dictatorial developments.
"In a first step there should be guided tours for those who are interested," said Sommer.
In a survey of the visitors to the House of History, which is housed in the Hofburg, a clear majority were in favor of opening up and dealing with this historically burdened place.
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The Austrian-born dictator Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) "annexed" his homeland to the German Reich on March 15, 1938 to the cheering of the masses from the approximately 200 square meter terrace of the Hofburg, which is usually called the balcony proclaimed.
The move was an essential stage on the way to World War II.
Fierce debate about Nazi houses
With her move to integrate the balcony into the exhibition area of the HdGÖ, Sommer would like to redefine this taboo place.
“Even 76 years after the end of Nazi rule, Nazi-contaminated houses are still causing heated debates.
Opening the terrace of the Neue Burg would be an important symbol for the republic's new way of dealing with these disturbing places, ”says Sommer.
The HdGÖ, which opened just two years ago, is the only major contemporary history museum in Austria and had more than 100,000 visitors in 2019.