Austrian House of Horrors.

Sandie Seward · Austrian House of Horrors.

I usually believe that I am a virtually "unshockable" person, and that, like any seasoned Journalist or News Writer, dealing with terrible events, both Natural, and Man Made, are par for the course.

Over time, you build up a sort of "immunity", a bit like police, firemen, and Paramedics. You take what you hear and experience with a pinch of salt, and just carry on waiting for the next big story to unfold.

But, just occasionally, an event comes along that quite literally, stops you in your tracks.

This has been one such event for me.

Already it has given me a disturbed night. It was the last thing on my mind as I went to bed around 2.30 am, and I awoke a couple of times during the night and it was still in my thoughts. Now, this is so unusual for me. Normally, it doesn't matter what I read, watch, or hear about, I have the ability to "switch off" my thoughts before sleeping. Not last night, though. This was different.

I kept trying to imagine what it must have been like in that Fritzl House of Horrors, in that neat little respectable Austrian town of Amstetten, where Josef Fritzl, 73, kept his daughter and three of her children, fathered by him, prisoners, in a dark, dank, low and narrow basement, that had no windows, and no natural daylight.

Apparently, his wife, knew "nothing about it". I'm sorry, I don't believe that for one second, and, of course, neither will the police.

Setting aside the "incestuous nature" of the father and daughters "relationship, it has to be the poor kiddies that I feel the most sympathy for.

Never knowing what it's like to run about and see the sky, feel the wind, smell the flowers, climb a tree, swim in a river or the sea, in short, this evil man quite literally stole their childhood from them.

I shall be watching this case closely, it has stirred my wrath, indignation, and sympathy, like no other news event I have heard of since 9/11.

dorramae

It realy is such a horrific situation, those poor children, their life
ruined before it has begun.It makes me angry, upset,so sad, and so many
other emotions it is hard to put into words.
The wife must have known, just thinking about the practicalities
like food,clothes, getting things in or out without anyone else
knowing seem impossable to me.
How can somebody be so cruel to their own flesh and blood?
It is sickening Crying or Very sad

JoJo

I think like you dorramae she must have wondered why her Daughter kept leaving children outside for them to look after why could she not have brought them to her herself, the woman must be stupid or just did she just not want to belive he could be so whicked,and why did he leave some children down there? it's just one of the worst crimes I could imagin.

Sandie Seward

The above article was one that I specially wrote for my Newsvine Column, and it has attracted many votes and comments on there, and it has been linked to from several other Sites, including CNN and AOL.

This, of course, means many more "hits" for my Column, and I am thinking that any money I make from this, I would like to send to poor Elizabeth and her family.

I am hoping that somebody will start up a fund for them.

Ken R

There had to "others" in on this little secret Sandie. I heard on the news tonight that Herr Fritzi was seen as anormal kind of person by his neighbours, the news even had photos of him on holiday in Thailand, which they said he went on regularly. If this is true, who looked after the captives whilst he was away ? I mean, you don't pop over to Thailand for a long weekend do you ? Most folk would be gone at least a fortnight on a Far Eastern jaunt like that.
How did the captives survive for a fortnight while he was gone ?
There are alot of indiscrepancies coming to light over this case. The sheer logistics of building such a hidden dungeon, along with all the facilities he put in, all done supposedly by himself, are just too staggering to imagine!
They say the hidden entrance was behind a shelf and was only about 3' by 2' in size. How do you get a bath, beds, a WC,chairs,tables,cooker, fridge and all the rest , through an opening that size, by yourself, without anyone noticing ?

It just doesn't add up for me, someone else had to be involved in all of this.

I think this will run for quite a while and all the time, more and more of this hideous story will come to light. I just hope that the victims can come to terms with it all eventually, and hopefully, live out their days in some sort of normality.

JoJo

There were three adults well the mother and two grown up children between them surely they could have over powered the old man, and got out, it's very strange Sad

marieann

As well as being stomach-churning this is still unbelievable. How could he possibly have kept this secret for so long.

There's so much more to come, I think, but the police so far are saying that the girl's mother didn't know.

browneyes

if his wife didnt know what was going on she must be as thick as two short planks,of course she knew but what a strange arrangment, she must have known that the hidden children were suffering,still all we can do now is hope they put both of them away for a very long time Evil or Very Mad

Sandie Seward

Fritzl has been found "sane" enough to stand trial for murder (of the infant), and the trial starts sometime next year. (2009).

Wish I could get a Press Pass to go to it.

dorramae

Lets hope they get all they deserve(life to mean LIFE)

browneyes

yes im with you on that one

Sandie Seward

The date has been fixed for the start of the trial of Joseph Fritzl.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7844366.stm

JoJo

Wonder how the family are getting on now?

Sandie Seward

The latest I've heard is that Elizabeth and her children have left the Clinic, and have moved into their own house.

Now that this creature's trial date has been set, I shall be watching events most closely.

As I said earlier, wish I could obtain a Press Pass and get access to the trial in person.