Possible Freedom for Josef Fritzl, Father Who Held Daughter

The convicted Josef Fritzl may soon be released from prison, as an expert assessment deems him no longer a threat to the public.

In 2009, Fritzl, now 88, received a life sentence for the shocking revelation that he had imprisoned his daughter, Elisabeth, in the family home’s cellar as his captive for 24 years in Amstetten, Austria. Elisabeth’s traumatic experience included bearing seven children during this captivity.

This handout picture released on April 28, 2008 by the Criminal Investigation police department of Lower-Austria shows one of the underground rooms in the Fritzl family house in Amstetten, east Austria, in which Elisabeth Fritzl, and her children were allegedly held prisoner by her father, Josef. Austrian Josef Fritzl, 73, who was arrested on April 26, 2008, is accused of holding his daughter Elisabeth captive for 24 years and fathering seven children. Elisabeth, 42, has told police her father drugged her in August 1984 and kept her in the cellar of the family home, regularly abusing her over two decades. The incestuous relationship allegedly produced seven children. The case came to light when one of the children, now 19, was admitted to hospital in critical condition. AFP PHOTO / CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION POLICE DEPARTMENT OF LOWER-AUSTRIA HO -- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE -- (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images)

Elisabeth and her children were held hostage in this room (Picture: Getty)

Recent reports from local media shed light on Fritzl’s puzzling behaviour, including confusion, conversations with the television, delusions of being a pop star, and references to non-existent family visits. Despite these concerns, Fritzl is eligible for parole this year, especially after a new psychiatric evaluation asserts that he is ‘no longer dangerous.’

Pic Shows: Josef Fritzl at Sankt Poelten Prison; AUSTRIA: Prisoners at Austria's most high security prison where incest monster Josef Fritzl is serving his life sentence brewed more than 100 pints of Christmas punch - without guards noticing.

Josef Fritzl has been in Sankt Poelten Prison serving a life sentence (Picture: CEN)

The report emphasizes Fritzl’s physical frailty, noting his reliance on a walking frame due to difficulty walking diminishes any significant threat he might pose. If granted parole, Fritzl may spend his remaining days in a nursing home, a prospect that unsettles many given his grim past.

The house where Elisabeth was held for 24 years is now a block of flats (Picture: AFP)

Recalling the horrifying details of his crimes, Fritzl lured his daughter into the basement when she was just 18. His wife, Rosemarie, filed a missing persons report, but Fritzl misled the authorities with a letter allegedly from Elisabeth, claiming she intended to stay with a friend.

Despite the recent psychiatric assessment supporting the potential release, Fritzl’s bid for freedom was blocked last year by Austrian High Court judges. In 2023, Fritzl collaborated with his lawyer on a book based on prison letters, offering insights into his thoughts on various subjects.