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Exclusive: absurd defence: I'm not a monster
By Emily Miller, Jeremy Armstrong and Patrick Mulchrone

Cellar dad Josef Fritzl broke his silence yesterday to declare: "I'm no monster."

In a ridiculous attempt to defend himself the brute who fathered seven children by a daughter he caged for 24 years declared he could have killed the children he kept captive and got away scot free.

Breaking his silence for the first time, the brute cobbled up an absurd defence of twisted logic that he hopes will cheat him of a life sentence.

Speaking to his lawyer in jail close to his home town of Amstetten, Austria, he said he deserved credit for keeping his children alive in a windowless dungeon beneath his home.


He protested that he deserved further credit for allowing sick daughter Kerstin, 19, to leave her cellar home with mum Elisabeth for life-saving treatment in hospital.

And he whined the reporting of his revolting case has been "one-sided".

Fritzl, who fathered seven children by Elisabeth who he kept caged for 24 years, told his lawyer Rudolf Mayer: "I admit what I've done. I did lock up my children and keep them prisoners for all that time. But I'm not a killer and I'm not a monster.

"I could have killed them all and disposed of their bodies and nobody would have been any the wiser.

"Without me, Kerstin would not be alive today. I ensured she went to hospital.

"If it were not for me, she and Elisabeth would not have been freed."

Fritzl, 73, failed to mention that one of his children born in the cellar in Amstetten, Austria, 12 years ago died - and he disposed of the body.

Elisabeth gave birth to the child in front of son Stefan, now 18, but was left for three days by her father alone.

By the time he came downstairs to see her, the baby was already dead. He burned the body in an incinerator.

Prosecutors are now deciding if he should face a murder charge.

Fritzl kept Elisabeth, 42, Kerstin, Stefan and Felix, five, in a dungeon labyrinth protected by eight doors. Elisabeth's other children Lisa, 16, Monika, 14, and Alexander, 12, lived upstairs with their grandparents.

Fritzl pretended they were left on the doorstep by Elisabeth. He duped wife Rosemarie into believing she had joined a cult.

Yesterday in an exclusive interview, Mr Mayer protested that the sex-obsessed pensioner was a Jekyll and Hyde character desperately fighting his dark side.

He said: "He's not trying to pretend that he's innocent. All he's saying is that he isn't a killer, that he's not a monster.

"It's important to realise that he did evil things because of his illness. Of course people want to portray him as a monster.

But he's also human, and there was another side to him. He was a Jekyll and Hyde. What he did was logical, and showed intelligence in the sense that he's clever and cunning and carried out his plans to the letter.

"But he was driven by a dark side which he couldn't control."

Mr Mayer said Fritzl admitted burning the body, but he added: "The child was already dead. He isn't guilty of murder. He has expressed regret.

"Of course he's sick and suffering from a psychiatric illness, otherwise he wouldn't have done these things.

We're planning a defence of insanity."

Fritzl is held in St Polten prison close to Amstetten, sharing a cell with a gunman. Mr Mayer went on: "He just sits there watching TV, trying to take in what has happened to him. He hopes soon everything will be better for him and his family."

Retired electrician Fritzl was questioned for 90 minutes by state prosecutor Christiane Burkheiser yesterday, answering questions about his past. He co-operated fully, though he is not used to dealing with women in authority.

It is unlikely he will face court for another two weeks as the case against him is prepared.

He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison for rape and incest, or life if he is found guilty of murdering the baby who died in the cellar.

Austria's Justice Minister said yesterday that authorities bungled inquiries after Fritzl reported Elisabeth missing so he could use her as his sex slave.

Maria Berger said: "I can see a certain gullibility, especially when it comes to the story that Elisabeth had joined a sect."

Questions have also been asked about the decision to let Fritzl look after the three children he made Elisabeth abandon.

He was convicted of rape in the 60s. But his conviction would have been wiped from criminal records.

