🐉 2024/092 | JOHN GLATT - “SECRETS IN THE CELLAR: A TRUE STORY OF THE AUSTRIAN INCEST CASE THAT SHOCKED THE WORLD” | 3.5★

DETAILS

Synopsis

Josef Fritzl was a 73-year-old retired engineer in Austria. He seemed to be living a normal life with his wife, Rosemarie, and their family―though one daughter, Elisabeth, had decades earlier been "lost" to a religious cult. Throughout the years, three of Elisabeth's children mysteriously appeared on the Fritzls' doorstep; Josef and Rosemarie raised them as their own. But only Josef knew the truth about Elisabeth's disappearance… For twenty-seven years, Josef had imprisoned and molested Elisabeth in his man-made basement dungeon, complete with sound-proof paneling and code-protected electric locks. There, she would eventually give birth to a total of seven of Josef's children. One died in infancy―and the other three were raised alongside Elisabeth, never to see the light of day. Then, in 2008, one of Elisabeth's children became seriously ill, and was taken to the hospital. It was the first time the nineteen-year-old girl had ever gone outside―and soon, the truth about her background, her family's captivity, and Josef's unspeakable crimes would come to light. John Glatt's Secrets in the Cellar is the true story of a crime that shocked the world.

 

Chapters In Total

Prologue	:	01
Chapters	:	28
Epilogue	:	01
Pages	:	-

 

Note(s)

·       Standalone

 

Destination

1.    Amsterdam 2.    Angath 3.    Australia 4.    Austria 5.    Baghdad 6.    China 7.    Czechoslovakia 8.    Danube River 9.    Drachenwand 10. Eastern Europe 11. Germany 12. Ghana 13. Greece 14. Hungary 15. Iraq 16. Italy 17. Kematen an der Krems 18. Ko Lan 19. Lake Magiore 20. Lasberg 21. Linz 22. Mitterkirchen im Machland 23. Mondsee 24. New York 25. Pattaya 26. Salzburg 27. Stockholm 28. Strengberg 29. Sweden 30. Switzerland 31. Syria 32. Thailand 33. Tyrol 34. Vienna 35. Waidhofner Strasse 36. Waldegg 37. Zeillern

 

Song(s)/Band(s)/Singer(s)

1.    Schlager 2.    Robbie Williams

 

Famous person

1.    Sigmund Freud 2.    Elfriede Blauensteiner 3.    Ben Affleck

 

Movie(s)

1.    Gone Baby Gone

 

Main Character(s)

Male	:	Josef Stefan Fritzl
Female	:	Elisabeth Fritzl

Other Character(s)

