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Fritzl unmasked: the face of a monster
Dave Hill in St Poelten17.03.09
This is Josef Fritzl today, furious that he had momentarily let down his guard to be exposed to the world's media.
Fritzl, 73, had spent the last two days hiding his face behind a blue ring binder. Flanked by officers, he had walked in and out of court and taken his seat still shielded by the file.
He maintained his bizarre cover-up whenever he thought cameramen were in the Austrian court where he is on trial for imprisoning his daughter in underground chambers and raping her for 24 years, fathering seven children. But a photographer caught him unawares as he was being led from Court 119 during a break in proceedings.
Fritzl's icy glare betrays the anger he felt. One reporter said: "He looked stunned and angry. In fact he was seething. You could tell this was a guy who would have lashed out had he not be surrounded by six armed police guards." Back in the courtroom in St Pölten after the brief adjournment, he returned to burying his face in his file.
The jury has been hearing the voice of his daughter Elisabeth, now 42, giving her harrowing evidence.
The searing evidence was admitted on videotape, made after her release last year, after prosecutors struck a deal to spare her from having to confront him again.
Elisabeth told how her father, a sex-obsessed convicted rapist, locked her up when she was 18 and fathered her seven children, three of whom lived with her in the cramped underground chambers he had built.
Jurors watched as the tape played on monitors in room 119 of the court. A total of 13 hours of her testimony will be heard.
Elisabeth spoke about her father's utter domination of her. She told how he would come down to the cellar beneath the family home in Amstetten clutching boxfuls of pornographic videos which he would play, forcing her to re-enact the scenes in rape sessions that went on for hours.
She also told how she suffered grave injuries from sex toys. "He shut (Elisabeth) away in the cellar and made her totally dependent on him, forcing her into sexual acts and treating her as if she was his own property," his charge sheet read.
The testimony also includes details of how she gave birth in the dark, frightened and alone.
During the course of the trial scheduled to last all week the jurors will hear how Fritzl was the supreme arbiter of life and death in the cellar.
He burned the body of one of the babies Elisabeth gave birth to in 1996 after the child died three days after he was born.
This is the most serious charge that Fritzl faces, murder, because he failed to get medical help for the baby. He pleads not guilty to this charge and also one of slavery. So far he has admitted two charges, one of incest and one of imprisonment.
He has entered a plea of "partially guilty" of rape and "massive coercion" - the latter relating to the grisly threats he levelled against his cellar family that they would be killed if ever they tried to leave the booby-trapped cellar.
Elisabeth's children Kerstin, 20, Stefan, 19, and six-year-old Felix remained underground until their release. Lisa, 18, Monika, 16, and Alexander, 13, were taken to live upstairs in the house because Fritzl feared he was running out of space in the dungeon.
He told his wife they had been dumped on the doorstep by the "missing" Elisabeth who had joined a cult. Alexander's twin brother Michael died days after being born after developing breathing difficulties.
Jurors have been told they will only have to listen to the evidence given by Elisabeth for two hours a day because it is so disturbing.
Neither Elisabeth nor any of her six children will be at the trial this week. Also absent is Fritzl's wife Rosemarie who now lives alone and has started divorce proceedings.
Jurors have been promised psychiatric counselling if they cannot bear to listen to Elisabeth's torment. There are four replacement jurors lined up in case any member of the panel is forced to drop out.
Reader views (28)
His punishment at the very least should include life in a room with no windows.
- Net Owl, Arkansas USA
Did anyone ask Elizabeth what she think should be his punishment? I must say god is who kept this woman in one piece during all these years of torment.she have great strength and a strong mind and I hope she continue to be strong for herself and her children sake.
- B. Marshall, Brooklyn NY
this is the rarest of the rare case, fritzl must not get the rarest of the rare chance to see the outside world. God Bless Elizabeth
- Ravinder Taneja, chalfont buckinghamshire
The whole story is very-very sad as it is. even worse, this monster is already 73. i pray to god for his long life so that he can rot in jail and feel the pain and regret every second of his remaining life.
