adamisacson:

I had no idea France was still guillotining people as recently as 1977 - I thought that was like a 1789 kind of thing. Nobody tell Texas.

Yep… and Spain was using the garrote (way more grisly than the guillotine) up until 1974.

Call me a total sicko, but I can’t tell you how badly I want to go to Paris and see the last intact guillotine from mainland France. I saw a pretty fierce-looking one in the torture museum in Amsterdam, but I’m not sure it was ever in use and didn’t quite capture the true essence of the massive French originals. Maybe it’s because of my inner raging sadist, maybe it’s my fascination with many of the most unpleasant parts of human history, but the “philosophy” of the guillotine has always been of great interest to me. At the time of its invention, the device was the height of modern technology and considered to be humanitarian. The same quick and painless death for all, sans torture. And, compared to the iron maidens, burnings, racks, and primitive beheadings of years before, it very much was. The irony, however, was that this “humanitarian” device possibly inspired more terror than many of its predecessors.

Again, I’m weirdly missing France, and not just because I’m really curious to see a truly authentic guillotine. I’d love to go back and visit, despite a twinge of initial weirdness that I wouldn’t be there to see Alex (except for twice, that’s always why I went… and I’ve been there A LOT). Kind of a shame that, even though it was quite a few years ago at this point, no longer being in a relationship with a French woman made me lose a lot of my drive to go. Somehow, I think I need new memories… starting with Madame Guillotine.