Ravachol 1892

Announcement of the Execution


Source: Jean Maitron, Ravachol et les Anarchistes. Paris, Julliard, 1964;
Translated: for marxists.org by Mitch Abidor;
CopyLeft: Creative Commons (Attribute & ShareAlike) marxists.org 2006.

On the morning of July 11, 1892 Ravachol was executed. The following telegram was sent announcing his death.


Justice was done this morning at 4:05 without incident or demonstration of any kind. He was awakened at 3:40. The condemned man refused the intervention of a chaplain and declared that he had no revelations to make. At first pale and trembling he soon demonstrated an affected cynicism and exasperation at the foot of the scaffold at the moment preceding the execution. In a hoarse voice he sang a few blasphemous and revoltingly obscene lyrics. He didn’t pronounce the word anarchy, and as his head was put in place he gave out a last cry of “Long Live the Re...” Complete calm reigned in the city. Report to follow.


The authorities assumed that the word cut short by the blade was “Republic,” but it is clear that the word was actually “Revolution.”