Rosemarie Fritzl, the wife of Josef Fritzl, has finally emerged from the shadows 16 years after her monstrous husband kept their daughter, Elisabeth, imprisoned in the basement. For 24 years, Rosemarie believed that Elisabeth had run away to join a cult, but the truth was far more horrifying. Josef Fritzl kept Elisabeth locked in the basement of their home, where he fathered seven children with her, one of whom tragically died due to Fritzl’s refusal to seek medical help. Fritzl even managed to raise three of the children upstairs without Rosemarie suspecting a thing.
In 2008, the shocking truth was revealed, and Rosemarie, who had been married to Fritzl since 1956, tearfully ventured into the basement for the first time. Fritzl was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for rape, incest, incarceration, and the negligent killing of his infant son.
While Josef Fritzl’s time in prison has been well documented, the same cannot be said for Rosemarie. Despite Fritzl’s attempts to keep her as his loyal partner, bombarding her with letters and calls, Rosemarie found the strength 11 years ago to divorce him. She received no financial support from his property empire, which was seized by the state.
In Fritzl’s book, which he co-wrote in jail with his lawyer Astrid Wagner, he expressed his confusion and claimed that he never understood why Rosemarie did not take him back. However, the book also revealed his narcissistic attitude, boasting about impregnating several women during his marriage.
Rosemarie’s sister, Christine, shed more light on the manipulative and controlling nature of Josef Fritzl. She described how he constantly belittled Rosemarie in public and took sadistic pleasure in humiliating her. Christine also revealed that they had not been sexually intimate for years.
Since Fritzl’s imprisonment, Rosemarie has chosen not to visit him behind bars. Instead, she focused on rebuilding her relationship with Elisabeth. According to reporter Allan Hall, Rosemarie and Elisabeth’s relationship has had its ups and downs since Elisabeth’s rescue. A carer, who assisted in writing a book about Fritzl, described Rosemarie as a weak character and a victim of her husband.
Elisabeth, along with her children, was given new identities and allowed Rosemarie to visit once a week. According to Hall, Rosemarie was adored by the now-adult children. Rosemarie reportedly lived alone in a small flat in Linz, Austria, some distance from the converted horror house where the atrocities occurred. In 2013, she relied on a pension and supplemented her income by making and selling handbags and paper flowers.
Josef Fritzl, now 88, may be eligible for parole soon, and his lawyer has been advocating for his release, claiming that he is no longer a threat. However, Rosemarie has shown no interest in reconciling with him, prioritizing her relationship with Elisabeth and her grandchildren instead.
Rosemarie Fritzl’s story is one of strength and resilience in the face of unimaginable horror. While she may have once been under the control of a manipulative and sadistic man, she has found the courage to rebuild her life and focus on the relationships that truly matter.
