Hitler salute

The Hitler salute (Hitlergruß), also known in English as the Nazi salute, is a variant of the Roman salute adopted by the Nazi party as a sign of loyalty to its leader Adolf Hitler. It was adopted following its use by the Italian fascists and other mass movements of the era (see Roman salute for details). The Hitler salute became the embodiment of the Hitler cult of personality. The right hand is held upward at right angles to the chest, or slightly raised, often accompanied by exclamation of the phrases Sieg Heil! or Heil Hitler!.

Related Topics:
Roman salute - Adolf Hitler - Fascists - Hitler - Cult of personality

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Hitler and SS-leader Heinrich Himmler believed that that the gesture was used at ancient gatherings of Germanic peoples. Thus Hitler regarded it as demonstration of the warlike spirit of the Germanic people, while Himmler regarded it as a variant of the gesture of giving an oath with a raised spear. From 1933 to 1945 the Hitler salute was the common German greeting. Heil Hitler! ("Hail to Hitler!") was used when directly addressing a citizen, or, in the Waffen-SS, a higher ranking officer. Hitler himself preferred to be addressed with "Heil, mein Führer!" or simply "Heil!" (which is logical, since otherwise Hitler would be being addressed as a third party).

Related Topics:
SS - Heinrich Himmler - Waffen-SS - Führer

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Sieg Heil! or "Victory and Hail!" (lit., Sieg "victory" Heil "welfare") was a common Nazi chant at rallies, especially after the speeches of Hitler. Usually the words would be repeated three times to form the chant "Sieg...Heil! Sieg...Heil! Sieg...Heil!".

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The Bellamy salute, used as part of the United States Pledge of Allegiance in the early 20th century, was a version of the Roman salute nearly identical to the Nazi salute. Because of this similarity it has been abandoned since 1942.

Related Topics:
Bellamy salute - 1942

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