Josef Stefan Fritzl	:	Herr Fritzl Born in 1935 Grandfather of Kerstin 73 years old Nickname: Sepp (Pepper) Engineer Salesman Property developer Fisherman
Rosemarie Fritzl	:	Josef’s wife Born in 1939
Ulrike Fritzl	:	Josef and Rosemarie’s first child First daughter Born in 1958
Rosemarie Jr. Fritzl	:	Josef and Rosemarie’s second child Second daughter Born in 1960
Harald Fritzl	:	Josef and Rosemarie’s third child First son Born in 1963
Elisabeth Fritzl	:	Josef and Rosemarie’s fourth child Third daughter Born in 1966 42 years old
Josef Jr. Fritzl	:	Josef and Rosemarie’s fifth child Twin to Grabrielle Second son Born in 1971
Jergen Helm	:	Gabrielle’s husband
Gabrielle Fritzl	:	Josef and Rosemarie’s sixth child Twin to Josef Jr. Third son Born in 1971
Doris Fritzl	:	Josef and Rosemarie’s seventh child Fourth daughter Born in 1972
Kerstin	:	Brought in by ambulance Elisabeth’s first child Stay in the cellar
Stefan	:	Elisabeth’s second child Stay in the cellar
Lisa	:	Elisabeth’s third child Upstair child Graduated from Kloster’s Private School
Monika	:	Elisabeth’s fourth child Upstair child
Alexander	:	Elisabeth’s fifth child Upstair child
Michael	:	Alexander’s twin Elisabeth’s sixth child Passed away 3 days after born due to severe respiratory problems
Felix	:	Elisabeth’s seventh child
Josef Sr. Fritzl	:	Josef’s father Poor laborer
Maria Fritzl	:	Josef’s mother Kept imprisoned in a top floor bedroom until she died Died in 1980
Franz	:	Rosemarie’s father
Rosa	:	Rosemarie’s mother
Christine R.	:	Josef’s younger sister-in-law
Albert Reiter	:	Doctor Head of the Amstetten emergency services unit
Anna Neumayr	:	Deceased 17 years old Disappeared on her way to Wels August 25, 1966 – Body was found in a cornfield near her home Shot twice in the head by a captive bolt pistol, commonly used to slaughter livestock.
Hans-Heinz Lenze	:	Amstetten District Governor
Manfred Wohlfahrt	:	Officer in charge of sects for the nearby St. Polten diocese
Andrea Kramer	:	Reporter of the Osterreich newspaper
Franz Pilzer	:	Austrian Police Chief Inspector Chief investigator
Emil Gelny	:	Doctor Nazi psychiatrist
Andrea P.	:	Josef and Rosemarie’s neighbour
Gerhard Marwan	:	Retired Linz Police Chief
Sigrid Reisinger	:	Owner of Zehnter Baustoffhandel und Betonwerk
Franz Halder	:	Josef’s project assistant
Anton Klammer	:	Rosemarie’s friend
Helmut Greifeneder	:	Unterach City Council member
Anton Graf	:	Businessman Rented land to Josef
Rainer Wieczorak	:	Paul Hoerer’s stepfather
Paul Hoerer	:	Young couple from Munich, Germany Andrea’s boyfriend Josef’s friend
Andrea Schmitt	:	Young couple from Munich, Germany
Elfriede Hoera	:	Worker at the kitchen at the Fritzls’ guest house
Herbert Penz	:	Regina’s husband
Regina Penz	:	Neighbour
Gertrud Ramharter	:	Neighbour
Christa Goetzinger	:	Elisabeth’s middle school best friend
Jutta Goetzinger	:	Christa’s twin sister
Peter Stoilz	:	Villa Ostende owner
Christoph Flugel	:	Villa Ostende barman
Christoph R.	:	Villa Ostende barman
Roswita Zmug	:	Rosemarie’s friend
Alfred Dubanovsky	:	Elisabeth’s classmate Josef’s tenant
Franz Hochwallner	:	Cook at the Rosenberger restaurant
Beate Schmidinger	:	Owner of the café
Josef Leitner	:	Amstetten waiter Josef’s tenant
Sam	:	Josef Leitner’s Labrador
Heidi	:	Elisabeth’s co-worker
Ernst	:	Elisabeth’s friend
Andreas Kruzik	:	Student cook Elisabeth’s ex-boyfriend
Franz Perner	:	Elisabeth’s boss
