the execution and its message Loos ordered that children were to be prevented from attending.116 According to the report inLe précurseur of young people and mothers with children attending, he seems not to have been wholly successful.117 Also the presence of women at the executions during the nineteenth century often was commented on and increasingly seen as inappropriate. In Brussels, a newspaper in 1838 noted the presence of women from the theatre in a window near the site of the execution.118 At another execution in Brussels in 1847, it was noted that although the crowd consisted of many women they were only a minority, which was unusual, and at an execution in Bruges 1851 a journalist saw it as honourable for the city that no other women were present other than those of the working class.119 In Antwerp, however, there were reports in 1839 and 1850 that the majority of those attending were women.120 Further, from an execution in Antwerp in 1847 it was reported that the majority of those attending were women, many of them from the city’s better families – some of them used parasols to protect their pale skin from the sun.121 In1856the presence of women covering their faces with veils as the guillotine was put together was commented on, as were the many women who were the majority of spectators at the actual execution. Especially mothers with children were noted, but also that the decapitation seemed to deeply affect many of the women, some of whom held their hands in front of their eyes or had nervous convulsions.122 116 ”Execution Col (sic!). Police à l’école Gardienne Esplanande protéger l’entrée des enfants ce matin.” Telegram from the mayor of Antwerp Jean François Loos to alderman Jules de Vinck 8 May 1856 731#1476FAA. 117 Le précurseur 9 May 1856. 118 L’indépendant 2 August 1838. 119 La Belgique judiciaire 1847 col 191, La Belgique judiciaire 1851 col 912: ”Cependant, soit dit à l’honneur des Bruges, les dames au-dessus de la classe ouvrière n’assistaient pas à l’horrible spectacle.” 120 Le précurseur 27 July 1839, Het Handelsblad 3 September 1850. 121 Castel 1926 p 98. Le Précurseur 12 July 1847:”La tête de Van Ruth était détachée du tronc, roulait en présence d’une foule qui, nous le disons à regret, était plus grande qu’elle n’aurait dû être, et, chose pénible à penser, la partie prédominante se composait de femmes. On y remarquait même des dames qui s’étaient munies d’ombrelles, pour préserver des ardeurs du soleil la fraiche blancheur, les lys et les roses de leur teint!!” 56
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjYyNDk=