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#1 Josef Stefan Fritzl was born in Amstetten, Austria, on April 9, 1935. He grew up in a climate of cruelty and uncertainty, both inside the Fritzl home and out. He was regularly beaten by his mother, whom he would later accuse of waiting years to treat his painful urinary-tract infection.

#2 The town of Amstetten was a key railway hub for the Germans during World War II. The little boy, Josef, grew up hearing about the atrocities committed by the Nazis there.

#3 The town of Amstetten was heavily damaged during the war, and it would take years for it to recover. Sepp Fritzl grew up in this environment, and was often alone. He developed a fascination with the Mauer camp, which held a strange fascination for him.

#4 Fritzl was a good student, and he never got into trouble. He went on a school trip to the Hellbrunn Residence in 1951, where he was photographed with his classmates. He wore a blank expression, as if he were hiding a secret.