Josef Fritzl, the notorious Austrian who held his own daughter captive in a basement for 24 years and fathered seven children with her, has given an interview behind bars describing his dream of freedom and seeing his family again. The duped Fritzl also stated that he wants to live to be 130 and revealed his strict exercise regimen to stay in shape for a possible release from prison.
Fritzl’s comments, made through his lawyer Astrid Wagner, include sickening boasts about reconciling with the family he held captive for more than two decades.
He added: “I definitely think I’ll see them again one day.”
Josef Fritzl, an electrical engineer, locked his daughter Elisabeth in a basement for 24 years, where he sexually abused her and had seven children with her.
It is suspected that he also has illegitimate children from affairs on business trips abroad.
In 2009, Fritzl was sentenced to life in prison for various crimes, including incest, rape, unlawful imprisonment, slavery, and the negligent homicide of one of his young children.
Elisabeth, who disappeared when she was 18, was found in 2008 in the dungeon-like basement Fritzl built beneath his family’s home in Amstetten, Austria.
The abuse resulted in the birth of seven children, three of whom were held captive with their mother, while one died at Fritzl’s hands shortly after birth, the body being disposed of in an incinerator.
Fritzl and his wife, Rosemarie, raised the other three children who were not held captive with their mother.
Rosemarie divorced Fritzl after his crimes were exposed. However, in a recent interview, Fritzl was defiantly optimistic that one day he would be released and his family would forgive him.
Describing the daily rigors of his diet and exercise plan, he told the Sun:: “Every day I start with a coffee. I have to have this to wake up properly, then this is quickly followed by a cup of hot chocolate.
“After this I have a tea, and I eat three eggs, a piece of toast with ham, and also a sausage and cheese spread, and I make sure I take vitamin C tablets, and magnesium and zinc.”
Deceived Fritzl, who is believed to be suffering from dementia, added: “I also drink a lot of water throughout the day. I recently read that it has been scientifically proven that humans can live to be 150 years old if they eat right and exercise.
“So I want to live to be 130 years old, that’s my plan.”
Fritzl, who now uses a walker to walk, reportedly wrote in a letter that he understands why some people want him to die in jail. He said: “But I want to experience freedom one day. I have never been afraid of dying.”
Fritzl has reportedly been avoiding walking in the prison yard for fear of being attacked by his fellow prisoners.
In June 2022, the Vienna Higher Regional Court ruled that he would remain in the high-security prison for mentally ill offenders, reversing an earlier decision to transfer him to a normal prison.
Fritzl, now 87, will continue to serve a life sentence for incest, rape, coercion, unlawful imprisonment, slavery and the negligent homicide of one of his young children.
The Krems regional court upheld the decision, saying: “The Vienna Higher Regional Court (OLG) has recognized the need for further accommodation in an institution for mentally abnormal lawbreakers.”