Kampusch fascinates Austrian press

Natascha Kampusch appeared on Austrian television

The day after Austrian TV broadcast the first interview with Natascha Kampusch, papers in the country pick over what she said and how she looked.

There is general surprise at how self-assured Ms Kampusch appeared after her eight years in captivity.

The Heute daily is impressed. "Natascha didn't speak like an 18-year old girl. Her words are carefully chosen, and she uses specialist medical terms."

But the paper - which printed a picture of her drying her eyes during the interview - says she also showed her vulnerability.

"The child in her smiles shyly, her expression shows her inner turmoil."

"A small butterfly"

Austria's most popular paper, Die Kronen Zeitung, runs its own interview with Ms Kampusch, with a picture of her smiling.

Marga Swoboda writes about her first meeting with the 18-year-old - "a strong, courageous woman, she has bright, quick eyes, she is small but her raised head makes her big and strong".

But the interviewer also stresses potential problems ahead for Ms Kampusch: "She is full of energy and hungry for the future, but at the same time so fragile that she reminds me of a small butterfly."

A very strong and tough personality is hidden in this tender body Der Kurier

In common with other dailies, the Kronen Zeitung calls on readers to send their messages of support to Ms Kampusch. It has also set up a bank account for donations to help her on her "difficult journey".

The tabloid Der Kurier asks its readers "What impression did Natascha make on you?" It also runs a selection of comment from the international press.

But its "family-coach" Martina Leibovici-Muehlberger has some words of caution.

"A very strong and tough personality is hidden in this tender body", she writes, and adds "the child in her keeps shining through, now she needs time and loving surroundings to find herself."

The Wiener Zeitung says Ms Kampusch "looked better than many horror stories in the media had led us to believe" and describes her as "pale, but assured and determined".

Tears and laughter

Concern about how Ms Kampusch will cope in the coming weeks and months is reflected in an article in Austria's top-selling quality daily Die Presse.

Is she really as strong as she appears? Der Standard

Child psychiatrist Johann Zapotoczky writes that the interview came far too early and that she was clearly suffering from great emotional stress.

"She covered her tears with laughter."

The broadsheet Der Standard also reflects this theme. Whilst it says she showed "great strength" in her first interview, the paper's Michael Moeseneder is more sceptical in his commentary.

"Is she really as strong as she appears?" he asks and says Ms Kampusch has now become a "commodity".

He believes there is a real danger that public sympathy could turn against her if she does not behave as Austrians who have donated her money expect her to.

BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.