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This article discusses the last execution by firing squad in modern French history: the death of Jean-Marie Bastien-Thiry on March 11, 1963. The content is intended solely for educational and historical documentation purposes, to provide a clearer understanding of the 1962 assassination attempt on President Charles de Gaulle (OAS – Petit-Clamart), the subsequent military trial, and the end of the firing squad as a method of capital punishment in France. It is not intended to glorify violence, advocate for assassination, or support any form of capital punishment.
The Last French Execution by Firing Squad – Jean-Marie Bastien-Thiry (March 11, 1963)
In 20th-century French history, no case was as controversial or left as deep a mark as the execution of Jean-Marie Bastien-Thiry – the mastermind behind the most famous assassination attempt on President Charles de Gaulle. He was the last person (and the only one during the Fifth Republic) to be executed by firing squad. Bastien-Thiry’s death marked the end of an execution method that had existed since the French Revolution, and also symbolized de Gaulle’s firmness against the far-right factions opposing Algerian independence.
Background: The Petit-Clamart Assassination Plot (August 22, 1962)
Jean-Marie Bastien-Thiry (1927–1963) was a military aerospace engineer, a Lieutenant Colonel in the French Air Force, and a man of far-right ideology. He joined the OAS (Organisation Armée Secrète – Secret Army Organization), a group opposed to Algerian independence and de Gaulle’s policies. He considered de Gaulle a “traitor” for agreeing to negotiate with the FLN (National Liberation Front).
On August 22, 1962, Bastien-Thiry orchestrated an ambush on President de Gaulle’s motorcade at Petit-Clamart (a suburb of Paris). A group of 12 gunmen using machine guns, rifles, and grenades attacked de Gaulle’s black Citroën DS. The President and his wife Yvonne miraculously escaped death thanks to the driving skill of the chauffeur, Francis Marroux, and the car’s sudden acceleration capability (the DS was designed with bulletproofing features). The motorcade was hit by over 180 shots, but no one inside the car was seriously wounded.
The failed assassination caused a massive uproar. De Gaulle famously remarked, “It’s not easy to kill de Gaulle!” and subsequently increased his personal security.
Arrest, Trial, and Death Sentence
Bastien-Thiry was arrested on September 15, 1962, in the Paris suburbs. He was brought before the Special Military Tribunal (Haut Tribunal Militaire) in January–February 1963.
He admitted to organizing the assassination but defended his actions as a “lawful act” to save France and French Algeria.
The trial lasted 18 days and attracted immense public attention.
On March 4, 1963, Bastien-Thiry was sentenced to death (alongside three other accomplices who received life sentences or long prison terms).
President de Gaulle refused to grant Bastien-Thiry a pardon (although he did pardon some other accomplices), citing him as the “ringleader” and stating that his actions posed a direct threat to the republic.
The Firing Squad Execution – March 11, 1963
At 6:30 AM on March 11, 1963, at the Fort d’Ivry (Ivry-sur-Seine, a Paris suburb), Jean-Marie Bastien-Thiry was executed by firing squad – the traditional French method dating back to the Revolution.
He was led into the fort’s courtyard wearing his Air Force Lieutenant Colonel’s uniform (his hands were not tied).
He refused a blindfold and refused sedatives.
He stood before a firing squad of 11 men (one officer and 10 riflemen).
He shouted “Vive la France!” and “Vive l’Algérie française!” before the squad fired.
He was struck by 11 bullets (one to the heart) and died instantly.
His body was returned to his family and buried in the Thiais cemetery (Paris). The execution was kept private, unpublicized, unfilmed, and without a crowd – contrasting with some public executions in other countries at the time.
Why This Was France’s Last Firing Squad Execution
After the Bastien-Thiry case, France gradually shifted to using the guillotine for both civilian and military death sentences.
From 1962 to 1981, all remaining executions (mainly for murder) were carried out by guillotine (e.g., Christian Ranucci in 1976, Hamida Djandoubi in 1977 – the last execution).
President François Mitterrand and Justice Minister Robert Badinter completely abolished the death penalty on October 9, 1981 – making France the last country in Western Europe to do so.
Jean-Marie Bastien-Thiry was the last person to be executed by firing squad in modern French history. His death on March 11, 1963, closed a historical chapter of traditional military execution, while also serving as de Gaulle’s final warning to the far-right factions opposing Algerian independence. The case remains controversial to this day: some view him as a dangerous traitor, while others see him as a patriot executed for his ideals. Regardless, Bastien-Thiry’s death marked the definitive end of the firing squad as a punishment in France – a method that had existed for over 200 years.
Primary Sources and References:
Bastien-Thiry military trial records (Haut Tribunal Militaire, 1963) – archived at the Service Historique de la Défense (SHD), Vincennes.
“L’Attentat du Petit-Clamart” – Philippe Broussard (2002).
“De Gaulle et l’OAS” – Jean-Jacques Jordi & Mohand Hamoumou (2010).
Contemporary newspapers: Le Monde, Le Figaro, France-Soir (March 1963).
“La Peine de Mort en France” – Robert Badinter (2007).
Archives Nationales – files on pardons and execution of sentences, 1963.