Story By: Kathryn Quinn, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
The brother of the Austrian man who allegedly held a Dutch family prisoner in a basement waiting says he was self-centred, involved in sects and “thought he was better than Jesus”.
Austrian Josef B. from Waldhausen, a small village in Upper Austria, was born in 1961, and lived with his parents and five siblings in a village in rural Austria.
His brother, Franz B., told local media that Josef first came into contact with sects when he left home to do his military service in the army.
Franz said: “He joined a sect and thought he was better than Jesus. I have had no contact with him for ten years. I chased him off when he came and wanted me to act as a guarantor for him.
According to Franz, Josef did not even attend their own father’s funeral after he died.
But when the farm was passed onto Franz who took over the running, Josef came demanding his share of the inheritance.
He said: “My brother was only ever interested in what was best for him.”
His mother died one and a half years ago, but he also did not come to her funeral.
Josef also reportedly has twin daughters with a Japanese woman who are now adults.
According to the family, the twins have tried to make contact with their father since 2017 but have not heard anything. The brother claims that when his daughters were younger, he left them alone with friends in Holland for months on end.
From 1998 to 2008, Josef B. lived in Pabneukirchen in Upper Austria in a 300-year-old house (pictured) and worked as a carpenter. He was also registered at a property in Vienna.
His neighbour, Josef Kranzer, said: “He was always very friendly. I never got a bad impression of him.”
Another neighbour said: “As long as he got what he wanted, everything was great. He could be very convincing.”
In 2009, he sold his property and moved to Meppel in the Netherlands.
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