France used the guillotine to execute a prisoner as recently as 1977
In short: While often associated with the French Revolution, the guillotine remained a legal instrument of capital punishment well into the late 20th century. This video details the final execution by the national razor, marking the end of a long and bloody era in Western judicial history.
On September 10, 1977, 27-year-old Hamida Djandoubi became the final person in France and the Western world to be executed via guillotine. The process followed traditional protocols, including the 'condemned’s toilette' where the prisoner was prepared for the blade, offered a final cigarette, and given a shot of rum before being led to the prison courtyard.
The execution occurred less than five months after the release of the first Star Wars film, highlighting the stark contrast between modern pop culture and the continued use of this 18th-century machine. The event concluded the use of the guillotine as a state-sanctioned method of capital punishment.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Last Guillotining Execution... in 1977
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