JOSEF FRITZL, THE MAN WHO HAD IMPRISONED HIS DAUGHTER FOR 24 YEARS AND REPEATEDLY RAPED HER.
This case originated from Austria and is said to be the worst case in Austria's criminal history. It involves this man named Josef Fritzl, aged 73. He owns a damn big property in Amstetten, Austria dated around 1890 and he had permission to extend it in 1978. In 1983, building inspectors came to inspect that he had obliged with all the rules specified but without their knowledge, Fritzl had created additional room illegally by excavating space for a much larger basement and concealed it with erecting walls. According to him, he started turning that space into a hidden prison cell and added basic necessities. In 1993, the cellar was extended. The concealed cellar was soundproofed and consisted of long corridor and a number of small open cells. The secret location was so hidden that even the police failed to find it when they searched his property until Fritzl showed them. 5 different rooms must be passed before you can successfully find the dungeon (well hidden behind a shelf in his workshop). The dungeon aka cellar is approximately 650 sq feet with ceilings no more than 5.6feet (1.7m). The cellar is electronically locked and could only be opened with a secret code (he carries a remote control with him at all times). Very intelligent huh??
Fritzl was suspected to have begun molesting and sexually abusing his daughter, Elisabeth, at the age of 11. She ran away from home when she was 17 years old but was caught and returned to her parents. On 24 August 1984, she was lured into the cellar by her father to help him carry a door into the basement. That was when she was drugged and handcuffed. Later, she was attached to a leash so that she could go to the bathroom. She was imprisoned and repeatedly raped by Fritzl (her biological father) until recently.
According to Fritzl (quoted from various sources),
"I had never intended to rape Elisabeth but felt an 'overpowering' desire for 'a taste of the forbidden'. I raped her while thinking of my 'lonely' childhood and wanted them (the other children) to always have someone to play with. My drive to have sex with Elisabeth grew stronger and stronger. I knew Elisabeth didn't want me to do what I did to her. I knew that I was hurting her....It was like an addiction....In reality, I wanted children with her. We first had sex in spring 1985. I could not control myself anymore. At some stage, somewhere in the night, I went into the cellar and laid her down on the bed and had sex with her. Elisabeth was of course very worried about the future, but I bought her medical bools in the cellar, so that she would know when the day came what she had to do, and I arranged towels and disinfectants and nappies. I was delighted about the children. It was great for me to have a second proper family in the cellar, with a wife, and a few children. I constantly knew, over the entire 24 years, that what I did was not right, that I must have been crazy because I did something like this."
Josef Fritzl via his lawyer (quoted from BBC News),
"The cellar in my building belonged to me and me alone - it was my kingdom, that only I had access to."
During Elisabeth's captivity, she had given birth to 7 children, all of whom had been fathered by Josef Fritzl. 3 of the children were imprisoned together with Elisabeth for their whole lives: daughter Kerstin 19 years old, and sons Stefan, 18 and Felix ,5. The other three: Lisa at 9 months in 1993, Monika at 10 months in 1994 and Alexander at 15 months in 1997 (Alexander's twin died shortly after birth); were taken upstairs to live with Josef and Rosemarie (his wife and biological mother of Elisabeth) due to their ill-health. Fritzl is alleged to have cremated the dead twin to dispose of the body. Fritzl engineered the appearance of these children as foundlings discovered outside his house with the impression that Elisabeth abandoned them. Josef and his wife adopted Lisa and became foster carers for Monika and Alexander.
The Austrian authorities revealed that all the imprisoned children had defective immune systems and are suffering from vitamin D deficiency. They also have crammed physical posture because of the limited height of their prison ceilings and are anaemic. Their vocabularies were very limited and they stumbled and search for words in a conversation.
The reason that the downstairs family were freed was because Kerstin, Elisabeth's eldest daughter fell unconscious and Fritzl agreed to seek medical attention. Kerstin was sent to the local hospital and admitted with life threatening kidney failure. Doctors found a note in Kerstin's pocket, a note written by Elisabeth asking for medical assistance. Medical staffs found the note very puzzling and therefore, contacted the police. Public media broadcasted appealing for the missing mother to come forward and provide Kerstin's medical history. Elisabeth saw the news on the television in the dungeon. On 25th April, Fritzl released Elizabeth along with sons Stefan and Felix due to her pleadings. Rosemarie was told by Fritzl that Elisabeth had decided to come back after 24 years of absence. The police detained Elisabeth and her father in the hospital grounds and took them away for further interrogation. Elisabeth only provided police with more details when she was given assurance that she would be safe from her father.
Elisabeth and her children are being housed in a local clinic, shielded from outside environment, and receive medical and psychological treatment.
This is the intelligent man who had successfully kept his hidden cellar for so many years without being noticed even by his own wife. Police are scanning around and searching his property to answer a few questions like how he managed to avoid detection while taking food, food and other supplies to Elisabeth. How was Fritzl able to carry the two beds into the cellar without raising suspicions?? How did the large washing machine ended up in the cellar without being noticed by his wife and the neighbours??
So, what do you learn from this news?? What I learned was....Hitler's regime instilled 'control and the respect of authority' in him. Hmph.....well-used teachings from Hitler. Probably I need an idol too so I can learn to discipline myself more by studying and revising more often without slacking off. Hell....who cares?? Life's too short and we must live each day to the fullest. Be grateful and appreciate everything around you. Many in this world are not as fortunate as us. I would not have that much courage and patience like Elisabeth to be able to withstand staying in a small cellar and kept locked up without knowing day or night for 24 years...and being raped repeatedly some more. That's like a sex slave. Another thing....inflation is here again especially on rice and wheat due to the cyclone that hit Myanmar. Hmph....well, that's another thing for you to show your gratitude. I may not understand what those tsunami, cyclone, all the disasters' victims are facing now, but I do feel for them. What's going on in the world today?? Too many people dying.....spread of unknown diseases.....disastrous phenomenon......corruption in many government bodies around the world.....suicide and bombing attacks in the Islamic countries.....*big sigh*
I do know a tiny-wee-bit how it feels like because I was caught in the suicide-bombing attack in London on 7th July 2005. No buses, taxis and even tubes were working at that time. My baby was soooo darn worried because the line was really bad that time and luckily I was able to get out of that situation. Well, lucky enough my aunt's office was nearby and my uncle had cab-driver to come send us back home because all work was suspended that day. So many London-ers had to walk home because all public transport were stopped. Thank God I'm safe and sound here.
So people.....please appreciate everything around and be aware of the happenings in the world because it does concern us.
*THE END =)*
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