The last execution by garrote: Salvador Puig Antich

The last execution by garrote: Salvador Puig Antich

Author: BBC World Service July 27, 2026 Duration: 10:53

In 1974, an execution method known as the garrote, a chair with a metal collar tightened by a screw to break the neck, was used for the last time.

Francisco Franco's regime used it to execute two young men on the same day. The last was Catalan Salvador Puig Antich, a 25-year-old member of an anarchist group that robbed banks to fund its activities and support working class people. He was accused of killing a police officer during his arrest.

Stefania Gozzer speaks to his sister, Carme Puig Antich, about her brother's death and why, more than 50 years later, he remains a symbol of resistance to Franco's rule.

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(Photo: Salvador Puig Antich. Credit: Puig Antich's family archive)


Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.We look at the lives of some of the most...
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