- Sunil, maidstone(kent)
God bless his daughter
- Amber In Mitcham, Mitcham Surrey
If that's the kind of sentence he's likely to get then they should have thought about it earlier and changed the law before his trial to ensure he can't ever be released.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
U shouldnt say that about the lawyer, it is in his constitution rights to have a lawyer and he must have a lawyer. I'm sure the lawyer hates him as much as the citizens do.
- Cindy Cham, singapore
What is far more terrifying than Fritzl are the unbelievably lenient maximum sentences available to the Austrian court for each individual charge.
When, oh when, are hiddeous criminal monsters like this going to be held fully accountable for so cruelly administering sustained and unrelenting mental and physical torture on their hapless weaker victims, especially innocent children.
Such dispicable, undettered and augmented evil crimes are increasing.
- Dave, Cumbria
The man is a classic psychopath --pure and simple. I suspect his score on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist - Revised must be 40, the maximum.
- B. Sirant, Toronto, Canada
Lock him up and his sympathetic lawyer (just as bad as he is).
And brick the door up.
- P Staker, London
The idea of 'Evil' might not be fashionable, but sometimes things have to be called by their name.
- Yannis, Athens, Greece
What's with the face hiding? make him stand and face the court, this pandering and tolerance is just beyond me.
- Hugh, Birmingham, UK
No mortal will every be able to forgive this evil man for what he has done,and I think God will find forgiveness difficult
- Selwyn Channon, epsom
YES YOU COVER YOUR FACE IN SHAME FRITZL!
Well done Elizabeth, God will guide you and your children through.
- Aberdeen, aberdeen
1 word only : MONSTER
- Lilly, Carmiel
In reality he will probably get 6 years and be out in 3.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
I wish all the best for Elisabeth, the terrible tim she has had, i can`t call a life.
fritzl ought to be locked for life
H.Balow Eindhoven Netherlands
- Hussein Balow, Eindhoven Holland
This is an appalling crime and there are many guilty or complicit people here. This whole thing does not add up. There are so many unanswered questions, just like in the young Austrian girl who was kidnapped a few years ago.
- M Grelton, London
Why is he being allowed to hide his face - the least the authorities should do is to take his file away - let him face up to the world - what a coward
- Deborah Cook, London
It just goes to show you can't be too careful!
- Andrew, Edinburgh
This psychopath hates publicity. Best punishment would be to imprison him in a bomb-proof clear glass prison, on public display, with built-in speakers & mics placed before the public, bad idea?
- Steve (Ex Londoner}, Amsterdam Netherlands
Very very odd if it's true that he could be free in seven years if the murder charge doesn't stick, and that prosecutors are scrabbling around for extra evidence! If so, that would make the law as sick as Fritz. For what he's done, you throw away the key - you certainly make the punishment fit the crime.
To think you get armed robbers banged up for decades! Then again, Fritz'ls isn't an anti-Establishment crime...
- Clive, London, England
God help Elisabeth; what a terrible life that woman has had.
Like Anne Frank; some are doomed from the day they are born,
I can find nothing to say; that could measure or equal the pain and terror of Elisabeth’s life; till finally freed from that beast that calls him-self a father.
With all my heart; I hope Elizabeth can finally start to live; free from all she has known.
God Bless; Elizabeth.
- Mickyinlondon, london
He ought to be imprisoned in his own cellar, for 24 years.
- Neil M., london uk,
His lawyer claims that Fritzi "cared for her"? if he believes that he is as scary as his client
- Pam, Michigan, USA
I'm surprised someone has agreed to defend this monster.
- Isabel, Woking
from what we know already and what has taken place today in the court, it is.too dreadful for words.
- Jaberwokie3, switzerland
his lawyer says he is not a sex monster maybe he can explain what is??prison is to good for scum like this
- Robert Phelps, bussiere poitevine 87320 france