Leopold Styetz	:	Deputy mayor of the Upper Austrian town of Lasberg Joself’s friend
Max Friedrich	:	Head of the Medical of Vienna’s Click for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Professor
Nils Bejerot	:	Swedish psychiatrist
Patty Hearst	:	American newspaper heiress
Jimmy Carter	:	President
Keith Ablow	:	Forensic psychiatrist Bestselling author Medical doctor Author of “Inside the Mind of Scott Peterson” Host of “The Dr. Keith Ablow Show” Fox News contributor
Martina Posch	:	Deceased
Gerda Schmidt	:	Josef’s friend
Briton Stephen Crickson	:	Josef’s friend
Laszlo Retsagi	:	New York Physician Medical doctor
Gabrielle Heiner	:	His brother is Elisabeth’s classmate Neighbour
Reinhard Kern	:	Fishing club treasurer
Mark Perry	:	Reporter for the Kronen Zeitung Newspaper
Sabine Kirschbichler	:	Josef’s tenant
Thomas Kirschbichler	:	Sabine’s brother Josef’s tenant
Lina Angermeier	:	Josef’s tenant
Horst Herlbauer	:	Rosemarie’s brother-in-law
Natascha Kampusch	:	Same age as Kerstin Being kidnapped
Oskar Priklopil	:	Wolfgang’s grandfather
Wolfgang Priklopil	:	Natascha’s kidnapper Committed suicide
Paul Stocker	:	Local builder Josef’s friend for swingers’ club
Anita Lachinger	:	Neighbour
Verena Huber	:	Alexander’s classmate
Wael Saham	:	Owner of Casa Verona Italian Restaurant
David Jones	:	Reporter for London’s Daily Mail
Jelena Krsic	:	Alexander’s classmate
June	:	Lisa’s classmate
Karl Dallinger	:	Brigate member Lisa’s friend
Franz Polzer	:	Colonel Head of the Lower Austrian Police Criminal Investigation Unit
Leopold Etz	:	Chief Inspector The Head of Lower Austria’s Murder Squad
Berthold Kepplinger	:	Doctor Amstetten-Mauer clinic director
Gertrude Baumgarten	:	Josef’s employee
Herbert Schneider	:	Neighbour
Erika Manhalter	:	Neighbour
Gunther Pramreiter	:	Neighbour Own a bakery next to Fritzl’s house
Lenze	:	Social worker In charge of Amstetten social services
Gerhard Sedlacek	:	Prosecutor
Gunther Platter	:	Interior Minister
Herbert Katzengruber	:	Mayor
Peter Bosendo	:	Amstetten priest
Alfred Gusenbauer	:	Austrian Chancellor
Rudolf Mayer	:	Vienna attorney Josef’s defense attorney
Rudolf	:	Elfriede Blauensteiner’s second husband
Franz Halbartschlager	:	Father
Klaus Schwertner	:	Mauer Clinic spokesman
Frau M.	:	Josef’s victim
Alois Lissl	:	Police Chief
Ursula Puchebner	:	Amstetten Deputy Mayor
Gunther Morwald	:	Prison governor
Christoph Herbst	:	Fritzl family’s attorney
Brigitte Lueger-Schuster	:	Vienna-based psychologist Expert in post-traumatic stress disorder
Christiane Burkheiser	:	State Prosecutor
Maria Berger	:	Justice Minister
Hermann Gruber	:	City official
Adelheid Kastner	:	Head of the forensic Department of the Linz Psychiatric Clinic
Christian Ludke	:	German psychiatrist
Franz Prankl	:	Fritzl’s family security guard
Gabriele Supekova	:	Czech prostitute Deceased
Christoph Feurstein	:	Austrian journalist
Nikki Lauda	:	Formula 1 world-racing champion
Erich Huber-Guensthofer	:	Prison spokesman Lieutenant Colonel
Franz Cutka	:	St. Polten’s court spokesman
Andrea Humer	:	Judge
Eva Plaz	:	Fritzl’s family lawyer
Ighino Veselsky	:	Amstetten-based musician
Armin Blutsch	:	Local Fire Chief
Kurt Leitzenberger	:	Judge of St. Polten Regional Court
Karl Gschoepf	:	Ulmerfeld-Hausmening Police Chief
Fritz Lengauer	:	Mauer Clinic’s security chief
Nikolaus Obrovsky	:	Judge
Heidi Kastner	:	St. Polten court-appointed psychiatrist