As Elisabeth recovered with her family at a special clinic, psychologist Wolfgang Bermann said she found the strength to survive for the sake of her children.

He said: "What she had to endure is unthinkable. She gave birth alone and raised them alone. She's a real heroine."
Mirror

Josef Fritzl: ‘The Nazis were to blame’

Josef Fritzl has blamed the Nazis for fostering the twisted morality which led him to imprison his daughter in a cellar for 24 years.

In a bizarre attempt to defend his conduct he said Hitler’s Germany had instilled “a high regard for decency and uprightness” in him.

Telegraph

Son's evidence could convict Josef Fritzl of murder
Jeremy Armstrong In Amstetten, Austria
Mirror

Felix Fritzl is making an amazing recovery
By Jeremy Armstrong And Emily Miller

Fritzl's cellar The cellar where Felix Fritzl was caged

Cellar boy Felix Fritzl is making an amazing recovery - aided by the daily miracle of the breaking dawn.

The five-year-old who spent his entire life caged underground by his father and grandfather Josef Fritzl has stopped communicating by grunts and is walking normally.

A source said: "The grunts and growls it was suggested he and his brother Stefan used appear only to have been the excitement of their release."

Felix is also entrancing doctors with his ready wit and enthusiasm for everything new in his transformed life.


But the most heart-warming feature of his freedom is something the rest of the world takes for granted. Before he was released from his windowless dungeon beneath Fritzl's house in Amstetten, Austria, two weeks ago Felix had never seen daylight.

Now each morning, wearing special protective goggles, he beams a radiant smile of joy that once again the darkness that has haunted him all his life has gone away.

As Felix recovers with his mother Elisabeth and his five siblings doctors say they are watching the birth of a new family.

Felix, his sister Kerstin, 19, and Stefan, 18, lived all their lives in the cellar never knowing that brother and sisters Alex, 12, Monika, 14, and Lisa, 16, lived upstairs with Fritzl and wife Rosemarie.

Rapist Fritzl fathered all six children on Elisabeth, 42, as he held her a helpless captive for 24 years.

Under the eye of Elisabeth and Rosemarie, 69, they are now all bonding well. Dr Berthold Kepplinger, senior consultant at the Landesklinikum in Mauer, outside Amstetten, said: "A completely new family is slowly coming into existence here in the ward."

Stefan and Felix are eating well and their physical development and size are "according to age". And the pasty skin tone of all those held captive is changing.

Dr Kepplinger said: "Only Elisabeth and Felix have increased photosensitivity and need goggles. The boys are making a good recovery, especially Felix. Both are polite and seem to have had respect instilled into them.

"They do exactly what their mother tells them and have the basics of reading and writing. Felix has a keen intelligence which shows with his enthusiasm for everything. We love his wit and outgoing personality."

Stefan and Felix, however, are noticeably weaker than the other children. They also need more sleep.

Both still like to watch TV, their only entertainment in their dungeon hell. But they are shielded from the news. Kerstin is still in intensive care in an artificially induced coma. There has been no change in her condition since she was taken to hospital after her system collapsed, leading to the discovery of the cellar family.

It emerged last night that Lisa, Monika and Alexander called Rosemarie and Fritzl "Mama and Papa" until worried teachers intervened.

Rosemarie brought up the children believing her husband's story that they were abandoned by Elisabeth who had left home to join a cult.

A friend who lives in Amstetten and asked not to be named, said: "Rosemarie was desperate to give the children a normal start in life, with a proper mum and dad.

"She was deeply hurt and embarrassed about Elisabeth supposedly running off.

"Lisa called the Fritzls 'mama and papa' when she started school. But teachers told Rosemarie she had to come clean or the children would be totally messed up when they discovered the truth years later." In summer 2000 Rosemarie explained the adoption to the youngsters. The friend said: "She hired a counsellor to sit them down and talk about it.

