Josef Fritzl: The Story of a Monster
The Fritzl’s seemed like a normal and happy family, but hidden behind the basement door of their Austria home was a secret that would destroy their family and haunt their town forever.
Elisabeth Fritzl was born in 1966 to Josef and Rosemarie Fritzl. She had 6 siblings, 3 sisters and 3 brothers. At age 11, Josef Fritzl began abusing his daughter. Years later, when she was 15, she ran away with a friend to Vienna, Austria, but was found 20 days later and returned to her family by authorities.
Later, in 1984, Elisabeth’s life took a dark turn. For months Josef had been building a cellar within the basement of his home and in August of 1984, he asked for Elisabeth’s help in the basement to refit a door in its frame. After aiding her father, as she turned to leave the cellar, an ether soaked cloth covered her nose and mouth. For the next 24 years, Elisabeth would endure a great deal of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse by the man she should’ve been able to trust most, her father.
Elisabeth’s family had no idea of what was taking place, as Josef told them Elisabeth had run away.
Because of this, 3 of her children were cared for by her mother Rosemarie, as they mysteriously appeared on the family’s doorstep one day. Fritzl would write notes claiming they were from Elisabeth stating that she was unable to care for her children, which is why she had abandoned them. One child had died prematurely 3 days after his birth, and the other 3 children were cared for by Elisabeth in the cellar.
The horror came to an end when Elisabeth’s eldest daughter, Kerstin fell ill and required immediate medical attention. Josef accompanied Kerstin to the hospital, but doctors alerted police when they were concerned about her condition.
No one knows why, but shortly after, on April 26, 2008, Elisabeth was released from the cellar and immediately went to the hospital with her daughter. Upon arrival, she was taken into custody where she recounted the details of her 24 years in captivity, but only after making police promise that she would never have to see her father ever again.
That night, Josef Fritzl was arrested. Later, he was sentenced to life in prison.
Elisabeth has since changed her name and lives in a home with her 6 children. Her exact whereabouts are uncertain, as Austrian police have made it their mission to keep her and her family out of the public eye.
