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Austrian "Horror House" Discovered
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 6:05AM 
Josef Fritzl, 73, of Amstetten, Austria had 14 children, seven by his wife, Rosemarie, 69, and seven by his daughter, Elisabeth, 42. Josef is now behind bars in what the Austrian press describe as the case of the house of horrors.
It
all began 24 years ago in 1984 when Josef, an electrical engineer, kidnapped, drugged and imprisoned his 18-year-old daughter in the basement of their home in Amstetten, an industrial town 75 miles west of Vienna. He then told his wife that their daughter had run away from home. He kept her locked in a 540-square-foot prison of underground rooms, which he had previously built, some barely large enough to stand upright in. He had planned the dungeon meticulously and it was well soundproofed. The door to the prison was concealed behind shelves and secured with an electronic lock to which only Fritzl had the code.
While in captivity, Elisabeth Fritzl gave birth to the seven children by her father, one of whom died shortly after birth, which Josef disposed of in a furnace. Each time Elisabeth became pregnant, Fritzl delivered the children himself. Of the six remaining children he took three of them - Lisa, now 16, Monika, 14, and Alexander, 11 - out of the cellar after birth and came up with an elaborate charade to explain their sudden appearance to his wife. The other three children - Kerstin, 19, Stefan, 18, and Felix, 5 - were left to be raised by Elisabeth in his home-made dungeon.
Josef's 18-year imprisonment of his daughter came to an end when Kerstin became seriously ill and had to be taken to hospital. Medical authorities at the hospital became suspicious and called the police. Josef was picked up, and later under questioning, revealed the existence of the basement prison. Police freed Elisabeth Fritzl and the two other children, all of whom were quickly put in the care of medical and mental health experts. Elisabeth, although "greatly disturbed", agreed to give them a full statement - on condition that they made sure she would never have to see her father again. She claimed that she had been sexually abused by him since age 11. Fritzl appeared briefly in court and was sent to jail to await trial. He faces a15-year sentence if convicted of rape.
Senior police officer, Dr Franz Prucher, says the criminal case has shaken the force.
"We're being confronted with an unfathomable crime," Austria's interior minister, Günther Platter, said as the details began to unfold. "This case is one of incomprehensible brutality and horror, the most shattering and serious case of its kind that has ever come to light in Austria."
Questions were being asked by everyone from commentators and parents to psychologists and politicians, as to how what the Austrian press has dubbed the "house of horrors" case had come to happen in the small town of Amstetten.
"There are pressing questions raised by this monstrous crime which need to be put to a rich, self-satisfied society in which during a quarter of a century what was happening in the immediate vicinity went apparently unnoticed," Petra Stuiber wrote in a commentary in the Austrian liberal daily Der Standard.
"How is it possible that no one ever heard or saw anything, how can it be that no one ever asked questions?" she wrote. "What does it say about neighbors, relations, acquaintances and not least about authorities who had anything to do with the family, that the perpetrator succeeded in 'deceiving' everybody?"
Local social services told the Austrian Press Agency that there appeared to be nothing suspicious about the family and that Mr Fritzl managed to explain "very plausibly" how three of his infant grandchildren had turned up on his doorstep. Even his wife, Rosemarie Fritzl, "had no idea" what was going on, according to the police, and was devastated to hear of her husband's alleged crimes. She apparently accepted her husband's explanation that Elisabeth had run off to join a religious cult at the age of 18 - and that over the intervening years dumped three babies on their doorstep with notes saying she could not cope.
Amstetten's local governor, Hans-Heinz Lenze, told Austria's public broadcaster ORF that the children had had regular visits from social workers, who never heard any complaints or noticed anything to arouse their suspicions. He said they were well-behaved at school and fitted in well with their classmates. The three were apparently unaware of their mother's existence, let alone that their siblings Kerstin, Stefan and Felix were living below them. Mr Lenze also told ORF that Mr Fritzl had telephoned him last week and thanked him and the social services for looking after his family during his granddaughter Kerstin's illness.
Josef Fritzl, who does have a criminal record, is believed to have spent time in prison in the 1960s for the assault and also has at least one other conviction, for arson, according to Austrian police. Prosecutors are understood to be trawling through court records to find details of his previous offences to see if they shed light on what they have described as his "unfathomable" actions to his own family. The revelation he already has a criminal record will increase the anger that his behavior could have gone undetected by social services for almost a quarter of a century. It also indicates his wife Rosemarie must have been aware - at least to some degree - of her husband's sinister side.
Investigators are also desperate to determine how his victims could have been hidden away for so long from their neighbors and everyone else in the town, which has a population of just 23,000. They are said to be examining the padded walls of the cellar to work out whether the children's screams could be heard by neighbors.
Meanwhile, residents refuse to believe Fritzl could have acted alone, while others cannot believe that the "normal" family were hiding such a horrendous secret.
Anita Fabian, a teacher in the town, said: "How is it possible that no one knew anything for years? This was not possible without accomplices."
Guenter Pramreiter, who owns a bakery down the street from the Fritzls' home said the couple were regular customers.
"They appeared normal, just like any other family," he said. "I'm totally shocked. This was next door. It's terrible."
