The Cellar Expands

Josef Fritzl’s cellar

With three children plus Elisabeth, the space was more cramped than ever. Josef was undeterred and would often brutalize his daughter right in front of her children. He decided to construct additional rooms. Elisabeth and the children were forced to dig out the expansion in the dirt with their hands. Eventually the space contained two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a toilet. However, it was still windowless and very damp, creating an environment where mold could flourish. The immune systems of the children were affected, they had dental problems, and they were sickly. The few luxuries they had were an old television, a hot plate, a refrigerator, and a VCR. Josef was careful to warn them about what he had in store if they tried to escape, however.