Marcel Chevalier

Marcel Chevalier (28 February 1921 in Montrouge, Hauts-de-Seine – 8 October 2008 in Vendôme) worked as the last chief executioner (Monsieur de Paris) in France.[1] He succeeded his wife's uncle, André Obrecht, in 1976 and held his position until 1981, when capital punishment was abolished under president François Mitterrand and justice minister Robert Badinter.[2] The method of application of the death penalty for civil capital offences in France from 1791 to 1981 was beheading with the guillotine. Military executions were by firing squad.

Chevalier, who started his executioner's career in 1958, performed about 40 executions. After his appointment as chief executioner, on 1 October 1976, he executed only two people. They were the last two executions in France:

Jérôme Carrein, condemned twice for the murder and rape of an 8-year-old girl, was guillotined on 23 June 1977 in Douai.
Hamida Djandoubi for having tortured and strangled his former girlfriend was guillotined on 10 September 1977 in Marseille.

Chevalier worked as a printer subsequent to his retirement. He was married to Marcelle Obrecht with whom he had two children. His son Éric was present at Carrein's and Djandoubi's executions in order to prepare him for succession to chief executioner upon his father's eventual retirement.

Chevalier was interviewed by the press on a number of occasions, but later, disillusioned by the sensationalist nature of press coverage, chose to say nothing of his experiences with the guillotine.

References

Gerould, D.C. (1992). Guillotine, Its Legend and Lore. Blast Books. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-922233-02-1. Retrieved 16 September 2018. The job of executioner had become part-time. Henri Desfourneaux's two assistants also worked as a butcher and a hairdresser — fitting sidelines to their decapitating functions. The last guillotine operator, Marcel Chevalier, incumbent from ...
Clarke, P.; Hardy, L.; Williams, A. (2008). Executioners. Book Sales. pp. 374–380. ISBN 978-0-7088-0366-0. Retrieved 16 September 2018.

External links

Biography (in French)

Government offices
Preceded by André Obrecht	Chief Executioner of the French Republic 1 October 1976 – 9 October 1981	Succeeded by Capital punishment abolished

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[Gerould_1992-1] Gerould, D.C. (1992). Guillotine, Its Legend and Lore. Blast Books. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-922233-02-1. Retrieved 16 September 2018. The job of executioner had become part-time. Henri Desfourneaux's two assistants also worked as a butcher and a hairdresser — fitting sidelines to their decapitating functions. The last guillotine operator, Marcel Chevalier, incumbent from ...

[Clarke_2008-2] Clarke, P.; Hardy, L.; Williams, A. (2008). Executioners. Book Sales. pp. 374–380. ISBN 978-0-7088-0366-0. Retrieved 16 September 2018.