• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at
• viennatimes.at
• austrianindependent.com

Today

• Vienna - Johnny\'s Pub Quiz
• Vienna - Unknown Underground
• Vienna- January and February at the Austrian Film Museum
• Vienna - Art by Petronilla Hohenwarter.
• STOMP at the MuseumsQuartier

© europics.at / APA

03. 11. 09. - 16:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

03. 11. 09. - 16:00

Fritzl not suicidal, shrink claims

By Thomas Hochwarter

Incest monster Josef Fritzl will not commit suicide because he wants to "take responsibility" for his crimes, a leading psychiatrist has claimed.

Adelheid Kastner – who told judges at Fritzl’s trial earlier this year he was sane when he kept his daughter as a sex slave for 24 years in an underground cellar – said: "Fritzl crossed so many borders but he has some nevertheless. He would never commit suicide as he has got certain ideas of justice. He now wants to take responsibility for his crimes."

The statement comes after recent media reports in which fellow inmates claimed Fritzl was being kept under 24-hour surveillance over fears he could take his own life.

Speaking to magazine News Kastner, who has released a book "Täter - Väter. Väter als Täter am eigenen Kind" (Offenders – Fathers) in German by Ueberreuter about fathers who abuse their children, also claimed the 74-year-old was "no murderer in the classical sense".

Kastner explained: "Fritzl accepted the death of one of his children, but he was probably not able to deliberately plan the death of a human. He did not cross this border as he regarded it as a taboo not to be breached."

Fritzl incinerated the body of one of the seven children his daughter Elisabeth – aged 43 today – gave birth to in the man-made cellar dungeon under the family home in Amstetten, Lower Austria.

Fritzl was jailed for life after admitting to rape, incest, murder and enslavement.

The case was regarded as one of the darkest chapters of post-war Austrian history.

Kastner rubbished Fritzl’s claims he acted purely based on a horrible childhood shaped by a cruel mother, stressing he "always had the choice" what to do with his life. "He was not legally insane at any point," she said.

Asked what the motives of offender fathers like Fritzl were, Kastner said: "The main ground for their action is taking revenge on their wives – by attacking or abusing what they love the most: their children."

The Fritzl family story is one of the most shocking told in the book by Kastner. In it, she tells the story in form of a fairytale with Fritzl being a wolf child who tries to be a good son but feels the urge to live out the evil part of his soul.

Kastner warned the majority of Austrian children were victims of domestic violence.

"It is a fact that ten per cent of children in Austria are regularly abused massively, while 60 per cent are victims of what is regarded as ‘normal domestic violence’. More than half of boys and girls living in Austria get beaten up by their parents."

"Violence against children is ignored much too often. When someone hits his or her child in public, people tend to look away while it is much more likely incidents in which someone touches a child in a ‘wrong’ place get reported to police," she claimed.

- - -

Adelheid Kastner: Täter - Väter. Väter als Täter am eigenen Kind
published by Ueberreuter (www.ueberreuter.at)
hard cover, 200 pages
ISBN: 978-3800074358

Austrian Times

Related articles: Fritzl

1. Kampusch dad skint and behind bars, paper claims

   » General News 2011-10-21

   The father of a young woman who was kidnapped at the age of 10 in 1998 and locked up by her pervert captor for eight years has been arrested, according to a report.

2. Manker fined €3,200

   » General News 2011-10-19

   An appeal court has confirmed a fine issued to director, actor and author Paulus Manker.

3. SM bar boss admits attempted abduction

   » General News 2011-10-05

   A sadomasochism (SM) sex club manager has been sentenced to seven years behind bars for trying to abduct a teenager.

more related articles tagged "Fritzl"

Burgtheater stages Tennessee Williams hit
A German version of Tennessee Williams’ most popular play is now on at the Burgtheater.

Electricity supplier switch barriers to disappear
People’s Party (ÖVP) Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner has promised a further reduction of bureaucratic obstacles for people planning to change their electricity providers.

Erste Bank expert optimistic about Hungary
The chief analyst of Austria’s biggest bank has said chances for a political agreement about the difficult economic condition of Hungary are good.

Greens write off debt brake accord
Greens chairwoman Eva Glawischnig has claimed the government stopped being interested in adding a debt brake to the constitution.

007 health worries Lugner
Richard Lugner has expressed concerns about Sir Roger Moore’s health.

Coalition close to cutback consent
Social Democratic (SPÖ) State Secretary Andreas Schieder has confirmed that the government reached the final stage of its savings package talks.

End of austerity package talks in sight, says Khol
A People’s Party (ÖVP) board member has claimed that the upcoming savings package would be presented within the coming days.

The Loo-vre Gallery
A group of artists have declared independence for 25 toilets put up in Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria and have used the 3 foot square interior to build their own mini kingdoms.

Food discounts with new ZOOcard at Schönbrunn
The new ZOOcard at Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna, Austria is offering more discounts and foodie concessions than ever before to its regular visitors.

Organic door to door
For almost a month now a company in Burgenland, Austria have been carrying out door to door organic deliveries. The new venture entitled "BioSchatzkistl" puts together boxes of fresh organic food products and brings them right to your door.