Michael Fritzl: Who Was Josef Fritzl’s Son? Wiki, Age, Wife, Siblings, Parents, Death, and More
Michael Fritzl was one of the seven children born to Elisabeth Fritzl, who was held captive and raped by her father, Josef Fritzl, for 24 years in a secret cellar in Amstetten, Austria. Michael was born on April 28, 1996, along with his twin brother, Alexander, but he died just three days later due to respiratory failure.
His death was one of the charges that Josef Fritzl faced in his trial, where he was convicted of murder by negligence, among other crimes, and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Early Life and Death
Michael Fritzl was born in the basement of his grandparents’ house, where his mother, Elisabeth, had been locked up by her father, Josef, since 1984, when she was 18 years old. Josef Fritzl had sexually abused Elisabeth since she was 11 years old, and fathered seven children with her, four of whom remained in captivity with their mother, while the other three were raised by Josef and his wife, Rosemarie, who believed that Elisabeth had run away to join a cult and had left her children on their doorstep.
Michael and his twin brother, Alexander, were the fifth and sixth children born to Elisabeth. They were delivered without any medical assistance, and Michael suffered from obvious breathing difficulties. His limbs eventually became stiff and started to turn blue. Elisabeth begged her father to take him to a hospital, but Josef refused, fearing that his crimes would be exposed. He put Michael’s body in an incinerator burned it, and later claimed that he had cremated the placenta.
Michael Fritzl Wiki/Bio
| Name | Michael Fritzl |
| Born | 28 April 1996 |
| Died | 1 May 1996 (aged 3 days) |
| Place of birth | Amstetten, Austria |
| Place of death | Amstetten, Austria |
| Cause of death | Respiratory failure |
| Parents | Josef Fritzl, Elisabeth Fritzl |
| Siblings | Stefan Fritzl, Felix Fritzl, Alexander Fritzl, Kerstin Fritzl, Lisa Fritzl, Monika Fritzl |
| Grandparents | Josef Fritzl, Rosemarie Fritzl, Maria Fritzl, Josef Fritzl Sr. |
| Great-grandparents | Maria Fritzl, Josef Fritzl Sr. |
| michaelfritzlar | |
| Homepage | newsunzip.com |
Discovery and Aftermath
Michael’s death remained a secret until 2008, when another child of Elisabeth’s, Kerstin, became critically ill and was taken to a hospital by Josef, who claimed that he had found a note from Elisabeth asking him to take care of her daughter. The hospital staff appealed for Elisabeth to come forward, and Josef released her from the cellar to present herself as the mother. Elisabeth managed to communicate her situation to the police, and Josef was arrested.
The police discovered the hidden cellar and rescued the remaining children, who were Stefan, Felix, and Alexander. They also found out about Michael and his death, and charged Josef with murder by negligence, in addition to enslavement, rape, incest, coercion, and deprivation of liberty. In March 2009, Josef pleaded guilty to all counts and was sentenced to life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole after 15 years. He was also ordered to pay compensation to his victims.
Elisabeth and her children were taken to a psychiatric clinic, where they received therapy and counseling. They were also given new identities and relocated to a secret location, where they tried to rebuild their lives. They reportedly received letters from Josef, who expressed remorse and asked for forgiveness, but they refused to read them or have any contact with him.
Who is Josef Fritzl?
Josef Fritzl (born 9 April 1935) is an Austrian criminal who became known as the “monster of Amstetten” after he was convicted of kidnapping, raping, and imprisoning his daughter Elisabeth for 24 years in a secret cellar under his house.
He also fathered seven children with her, one of whom died shortly after birth and was cremated by him. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009 for murder by negligence, enslavement, rape, incest, coercion, and deprivation of liberty.
Where is Josef Fritzl now?
According to recent reports, Josef Fritzl is now 87 years old and lives in a special prison unit for the criminally insane in Austria’s Krems-Stein prison. He is also reportedly suffering from dementia. His lawyer, Astrid Wagner, has applied for his early release from jail on the grounds of old age and dementia.
In January 2024, a court ruled that he could be moved to a regular prison from the psychiatric unit where he was being held, paving the way for his possible release to a nursing home. However, the decision is not yet final and requires further confirmation by the public prosecutors.
Who is Elisabeth Fritzl?
Elisabeth Fritzl (born 6 April 1966) is a survivor of one of the most shocking and horrific cases of abuse, incest, and captivity in modern history. She was held prisoner by her father, Josef Fritzl, for 24 years in a secret cellar under their family home in Amstetten, Austria. During that time, she was repeatedly raped by her father and gave birth to seven children, four of whom were also confined in the dungeon with her.
The other three were raised by Josef and his wife, Rosemarie, as their grandchildren. Elisabeth and her children were finally freed in 2008 after one of them fell ill and was taken to a hospital, where the truth was revealed. Elisabeth and her children were given new identities and relocated to a secret location, where they received therapy and tried to recover from their ordeal. Elisabeth is also the author of a book titled Tears of Love, which tells her story of survival and hope.
Trivia
- Michael Fritzl was one of the twins born to Elisabeth Fritzl, who spent about 24 years in captivity, raped by her father, Josef.
- Michael died shortly after he was born after Fritzl failed to get him medical help. His body was cremated by Fritzl in an incinerator.
- Michael’s death was one of the charges that Fritzl faced in his trial, where he was found guilty of murder by negligence, among other crimes.
- Michael’s existence and death were revealed in 2008, when another child of Elisabeth’s, Kerstin, became critically ill and was taken to a hospital by Fritzl, who then released Elisabeth and the remaining children from the cellar
- Michael’s mother and siblings were given new identities and relocated to a secret location, where they received therapy and tried to recover from their ordeal. They had no contact with Fritzl, who was sentenced to life imprisonment.
