German man arrested for imprisoning wife for 12 years

Update: French police have now released the German man who allegedly imprisoned his wife, reporting that the accusation included substantial inconsistencies and lacked evidence.

A German man has been arrested in France after police discovered he had kept his wife in captivity for 12 years. The woman was freed after she contacted the emergency services for help on Sunday, August 6. 

German man arrested for keeping wife captive

A German woman in her fifties who was held captive in a house by her husband has been freed by police in France. Police reported that the woman had been imprisoned in a house in Forbach - a French town near the German border - for 12 years, and had been kept in a room which was shut off with wire.

The woman’s husband and a second man, who is also in his fifties, have been arrested for rape, unlawful confinement and torture.

Imprisoned woman contacted German police

According to the French radio service France Bleu Lorraine, the husband was unknown to police and authorities only went to investigate the house after the imprisoned woman managed to contact emergency services in Wiesbaden, Rhineland-Palatinate on Sunday evening.

Upon arrival police found the woman and, according to French radio station RMC, a logbook which gave information about actions and when he had given the woman food.

Police are now beginning an investigation into the specifics of the case.

Thumb image credit: ilolab / Shutterstock.com