Martinet (instrument of punishment)
The martinet is a small, multi-strap whip that was traditionally used in France for the corporal punishment of children and adolescents and for the upbringing of pets . The spread of the martinet, which is almost only limited to France, is due to the fact that every ordinary soldier was equipped with a martinet at the end of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century to knock the dust out of his uniform. This is where the German translation of “knock whip” comes from.
Surname
The name comes from the first French general inspector of the army ( intendant de l'armée ) Jean Martinet, notorious for his strict discipline . This office was created under the Sun King Louis XIV (1638–1715). However, other sources claim that the term martinet is derived from the French word for hammer (marteau).
properties
The martinet consists of a wooden handle (mostly beech or pine), which has a thicker diameter in the grip area for better handling, and up to 20, but mostly 9–12 thin leather straps (mostly with a length of 25 to 30 cm, usually from production waste from the leather processing industry), and was initially available in toy, paint and household goods stores.
In the past, the martinet was part of the household inventory in French families and was often hung on a hook in the kitchen that was visible to everyone and within easy reach. Another possibility was that the martinet was hung in the entrance area of the apartment so that visitors could see straight away that this household was subject to “discipline and order”. Often the martinet was a "gift from Santa Claus".
Whether the martinet, depending on the texture and thickness of the leather, is potentially even more painful than the cane , which was previously widespread in Germany and Great Britain , the tawse often used in Scotland and Ireland, or the tawse in over 20 states of the USA for corporal punishment in the schools used paddle and is considered the future in home education to use belt or leather straps, depends on the personal pain. The martinet is used almost exclusively on the bare buttocks . If the martinet hits clothing, the pain and punitive effects decrease significantly. In the case of shorts or skirts, the bare thighs, and occasionally the exposed calves, were or are often beaten. This could be done quickly, and was also conveniently within reach of the martinet for those parents who tucked the child under their arm during the punishment. Usually, hitting the thighs is felt to be more painful. Furthermore, this had the shameful side effect for the children that with suitably short clothing everyone could see that a punishment had recently taken place. The pain can be increased if only half or less of the strap is slammed or if these are treated with leather grease or made heavier with water (soaking). In contrast to the cane or riding crop, the martinet has the advantage that the skin is not bloodshot or even bursts when hit, so that external injuries cannot occur. The martinet also causes reddening of the affected skin area, but this disappears very quickly and does not cause any physical damage.
Opponents of parental chastisement also point to the humiliation it produces and have long struggled to change the law accordingly. However, especially in the rural regions of France, the martinet is still used today in the upbringing of pets, children and young people.
Known forms of martinets in Germany are the whip and the Westphalian Siebenstriemer . Knocking whips with up to 12, but as a rule 7, straps were increasingly used in Germany for the chastisement of children and adolescents until the 1970s.
The Martinet today
Corporal punishment was banned in France on July 10, 2019. So far, the authorities had recommended a moderate use of "the corporal punishment". From 1984 to July 10, 2019, the use of the martini to punish children, but not juveniles, was banned; Since then, the martinet has only been available in pet shops and the corresponding departments of supermarkets, department stores and garden centers, often with the notice on the transparent packaging or as a sticker that the martinet is only intended for dogs (and cats). Moderate handling, more than a threatening instrument, was also advised for the animals.
Martinets are available in online shops and in zoo departments of household goods stores and in so-called hypermarchés, although procurement is becoming increasingly difficult. The majority of martinets in France are bought for the strict upbringing of children, only a few for raising dogs. There was an online petition calling for an immediate stop to sales.