Quote(s)

1.    He walked briskly into the emergency room and introduced himself as Josef Fritzl, the grandfather of 19-year-old Kerstin, who had just been brought in by ambulance. 2.    It was a violent childhood for little Josef, and he would be beaten regularly by his mother, whom he would later accuse of waiting years to have him treated for a painful urinary-tract infection. 3.    Josef would make his young wife bring them up, doing nothing except disciplining them with his fist. 4.    As she flowered into the most beautiful of his eventual four daughters, he began lasting after her. 5.    And he did not spare his wife Rosemarie from his violent temper; she often feared for her life. 6.    For the next few years this continued, Rosemarie only too glad to steer clear of her ruthlessly dominating husband, who had announced after the birth of their daughter Doris that year that he had no further use for her sexually, as she had gained weight. 7.    The Fritzl patriarch was a sentimental man making a point of attending family reunions and holiday celebrations with his wife Rosemarie, playing the role of the model father. But appearances deceive. 8.    Since his own 18-month jail sentence for rape a decade earlier, he had been searching for a woman to submit to his perverse sadistic desires. 9.    In Austria, prostitution is legal, and the Villa Ostende has a high turnover of girls, mostly coming from Eastern Europe. 10. But in the 1960s and 1970s, it was common in Lower Austria for the patriarch to discipline his children. 11. Disobedient children were made to kneel for up to an hour on a sharply cut log of wood until they bled. 12. For he reigned over his subterranean kingdom like a god – and like the ancient Greek deities, he felt it was perfectly permissible to sire children with his daughter. 13. A few months after Lisa’s birth, Josef Fritzl decided to bring her upstairs to live with the rest of the family. It was becoming more and more expensive to support his two families, and he had discovered that under Austrian law, he would be eligible for a generous state grant if he were to adopt her. 14. Then at night he went off by himself, indulging in sex with both male and female Thai hookers. 15. In 2000, the Fritzls celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary with a small family party. After so many years in such a turbulent marriage, Rosemarie still kept up the pretense of living an idyllic family life. She played the part of happy wife and mother to perfection, becoming her husband’s unwitting accomplice. 16. On Wednesday, when police arrived at the house, requesting a DNA sample, Fritzl said he was too busy to provide one, fearful that it would prove that he was Kerstin’s father. 17. It just goes to show you cannot really ever see what is happening behind closed doors. 18. Outside the court, defender Mayer said Fritzl wondered why none of his family had visited him and was missing his wife Rosemarie. 19. If you run away from your past, … you will forever be on the run. 20. The judge had ordered the visit to allow him to explain his “escape plan” for Elisabeth and the children in the event that anything ever happened to him. And he spent three hours inside the cellar, taking the judge on a guided tour and answering questions about the 660-pound eighth door to the dungeon. Also present were his attorney Rudolf Mayer and prosecutor Christiane Burkheiser, who would say he had acted strangely, constantly referring to himself in the third person. 21. His narcissism, …, combined with the lack of empathy and exploitative way of turning others into instruments of satisfying his own needs. There is also a noticeable ability or tendency to ‘modify’ reality according to his own wishes. 22. “Inside the Mind of Scott Peterson”

 

BOOK JOURNEY

Thoughts

(1) How did he know where to find her? —————— ฅ՞• •՞ฅ ——————— (3) Why is he abusing his children when he was abused by his mother at his young age? —————— ฅ՞• •՞ฅ ——————— (5) The reason why she chose to stay with him? Is it financial issue? —————— ฅ՞• •՞ฅ ——————— (13) He really knows how to look for loopholes. —————— ฅ՞• •՞ฅ ——————— (14) Is he not heterosexual? —————— ฅ՞• •՞ฅ ——————— (16) You must be kidding me right?! You knew both locking your child in the cellar and rape her are wrong and you chose to do it anyway. Now you’re afraid of the consequences?! You’re… nonsense! —————— ฅ՞• •՞ฅ ——————— (18) How dare you! Have you no sense?! —————— ฅ՞• •՞ฅ ——————— (20) He felt ashamed? Then do this kind of things to hurt people?

 

Reading Experience

This story is one of the gruesome non-fiction stories that I’ve read this year. I got so frustrated and angry while at the same time, feeling so helpless that I needed to take some time to process what I have read. I think one of the reasons being so is that I know this is a real story and it had already happened. Gosh, I felt awful and sorry for the Fritzl family. Anyway, I’m not sure if it’s me, I don’t like the writing style. It kept on repeating things that have said before in the previous chapters. It gave me this impression that the author is trying to lengthen the story. Besides, some of the names are confusing! Jurgen or Jergen? Written as Grabrielle’s husband but with different name! Is my book version wrong? Or they didn’t proofread when it got published? It’s so annoying when you try to keep up with the names! After finishing the story, I just wish that the world will be a peaceful place for children and free of predators!

 

Question(s)

1.    What are the reasons that causes Rosemarie to stay with her husband? Financial issue? Or social issues such as perspective of society towards a divorce woman? 2.    What is the reason that Rosemarie failed to acknowledge her husband’s actions of staying late at the basement constantly? Was she afraid of the husband’s abusive actions once she went to check out what her husband was doing in the basement? 3.    Since Elisabeth is close to Harald, why is Harald not know if Elisabeth has left town? How close is close?

