Why Garrote Execution Victims Had Hands Tied JJ

The garrote was one of the most distinctive execution methods used in European history. It became particularly associated with Spain, where it was used as an official method of execution for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Unlike hanging, where the condemned prisoner was dropped through the trapdoor, the garrote required the prisoner to remain seated against an upright wooden or metal post.

A metal collar was then placed around the neck and connected to a mechanism operated by the executioner. One detail frequently seen in historical photographs and illustrations of the garrote is that the condemned prisoner had their hands tied or otherwise restrained. There were several practical reasons for this.

The most obvious reason was to prevent the condemned person from resisting. Someone facing execution could behave unpredictably, regardless of how calm they might have appeared beforehand. As the executioner approached and began placing the metal collar around the neck, the prisoner could panic, struggle, or attempt to push the executioner away.

Restraining the hands greatly reduced this possibility. This was especially important because the executioner had to work very closely with the condemned prisoner. The prisoner was normally seated with their back against the execution post, while the executioner positioned the metal collar around their neck.

The mechanism itself was usually operated from behind or beside the post. If the prisoner suddenly reached backwards, grabbed the executioner’s arms, or attempted to pull the collar away, the execution could become difficult and then potentially dangerous. There was also another very simple reason for tying the hands.

The natural human instinct to protect the neck. If something begins pressing against or tightening around the throat, most people will instinctively attempt to grab it. This reaction does not necessarily require conscious thought. Someone being garroted could therefore have attempted to place their fingers between their neck and the collar, or grab the mechanism as the execution began.

In reality, this would probably have done little to save them once the garrote had been properly secured. However, it could interfere with the execution procedure. Authorities wanted executions to happen in a controlled and predictable manner. Binding the hands prevented the condemned person from interfering with the collar once it had been positioned.

Keeping the body correctly positioned was another important consideration. The garrote depended upon the prisoner’s neck remaining in a particular position against the execution post. There were different forms of the device, and its design changed over the centuries. Some versions relied principally upon core pressure of the neck, while later Spanish designs incorporated mechanisms intended to act forcefully upon the cervical region.

Whatever the exact mechanism the garrote was carrying that day, keeping the prisoner still was very important. Violent twisting, leaning, or attempting to stand could all interfere with the position of the collar. The hands were often not the only part of the body that could be restrained. Depending upon the particular execution apparatus and period, straps or ropes could be used around other parts of the body.

The result was that the condemned prisoner could effectively become fixed to the execution chair or post. The back remained against the upright support, the neck remained inside the collar, and the arms could not reach the mechanism. The executioner could then operate the garrote without having to physically wrestle with a prisoner.

This concern about restraint was not unique to the garrote. Many execution methods involved binding the condemned person. Prisoners being hanged frequently had their arms restrained before being taken onto the scaffold. People executed by firing squad were sometimes tied to a post or even a chair. Even prisoners facing beheading could have their hands restrained so that sudden movements did not interfere with the executioner.

Authorities generally wanted as little uncontrolled movement as possible. A prisoner struggling during an execution could cause delay and increase the possibility of something going wrong. That was particularly important with methods requiring precision positioning. There was also a ceremonial element to restraint.

Historically, executions were not simply methods of killing criminals. They were carefully controlled rituals demonstrating the authority of the state. The condemned prisoner was surrounded by officials, guards, and sometimes religious representatives. Their movements were controlled from the very moment they entered the execution area.

This became particularly powerful when executions took place publicly. Garrote executions were once carried out before spectators in Spain. The sight of a condemned prisoner restrained against an execution post demonstrated that the individual was completely under the control of the authorities. The prisoner could no longer simply walk away, defend themselves, or remove the execution apparatus.

Over time, however, executions increasingly moved away from public view. The garrote continued to be used in Spain until the 20th century, including during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. One of the best-known late uses occurred in March 1974 when Salvador Puig Antich was executed by garrote in Barcelona. On the same day, Heinz Schley was also executed by garrote.

These executions attracted considerable controversy. Spain’s final executions took place the following year, although those prisoners were executed by firing squad rather than garrotes. Capital punishment was subsequently abolished under Spain’s democratic constitutional system, first for ordinary crimes and eventually completely.

The ropes and straps used during the garrote executions did perform an important but relatively simple function. They did not directly cause the prisoner’s death. Instead, they ensured that the executioner remained in control of the procedure. By tying the hands, authorities prevented the prisoner from grabbing the collar, striking the executioner, attempting to stand, or instinctively trying to protect the neck.

Combined with other restraints, the bindings kept the condemned person’s body firmly positioned against the execution post. The garrote as an execution method depended upon that immobilization of the victim. The prisoner had to remain seated while the mechanism acted upon the neck. The restraining the hands was therefore not an unnecessary addition to the execution.

It was an important part of ensuring that the condemned person could not interfere with the machinery during their final moments. Thanks for watching. If you found this video interesting, maybe click subscribe. Once again, thank you so much for you giving up your time to watch one of these videos.