Josef Fritzl has been serving time at a high-security prison for mentally ill criminals since 2009, but is now being transferred to a regular prison.
His lawyer Astrid Wagner tells the news agency Reuters.
This could pave the way for a release, writes the newspaper Crown newspaper.
Held captive for 24 years
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- In 1977, Elisabeth Fritzl was 11 years old and her father’s abuse of her began.
- Seven years later, in 1984, she was drugged, carried to the basement and handcuffed. Her parents reported her missing, and the investigation concluded that she had joined a religious sect.
- In 1987, she became pregnant with her father for the first time. The following year, she gave birth to her first child in captivity, a daughter.
- Two years later, in 1990, she gave birth to her second child – a son. Just like his sister, he did not see the light of day until he was released at the age of 18.
- In September 1992, the third child, the second daughter, was born. When the girl was eight months old, her father picked her up, put her on the stairs along with a letter signed by Elisabeth saying that she could not take care of her.
- This was done so that Joseph’s wife, Rosemarie, would still believe that she had escaped with a sect.
- In October 1993, the fourth child was born – daughter number three. When she was one year and two months old, Josef put her on his own stairs.
- In the spring of 1996, Elisabeth gave birth to twins. One of the twins died shortly after birth, and Josef is said to have taken this child with him and burned it in the house’s incinerator. In August 1997, the surviving twin was placed on the stairs as the last adopted child.
- The seventh and last child, a boy, was born in April 2003. Just like his two oldest siblings, he has always been confined to the basement.
2008:
- On 19 April, the eldest child fell ill, and was taken to hospital by Josef. Both boys were also taken out of the basement and taken into the house.
- On Saturday 26 April, Elisabeth and Josef visited their daughter in hospital. Then the police took Elisabeth aside and she told them the whole story.
- On Sunday 27 April, the story became known to the world. Josef was brought in for questioning, but did not want to say anything to the police.
- Monday 28 April: Josef Fritzl admitted to having kidnapped his daughter, sexually abused her and fathered seven children with her. He also admitted to burning one of the twins.
Health reasons
The 88-year-old may be moved to a care home after a new psychiatric report states that he no longer poses any threat to the public.
– He said once again that he regrets what he did. He was actually close to crying. As a conclusion, the court came to the conclusion that my client is actually no longer dangerous, says his lawyer Astrid Wagner Small newspaper.
Fritzl has become ill with his legs, has to use a walker and is said to be on the verge of dementia, local media write.
The newspaper The Standard writes that he “often seems confused, talks to the TV and thinks he is a pop star”.
Last week it became known that Fritzl’s lawyer has applied for parole. If the application is approved, he can in theory be released during 2024.
– If the application is approved, which I assume will be the case, I would like to ensure that he gets a place in a nursing home, lawyer Astrid Wagner told Crown newspaper for a week ago.
Captivity
The Fritzl case in Austria was uncovered in April 2008, when 42-year-old woman Elisabeth Fritzl told the police that she had been abused by her father since 1977, and held as a prisoner since 1984.
Elisabeth had not seen the light of day for 24 years.
Fritzl had locked Elisabeth in a small, soundproof cellar without windows and with bad air. It all took place under the family’s house near the center of the town of Amstetten in the state of Lower Austria.
Fritzl abused his daughter and fathered a total of seven children with her. Three of the children lived in the basement with her.
In the apartment above, he is said to have lived a “normal” life with his wife Rosmarie, from whom he later divorced, and three of the other children he had with his daughter.
Fritzl’s crimes were exposed in 2008 when Elisabeth managed to persuade her father to allow his seriously ill 19-year-old daughter to be admitted to hospital.
In 2009, Fritzl was unanimously found guilty of murder, rape, deprivation of liberty, aggravated blackmail, incest and slavery, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 15 years.