Imprisoned By Her Father: The Horrific Torture and Captivity of Elisabeth Fritzl
In 2008, after more than twenty years of imprisonment by her own father, Elisabeth Fritzl managed to escape. Her shocking testimony would shine a light into the depths of darkness
Background
In April 2008, 42-year-old Elisabeth Fritzl stepped into the sunlight for the first time in 24 years. Her horrific ordeal known only to her, her children, and their captor, the man who also happened to be her biological father.
For more than two decades, Elisabeth suffered unspeakable physical, mental, and emotional abuse at the hands of the man who should have been her protector. This is the tragic tale of Elisabeth Fritzl.
Early Life
Elisabeth Fritzl was born on April 6th, 1966, in the small town of Amstetten, Austria. She was the fourth child of Josef and Rosemarie Fritzl. After Elisabeth, Josef and Rosemarie had three more children, bringing the total to seven.
Josef Fritzl held various jobs during his career, but around the time of Elisabeth and her younger siblings’ births, he had moved into property and real estate sales. In 1972, Josef bought a campsite and guesthouse at Lake Mondsee, which he and Rosemarie jointly managed.
A Disturbed Individual
Josef, however, was a deeply disturbed individual. The extent of his depravity would not be fully uncovered for many years, but in 1967, Josef broke into the home of a nurse whose husband was out of town.
Josef raped this 24-year-old woman at knifepoint, threatening to murder her if she screamed. That same year, Josef was also listed as a suspect in the attempted rape of a 21-year-old woman. Josef was arrested for his crime, and he was sentenced to eighteen months in prison, though he only served twelve.
After being released from prison, there is no evidence that Josef attacked or assaulted any additional local women. However, offenders like Josef do not usually change their ways, and this case was no different.
Abuse of Elisabeth
Instead, Josef turned his focus even closer to home. In 1977, Josep began sexually abusing 11-year-old Elisabeth, his own daughter; this abuse was ongoing and frequent.
Elisabeth completed her required education course by age 15 and began a trade course to become a waitress. Unsurprisingly, in January of 1983, Elisabeth ran away from home with a friend from work.
She escaped to Vienna, where she attempted to hide to evade discovery. Unfortunately, authorities located Elisabeth within the month and brought her back to her parents.
Elisabeth resumed her waitress course, completing it in the middle of 1984, and was quickly offered a job working in a nearby town.
Disappearance
In late August of 1984, shortly after beginning her new waitressing job, Elisabeth Fritzl mysteriously vanished. Her mother, Rosemarie, was worried for her daughter, knowing that Elisabeth had run away the year prior. Rosemarie quickly filed a missing person’s report, and authorities began to search for Elisabeth. Josef, however, did not share his wife’s concern for Elisabeth.
Josef was adamant that Elisabeth had run away and joined a cult somewhere. Then, a letter came to the family home, claiming to be written by Elisabeth, telling her parents not to look for her.