"Then she threw a party to make them feel positive about the new family set-up. From then on she and Fritzl were 'Omi and 'Opi' - Grandma and Grandad."

Unaware of the real family truth, Alexander became petrified that his mother would return to kidnap him from his bed.

The friend said: "He had visions of her creeping into the house in the middle of the night and snatching him. He was so frightened he almost stopped speaking."

Alexander and Lisa were constantly tense due to Fritzl's bullying, the friend added.

She said: "Their eyes had a look of sheer terror even when he wasn't there. Rosemarie said he was incredibly domineering."

Lisa became so desperate to escape life under Fritzl's roof she successfully begged him to let her go to a boarding school near Amstetten.

DOUBLE LIFE OF A BEAST

1938

Josef Fritzl born in Austria

1954

Leaves school for engineering apprenticeship at polytechnic; following year works for steel company

1956

Aged 21, marries wife Rosemarie, 17.

1957

Ulrike born, followed by Rosemarie jnr in 1960 and six years later by Elisabeth.

1967

Works for engineering firm in Linz - convicted of rape of young mother in the town, serves 18 months.

1971

Twins Josef and Gabrielle born

1972

Becomes traveling salesman for German firm.

1973

Buys guest house and campsite in Mondsee, by a mountain lake.

1977

Starts abusing daughter Elisabeth at the age of 11

1978

Starts construction of cellars in guise of nuclear bunker.

1979

Registers Elisabeth at the family home 40 Ybbsstrasse. No names of his other children lodged.

1983

Police alerted after 17-year-old Elisabeth runs away - she is found in Vienna several weeks later. Planning officers inspect and approve cellar. Fritzl then illegally extends it further.

1984

Fritzls report Elisabeth missing. Letter arrives at their house saying: "I want to start a new life." In reality she is imprisoned in the cellar. Fritzl drugs her, later making her write a letter explaining her "disappearance".

1993

A: Fritzl claims he finds a baby (Lisa) on the doorstep with a note from Elisabeth - the note has been written by Elisabeth in cellar. She is the child's mother.

1994

Lisa adopted as first "grandchild" by Fritzls. Next, 9-month-old Monika is "left at the door". She is Elisabeth's fourth child born in cellar.

1996

Elisabeth has twins. Alexander survives, but the other dies. Fritzl burns body.

2000

Fritzl goes on lads' holiday to Thailand.

2002

Elisabeth's seventh child, Felix, is born.

2007

Letter from Elisabeth at Christmas hints she may come home.

2008

April 19: Kerstin falls ill in cellar. Fritzl takes her to hospital. Doctor is baffled and asks police and media to find the mother. April 21: TV appeal for mother seen by Elisabeth, who wants to be with Kerstin. April 26: Fritzl claims Elisabeth has suddenly turned up with two other children. Police quiz her and at around midnight the true story emerges. Fritzl frees underground family and is arrested.
Mirror

CELLAR WIFE: WHY I DIDN'T LEAVE HIM
EXCLUSIVE
People

Elisabeth Fritzl: I never want to see Josef again

Elisabeth Fritzl, the woman held captive by her sadistic father for 24 years has spoken about her ordeal with her reunited family and has vowed she never wants to see her father's face again.


Telegraph

Josef Fritzl: Austra police hunt for more bodies

Austrian police will use sniffer dogs and sophisticated ground-penetrating radar to see whether more bodies are hidden in the earth around the dungeon where Josef Fritzl kept his daughter imprisoned for 24 years.
Police have revealed that more rooms existed in the labyrinth which they were yet to examine, including some which Fritzl is thought to have sealed off years ago.

Given his history of sex crimes - he has a conviction for rape and attempted rape and is being investigated for an unrelated murder - police fear that the dungeon may hold clues to yet more crimes.

Telegraph

Fritzl daughter tells of fight to save children
Austria’s ‘incest monster’ faces trial next week. Early evidence will be horrific
timsonline