Table of Contents
- A Shadow from the Past
- Robert Badinter: The Man Who Ended State Killing
- Mucem’s Bold Exhibition
- Why the Guillotine Still Matters Today
- Global Death Penalty Trends
- Sources
A Shadow from the Past
In a striking juxtaposition of history and modern justice, a 15-foot-tall guillotine—once France’s instrument of terror—now stands silently in the Museum of the Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean (Mucem) in Marseille. The timing is no coincidence: the display coincides with the 44th anniversary of France’s abolition of the death penalty and the recent induction of Robert Badinter into the Panthéon, Paris’s mausoleum for national heroes.
Weighing in at a staggering 1,763 pounds, this guillotine isn’t just an artifact—it’s a visceral reminder of a time when public beheadings were routine. During the Reign of Terror (1793–1794), an estimated 17,000 people lost their lives to the blade. But France’s last execution by guillotine didn’t happen until 1977, when Hamida Djandoubi was executed in Marseille—the very city now hosting this powerful exhibit.
Robert Badinter: The Man Who Ended State Killing
Robert Badinter, a former justice minister and tireless human rights advocate, spearheaded the campaign to abolish capital punishment in France. His resolve was forged in tragedy: in 1972, he watched helplessly as his client, Roger Bontems, was executed by guillotine. “It looked like a bloody idol waiting for his ration of death,” Badinter later recalled in a landmark 1981 speech to the National Assembly.
Despite 62% of the French public supporting the death penalty at the time, Badinter convinced lawmakers to abolish it in 1981. His famous declaration—“French justice will no longer be a justice that kills”—became a defining moment in the nation’s moral evolution. On October 10, 2025, Badinter joined luminaries like Marie Curie and Victor Hugo in the Panthéon, cementing his legacy as a champion of humane justice.
Mucem’s Bold Exhibition
The guillotine now on display at Mucem was donated by Badinter himself to ensure future generations wouldn’t forget the brutality of state-sanctioned killing. Positioned in a circular gallery, the machine is arranged to place visitors “in the shoes of the condemned,” according to museum president Pierre-Olivier Costa.
“Robert Badinter wanted the public, long after abolition, to be able to face up to this machine that cut men in two,” Costa explained. The exhibit is part of Mucem’s permanent collection titled Populaire?, which explores societal struggles through 1,200 objects spanning fine and folk art. A new thematic section, “Movements of the People,” uses the guillotine as a focal point to discuss ongoing injustices like racism and sexism in 21st-century France.
Why the Guillotine Still Matters Today
While France abolished the death penalty over four decades ago, capital punishment remains legal in 55 countries, according to Amnesty International. In 2024 alone, the world recorded the highest number of executions in ten years. Even in the United States, debates over execution methods have resurfaced—with some fringe voices controversially calling for a return to the guillotine due to concerns about botched lethal injections.
The Mucem exhibit serves as both memorial and warning. By confronting the physical reality of the guillotine, visitors are invited to reflect on how far justice has come—and how fragile those gains remain.
Global Death Penalty Trends
| Region | Countries with Death Penalty (2025) | Notable Trends |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | 20+ | China leads in executions (exact numbers classified) |
| Middle East | 10+ | Iran, Saudi Arabia among top executors |
| Americas | 3 (USA, Belarus*, others) | *Belarus is in Europe; U.S. sees declining use |
| Europe | 0 (all abolished) | France abolished in 1981; last execution in 1977 |
Note: Belarus is geographically in Europe but often grouped politically with non-EU states.