Abuse, Amstetten, Austria, Child Abuse, Children, Elisabeth Fritzl, Elizabeth Fritzl, Hans-Heinz Lenze, Incest, Josef Fritzl, Kerstin Fritzl, Rape in Our World, Scandals, news, sex
Reader Comments (38)
Has he done it for celebrity?? He has got the title of being the most cruel person existed by now. Killing someone is wrong, but making someone suffer for 24 years is the worst thing existed. As for the children, their home has been the only world they have ever known.how can he say that he loves them by giving them all what they need? Is a washing machine and some food and clothes the only requirements of human being? The whole world must be aware of the dirtiest things that certain people can do. If a father can't be trusted, how can we trust others!! How can we say 'GODFATHER'!!! We Mauritians, we will always have a special thought for Elizabeth and her children!
This man manifested more evil than any one can imagine, I hope his conscience now will haunt him for the rest of his life. He knew what he was doing and continued, unimaginable!
I have read for hours about this. I cannot help but wonder what happened to the girl, Kerstin. If Josef Fritzl raped his daughter, what would stop him from doing the same to his granddaughter who was really his daughter as well. How could anyone do such evil acts? He himself admits that he knew what he was doing was wrong. He even admits that he forcefully raped his daughter. No one can say he was insane and did not know what he was doing. It was all clearly premeditated. I hope that he spends the rest of his life in jail. Then maybe he will have an idea of what he did to his daughter and children/grandchildren. Hopefully then he will understand the consquences and horror of his actions. Although he will do anything to stay out of prison because he will be treated the way he treated Elisabeth. Prisoners do not like child molesters. I wish there was something I could do for the children. They need all the love and compassion possible.
I just can't believe that this monster could have done all this atrocity alone, and that the wife, the mother of Kerstin didnt know anything, that is unbelievable. I would not be surprised that the wife knew what was going on in her own house and just kept silent. As far as this guy deserve to be in prison for ever (15 years in jail is not enough), I think that his wife should also be investigated very deeply, because its not only a criminal who makes the crime but also who knows about it and do nothing about it. What a horror!
He should be kept in worse condition than elizabeth-an even more confined space and gang raped, with no traetment. He should suffer as she did. He has stripped her of everything and she will never recover. It makes my blood boil that humans do this to one another...
although he can hardly be called 'human'...
15 year sentence makes a mockery of elizabeth. Its a joke. Disgusting, there is no justice here
I do not think, that the mother knew anything about the lives wich were underneath her house.
She was to scared to ask anything of that lunatic man.
I do believe he did it alone, but always had god excuses/answers on the upcoming questions.
This story of Fritzl family is really disgusting. It has haunted me for days since I heard the account. The only thing is I doubt the complete ignorance of the family and Elizabeth's siblings . I doubt the siblings never worried or guessed what might have happened to their sister. I am really and particularly suspicious of the mother . It can't be possible. It seems all the family were really frightened of this man as to shun the basement for 24 years. very very strange story.
Of course, There are many fathers and men like Joseph Fritzl, who are as well desirous and keen on controlling others especially the ones they suppose their faith is entitled to them, however they donot choose this way and manner of exploitation. In addition to the account of incest which is really ugly and pernicious, to keep sb for 24 years away from the rights like fresh air, light and space which everybody enjoys is unforgivable.
hoping you will join my facebook for elisabeth look in groups under girl who was abused by her dad.
The mother knew! There is no way that she did not question the validity of the children that just "happened" on the doorstep. Most mothers take THEIR kids TO get regualr check ups. Were there not anomalies that the doctors spotted that would have raised alarm bells in her? How is it that a mother did not question where this supposed cult resides? Why did not the mother and father go to the proper authorities to report this? What was the name of the cult/ Hwere was it located.
Dude, I am not mother, but my god, does a loaf of bread have more intelligence than her? IT'S YOUR DAUGHTER FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!
THE MOTHER KNEW!!!!!
this woman had to know something, she had to investigated by herself when her husband was not at home. Why she never went down? Why she never went to the poloice and asked for help to find her daughter? How did she accpet that her daughter went way and let one letter only? What about documents, clothes? Why Elizabeth didnt kill her father? Why she didnt attacked him? Why she didnt ask help to her kids and just turned him down? Why she never screamed? I would prefer do die than to let my father to do it with me. I m crying for Elizabeth and her pain. I m criyng for all her suffer. It is a big alert to us, when we listen, or see something strang, we have to call to the police. We canot be scared of our husband and we need to investigate everything that lookes to be strange. Please kill this monster on a very slow way....
Dear Elizabeth, i admire your corage, God bless you... i pray for you.
How can a mother accept bullshit from anybody?
She had to look for her daughter at all costs.
Who gives shit about Elizabeth's fake letters?
The best and proper justice for Josef Fritzl is to apply Saudi Arabian justice:
Public beheading, to be televised all over Europe.
Allow the head to be scavenged by animals at the local zoo.
I also would allow the public to donate money to sustain Elisabeth and her family for the rest of their lives.
To everybody that says all this religious bullshit, consider that your precious God allowed this to happen in the first place. Yea, wrap your heads around that one.