Even though the guillotine stands today as a dark symbol of capital punishment, at the time of its invention it was perceived as a progressive step towards a fair and humane implementation of the death sentence which, previously, had been administered by varying and often terrible means. The first executions by guillotine were actually booed by crowds who were accustomed to long and bloody rituals and who were disappointed by the speed of the process.
This collection includes the names, residences, descriptions and accusers of 13,046 men and women who went to the guillotine starting in 1792 up to the time of the French Directory.
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In addition to name and date of death, this collection includes:
- Occupation
- Residence