8 YEARS IN HELL ! How did Natascha Kampusch, the girl in the ...

What does a captivity of eight years in a windowless cellar do to a person? A documentary has been created on the actual circumstances of Natascha Kampusch's kidnapping in 1998 when she was 10 years old. She was abducted in broad daylight. For 3096 days, Wolfgang Priklopil held her captive in a cellar. When she eventually escaped the cellar in 2006, a lot of rumours about her life began to circulate. Where is Natascha Kampusch now? Is Wolfgang Priklopil alive? Why was she kidnapped at all? What all Natascha Kampusch went through during her eight years in hell? 

Natascha Kampusch Kidnapping

Natascha Kampusch was kidnapped on the street in Vienna on March 2, 1998, by Wolfgang Priklopil as she made her way to school. Natascha was just 10 years old when she was abducted. It led to one of the biggest missing person searches in Austria but there were no leads. The hunt for Natascha's whereabouts changed after reports that she had been seen being carried into a white minivan by two guys.

What happened with Natascha Kampusch in captivity? 

In a hidden, windowless cellar of Priklopil's home in Strasshof, a small town northeast of Vienna, Natascha was held captive. Here, she suffered sexual and physical torture and was first forbidden from leaving the cellar under any circumstances. She was compelled to cook and clean for Priklopil as access to additional rooms of the house was gradually granted to her. He made books and radio available to her and had no problem with her finishing her education on her own.

Eventually, Priklopil agreed to let Natascha join him for holidays, despite her claims that he constantly monitored her and provided no escape routes. On 23 August, 2006, Natascha, who was 18 at the time, was given permission to vacuum his car in the Priklopil family's driveway. He briefly disappeared from view and went away from the vacuum's roar when he got a call. Natascha utilised this window of opportunity to flee, dashing to a neighbour's home and introducing herself. Natascha was reunited with her family when the police were contacted.

Natascha Kampusch Stockholm Syndrome Theory

Natascha Kampusch allegedly made comments suggesting she felt sorry for her captor, it was assumed that she had Stockholm Syndrome. Natascha, however, believes that this phrase is "disrespectful" to her.

Priklopil wanted Natascha Kampusch to feel like Nazi 

As per reports, one of Priklopil motives for her kidnap was due to his admiration of Hitler. Priklopil wanted her to feel like she was victim of the Nazis. Natascha after her escape said "He gave me little to eat, little clothes, humiliated me, let me do heavy work and shaved my head. He admired Adolf Hitler and wanted me to feel like the Nazi victims."

Where is Natascha Kampusch now? 

Currently, Natascha Kampusch works as an author, television host, and activist. She eventually authored two books on her time in captivity despite first being reluctant to talk about her experience. In September 2010, she published her debut book, 3096 Tage (3096 Days), which was adapted into a movie the following year. Her second book, 10 Years of Freedom, was published in August 2016 to coincide with the tenth anniversary of her escape. She was granted Priklopil's house, and although though she doesn't live there, she continues to pay the house's expenses and maintenance.

Is Priklopil alive now? 

The day Natascha Kampusch made her escape, Wolfgang Priklopil passed away. He threw himself under a train in fear of the consequences of her escape. 

When and where to watch The Girl In The Cellar: 8 Years Underground? 

The documentary The Girl In The Cellar: 8 Years Underground was aired on 17 January, 2023 at 10:00 PM. The documentary can be streamed on Channel 5.