Life after 8 years in captivity: The kidnapping and escape of Natascha Kampusch

When she was only ten years old, the Austrian girl Natascha Kampusch was kidnapped on her way to school. She was held in captivity for eight years until she finally managed to escape. How is the young woman, now 35, and what has she done since that dark period?

It was March 2, 1998, when the lives of Natascha Kampusch and her family changed irreparably.

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Natascha Kampusch was only ten years old. Like every day, she was on her way to school in the Donaustadt district of Vienna, the capital of Austria. Only 300 meters from the school, and 600 from her home, someone grabbed the girl and dragged her into a white van...

Her captor, Wolfgang Přiklopil, was a 36-year-old unemployed telecommunications technician. He kept Natascha Kampusch for eight years in his home in Strasshof an der Nordbahn in the Lower Austrian region.

Přiklopil had previously turned a well under the garage of his house into a prison. The room was approximately 2.3 meters high, 2.5 meters long, and 1.8 meters wide. It had no windows, but it was equipped with a bed, table, television, furniture, toilet, and sink.

Investigations revealed that the entrance had been carefully hidden.

Natascha Kampusch said she spent six months in this place without leaving it. Only after those first months, she was allowed to enter her captor's house to take a shower.

Over the years, the teenager occasionally left her hiding place to go shopping or take a walk with Přiklopil. One time, the two even went skiing, but Přiklopil always made sure that the girl had no contact with anyone.

Kampusch said she was physically abused by Přiklopil. Fascinated by World War II, he wanted to portray her as a victim of N az ism and sometimes shaved her head.

Kampusch also had to perform difficult and taxing physical labor for Přiklopil. Among other things, she renovated an apartment. Her kidnapper then sold the place and made money off the teen's labor.

3,096 days into her captivity, Natascha Kampusch managed to escape. While washing Přiklopil's car, she took advantage of a moment of his inattention to escape. The girl, 18 at the time, went to a nearby house and asked to be taken to the police.

Wolfgang Přiklopil was found dead the same day. He ended his life by throwing himself in front of a train.

For Natascha Kampusch, years of imprisonment ended that day. But it was only the beginning of a long process of psychological recovery.

Natascha Kampusch was admitted to a hospital in Vienna. After that, she moved into a shared apartment where she was supported by a team of therapists.

The girl was also finally able to see her mother, Brigitta Sirny (pictured), and her father, Ludwig Koch. Yet, their first meeting was limited to a brief embrace. Natascha Kampusch was kept aside at her own request and confided only in investigators.

The case received extensive media coverage. Natascha Kampusch, described by psychologists as highly intelligent and insightful despite her imprisonment, published an open letter in August 2006.

In this text, Natascha Kampusch describes some aspects of her life during imprisonment. She also asked that the media respect her privacy.

In the following period, Kampusch gave various interviews. She became a public speaker and writer.

In September 2006, her first interview was broadcast on Austrian public radio. She reiterated her request for privacy and gave a brief account of her imprisonment.

In 2008, Natascha Kampusch began hosting her own TV program, 'Natascha Kampusch Trifft' ('Natascha Kampusch Meets'), in which she interviews celebrities.

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In the same year, the young woman obtained two-thirds ownership of her captor's house. The remaining third went to his mother. Kampusch would be that third and gain ownership of the entire house.

The young woman had no clear idea of what to do with the house where she'd been imprisoned for so many years. Several potential buyers came forward. As she told the German paper Bild-Zeitung: "Money wasn't important to these people, they absolutely wanted the house. But I rejected all the offers."

In 2010, Kampusch published her autobiography, titled '3096 Days'.

In the same year, the documentary 'Kidnapped: Natascha Kampusch' was released. In 2013, her autobiography was adapted into a film.

Also in 2013, Alan Hall's book 'Vermisst' was published. In it, Natascha Kampusch's father reportedly expressed doubts about the story of her daughter's abduction.

According to the German weekly Der Spiegel, the book states that "the girl from the cellar is a legend." The writer adds: "She waited until she turned 18 to escape because she didn't want to be placed in foster care or return to her family."

In 2016, ten years after her escape, Kampusch published a second autobiography, titled '10 Jahre Freiheit' ('10 Years of Freedom').

In 2019, Kampusch published a very different book. It was an essay about jealousy and discrimination on the internet.

Apart from the new writing endeavors, the young woman created her own jewelry collection, 'Fiore,' in 2017. Natascha Kampusch herself designed the jewelry before it was transformed into sterling silver jewelry by goldsmith Gerda Guggenberger.

The flower, one of her designs, is the symbol that Kampusch has chosen to represent her life. As it says on her website, she "is a being who always begins to bloom again, no matter where or when."

According to the website, "Natascha never gave up her hopes and her desire to live in freedom again. She had to rely on her own means to free herself, without any help. Today, she is blossoming in all her splendor and radiates positive vibrations, because she can finally feel free, strong, and beautiful!"

In 2011, Kampusch dedicated herself to humanitarian work. With the help of a charity, she opened a children's hospital in Sri Lanka.

Today, at the age of 35, Kampusch lives in Vienna.

When asked about her desire to start a family, Kampusch told Closer magazine in 2018: "I prefer to be alone. When they ask me, I often say, 'Who knows.' But I don't want to get married. And I can't bring myself to imagine having children. Although I think I would be a good mother."

Kampusch told Austrian television in 2022 that it was difficult for her to meet a love interest. "Many people doubt my story," she said. "And not everyone wants to have a public life. But I can't do anything about it".

About her daily life, Kampusch told the interviewer on the show: "I go to the stables almost every day to ride my horse. It takes up a lot of my time. My books are my main source of income."

Kampusch added: "If anyone can find me another way to earn money, please get in touch with me. Seminars, presentations of something - that might interest me."

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