© ORF

18. 12. 09. - 16:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

18. 12. 09. - 16:00

Kampusch climbdown over 'Austrian aggressiveness'

By Thomas Hochwarter

Natascha Kampusch has blamed "excitement" in front of interested journalists for a string of controversial comments about Austria and Vienna at a press conference in Germany this week.

The 21-year-old – who was held for eight years in a cellar dungeon by pervert Wolfgang Priklopil who kidnapped her off the street when she was just ten - had told journalists in Hamburg she felt "a lot of resentment and aggressiveness against myself in Austria".

Sspeaking on Monday to promote an upcoming TV documentary about her cellar ordeal she said: "Criticising others and putting them down is part of the Viennese mentality."

She also told German journalists they were more sensitive when they asked questions than their Austrian colleagues.

But Kampusch said yesterday (Thurs): "I thought I should put the record straight after opening the newspapers as I arrived from Hamburg yesterday.

"I made bad choices of ways of expressing things because I was excited speaking in front of around 50 interested journalists," Kampusch – who gave a TV interview just two weeks after her eight-year ordeal – explained.

She added she had not intended to criticise Austrian media by thanking German reporters for their careful way of asking questions.

Kampusch hit the headlines this week when she revealed that her hygiene-obsessed jailer would beat her if she left marks on objects when he let her out of the special dungeon he held her in.

She also explained how she was forced to tie up her hair and cover it with a plastic bag in her 2.7-metre long and 1.8-metre wide cellar prison before Wolfgang Priklopil – who committed suicide on the day Kampusch ran away from him in August 2006 – decided to shave her head.

Bosses at national broadcaster ORF meanwhile said they have not yet come to an agreement over screening the "Natascha Kampusch - 3.096 Tage Gefangenschaft" (Natascha Kampusch – 3,096 Days in Captivity), the 45-minute documentary on Kampusch’s eight years in captivity at Priklopil’s home in Strasshof an der Nordbahn, Lower Austria.

German station ARD will air the production on 25 January. ORF is expected to reach an agreement with the station.

Austrian Times

Related articles: Natascha Kampusch

1. Kampusch kidnapper pal faces trial

   » General News 2010-03-16

   The best mate and business partner of Natascha Kampusch kidnapper Wolfgang Priklopil is facing charges for complicity in suicide, it emerged today (Tues).

2. ATV to air Kampusch documentary

   » General News 2010-01-15

   Private broadcaster ATV has sensationally secured the rights to screen an eagerly awaited documentary on Natascha Kampusch’s eight-year cellar ordeal.

3. Kampusch dad doubts kidnapper acted alone

   » General News 2010-01-11

   Kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch’s dad has said he doubts his daughter’s kidnapper acted alone.

4. Police admit mistakes as Kampusch case investigations end

   » General News 2010-01-08

   A leading police investigator has admitted "big mistakes" in the search for the kidnapper of Natascha Kampusch as officials today (Fri) announced the case was closed.

5. Kampusch 'fled twice but returned on same day'

   » General News 2010-01-04

   Kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch fled her sick jailer twice during captivity – but came back to him within hours of each attempt, a magazine has claimed.

6. Escape claims a 'sheer lie', Kampusch says

   » General News 2010-01-04

   Kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch has branded claims she fled her sick jailer twice during captivity but returned within hours a "sheer lie".

7. Kampusch case investigations to continue in 2010

   » General News 2009-12-30

   Investigations into the kidnapping of Natascha Kampusch will continue next year, it has emerged.

8. Kampusch climbdown over 'Austrian aggressiveness'

   » General News 2009-12-18

   Natascha Kampusch has blamed "excitement" in front of interested journalists for a string of controversial comments about Austria and Vienna at a press conference in Germany this week.

9. Jailer beat me and shaved my head, Kampusch reveals

   » General News 2009-12-17

   Kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch has told of how her hygiene-obsessed jailer would beat her if she left marks on objects when he let her out of the special dungeon he held her in for eight years.

10. Kampusch attacks Austria

    » General News 2009-12-15

    Former kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch has hit out at Austria at a press conference held to promote an upcoming TV documentary.

Zumtobel reports worse results
Vorarlberg lighting firm Zumtobel has reported worse results for the first three quarters of its 2009/2010 business year (1 May to 30 April).

Special security measures for Austrian poker tournament
Austrian police will take special security measures at this month’s European Poker Tour (EPT) tournament following the robbery at an international poker tournament in Berlin earlier this month.

Soaring fuel prices avoid more drastic inflation decrease
Inflation in Austria dropped slightly last month, federal statistics agency Statistik Austria said today (Tues).

Back seat passengers in seat belt warning
One third of back seat car passengers in Austria do not use seat belts, according to the Committee for Traffic Safety (KfV).

Erste Bank Austria chief to retire early
Erste Bank in Austria announced today (Tues) that its General Director Elisabeth Bleyleben-Koren would retire on 30 June 2010 even though her contract expires in mid-2012.

Five Romanians arrested for robbery in Upper Austria
Police arrested five Romanians suspected of having injured and robbed a car dealer yesterday (Mon) in Ansfelden in Upper Austria’s Linz-Land district.

New season begins at Vienna's Prater
The new season kicks off at Vienna’s Prater amusement park with the popular Schweizerhaus restaurant expanding its beer garden and installing a 117 metre high tower near the entrance setting the theme for "Vienna in 1900".

Minister makes U-turn on asylum seekers
People’s Party (ÖVP) Interior Minister Maria Fekter has said for the first time that Austria might not need a third asylum seekers’ centre - a move seen by many as being a policy U-turn.

Vienna electricity outage lasts one hour
A defective cable caused an electricity outage in Vienna-Leopoldstadt this morning (Tues) for about one hour, said energy supplier Wien Energie.

Palfrader and Scheuba to get the dirty job done at Volkstheater
An acclaimed cabaret stage show featuring TV star Robert Palfrader will be performed at the Volkstheater Vienna this Saturday.