Hand-Cuffs and Leg-Irons

These kind of restraints first had a very practical purpose : As the old-time dungeons were not very escape-proof ( not to compare with modern high-security institutions) and as more than often the prisoners were detained in the village where the the trial was to be held , it became necessary that they were securely chained during their stay which normally was until their trial and their eventual execution .

Later on when regular and safe prisons were built by judicial authorities , the need to keep prisoners shackled became less obvious , but this practice was nevertheless maintained just to remind the convict of his status as a rightless culprit . It became more and more a method for humiliating and punishing prisoners for minor offences.

Iron waist-belt with attached handcuffs , Austria, 17th century

In Victorian times it was quite common to punish prisoners (women, girls, even children ) with very strict and painful iron restraints ( read more about it here)



Old Prison Restraints Europe 1750 - 1900 Origin : Different private collections	Sometimes these very heavy handcuffs were used on people whose only fault was not to have the right skin color

From the movie " The Name of the Rose "

In the hands of the Gestapo

Deutsche Polizei handcuffs

Special treatment for opponents to the regime Well secured

Sentenced to death

This girl has been sentenced
to death and will die under
the blade of the guillotine .
The accusation had been "Wehrkraftzersetzung"
(damaging the glorious
German Wehrmacht) .
According to the regulations,
after the verdict she
remains handcuffed in her
cell until the sentence is
excecuted .....

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