Still Privy To The Outside World

Elisabeth’s only link to the outside world, aside from her father, was a tiny television that was set up in one of the rooms. Although the cellar was completely stifling and suffocating, she had a bit of access to the world through that tiny screen. She did her best to teach her children some form of reading and writing, but it wasn’t much. She was able to watch adventure movies with her kids, and makeup tales of princesses and pirates, probably trying to lose a bit of herself in the fantasy as well. Unfortunately, her reality was left at the hands of an unbelievably sick man who was supposed to protect and support her, not rape and torture her.

Kerstin Gets Sick

One could say that it was a bit of pure luck that Elisabeth’s first daughter became deathly ill. On April 19, 2008, Liesl was able to convince Josef to take Kerstin to the hospital, maybe because he didn’t want her to die in the basement and leave him to take care of the body. Kerstin had to be forced to leave the underground lair, as she had never been exposed to the outside world. Elisabeth had put a note in Kerstin’s pocket that read, “Please, please help her. Kerstin is really terrified of other people. She was never in a hospital. Kerstin, please stay strong until we see each other again.”