BAI GALUTI HAO!

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Growing up, we heard the expression, "Bai galuti hao!"

All I knew was that it meant physical harm would be done.

But the word galuti comes from a form of physical harm that is cruel and harsh indeed.

It comes from the Spanish word garrote, and a garrote was what you see in the picture above.

It was a strangulation device, so that the victim died without the ability to scream.  It was thus called a weapon of silent assassination.

The Spanish used the garrote extensively till modern times.  In 1959, the garrote was last used for civilian executions.  In 1974, two civilians convicted in military courts in Spain were killed by the garrote.  In 1978, Spain abolished capital punishment.