 

Three Most Important Concepts in This Book

1.    Appearances can be deceiving.

 

Suitable For People Who

1.    Please refer to “Tags”

 

Read Dates

Started	:	07.10.2024
Finished	:	31.10.2024

 

Total Reading Duration

16

Hours

09

Minutes

 

Reading Progress (In Chapter)

05.10.2024	:	Prologue	à	Prologue
06.10.2024	:	Prologue	à	Prologue
07.10.2024	:	01	à	01
08.10.2024	:	02	à	02
10.10.2024	:	03	à	03
22.10.2024	:	04	à	05
24.10.2024	:	06	à	06
25.10.2024	:	07	à	08
26.10.2024	:	09	à	09
27.10.2024	:	09	à	20
28.10.2024	:	20	à	21
31.10.2024	:	21	à	28

 

Tags

Non-Fiction; Contemporary; Crime; Biography

 

Pace

·       Medium

 

Spiciness

·       None

 

Rating



 

Social Media

Goodreads

Instagram

 

Notes

Reading Experience

·       Plot and Content: The appeal of the storyline, the depth and interest of the content, and the relevance and accuracy of the information presented. ·       Language and Style: The fluidity and beauty of the writing, and whether the author’s style aligns with the reader's preferences and expectations. ·       Characterization and Development: The dimensionality and vividness of the characters, and whether their development feels deep and credible. ·       Pacing and Structure: The appropriateness of the pacing, the coherence of the structure, and whether the plot progresses smoothly. ·       Emotional Resonance: Whether the reader can connect with the emotions, themes, or viewpoints presented in the book. ·       Visual Presentation: The book’s design, including layout, font, illustrations, and cover design, and how these elements enhance the reading experience. ·       Personal Impact: The influence of the book on the reader’s thoughts, emotions, or life experiences. ·       Reading Comfort: The comfort of reading, considering factors like paper quality, book weight, and the reading environment.

 

Pace

·       Fast Pace: The plot progresses rapidly, with frequent events occurring, creating a sense of tension and urgency for the reader. Typically, these books have short paragraphs and chapters, with concise and brisk language, and frequent conflict and suspense. Examples include thrillers or action-adventure novels. ·       Medium Pace: The plot develops at a moderate speed, neither too rushed nor too slow. These books usually feature a balanced progression of story and character development, with a relatively even writing style. Many literary or commercial novels may have this pace. ·       Slow Pace: The plot advances slowly, often focusing on the characters' inner worlds, environmental descriptions, or nuanced emotional portrayals. These books typically have longer paragraphs and chapters, with a more complex writing style and a lot of information. Literary classics or works with intricate psychological depictions often exhibit a slow pace.

 

Spiciness

·       0★ No Spiciness Completely non-romantic and non-suggestive; suitable for all ages. ·       1★ Very Mild Occasional flirtation or light hints; very tame and appropriate for most readers. ·       2★ Mild Some romantic tension or innuendo; suitable for young adult readers but no explicit content. ·       3★ Moderate Noticeable romantic or sexual themes; suitable for mature readers with some emotional depth. ·       4★ Spicy Frequent and more explicit romantic or sexual content; intended for adult readers with significant emotional stakes. ·       5★ Extremely Spicy Highly explicit content with detailed sexual scenes or intense emotional drama; strictly for mature audiences.

 

Ratings

·       0.0: Unreadable or offensive. ·       0.5: Extremely poor; frustrating and unenjoyable. ·       1.0: Poorly written with little redeeming quality. ·       1.5: Very weak; minimal positives, mostly disappointing. ·       2.0: Some merits but overall disappointing. ·       2.5: Slightly above disappointing; some redeeming qualities. ·       3.0: Solid but flawed; enjoyable but forgettable. ·       3.5: Good; has engaging moments but still some flaws. ·       4.0: Very good; well worth reading with a few minor issues. ·       4.5: Excellent; impactful and nearly perfect, with just a few minor flaws. ·       5.0: Exceptional; a must-read that stays with you.