Living in Shadow

His work as a technical engineer meant that he never needed other people to enter his basement during the building process. He found supplies through old work contacts in construction companies, plumbed the shower, and did the engineering work himself, creating an elaborate prison under his family home. To anyone else, this seemed like an ordinary underground basement.

But one locked door simply wasn’t enough. Fritzl developed a system of doors made from metal and reinforced concrete—one door alone weighed half a ton. Another three needed electronic codes and all had regular locks for which only Fritzl had the keys. He created this labyrinth, ensuring his daughter would never be discovered.

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