# The Nazi (Hitler) salute **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2011, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045 "2011-06-02T03:53:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/1 "2011-06-02T03:53:29Z")
After watching countless hours of WWII footage on the History Channel, one thing strikes me as strange. When people give the Nazi salute to Hitler passing by in his car, or at a general rally, or each other, there is a crisp motion of the right hand and arm. The fingers of the hand are usually pressed together, the thumb is tucked in next to the pointer finger, and the arm is outstretched straight and rigid at approximately a 45 degree angle. However when Hitler gives his return salute, it is more of a limp-wristed version, where his right elbow is held close to his body, he flips his right forearm up, and puts his hand up with no strength or conviction. Just a flip of the wrist as a token salute. He’s the ONLY one I’ve ever seen give this version of the salute. I guess two questions from this. 1. Why did Hitler do this? 2. Why didn’t the rest of Germany and/or the Nazi’s mimic their leader’s salute? ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/2 "2011-06-02T04:02:54Z")
Who was going to argue with him about how he did it? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/3 "2011-06-02T04:24:43Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > He’s the ONLY one I’ve ever seen give this version of the salute. I guess two questions from this. > > 1. Why did Hitler do this? It was just the expected move that told the ones making the salute that the leader accepted their praises. Hitler was not against making the usual salute himself too. > **[hitler saluting - Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1166&bih=552&q=hitler%2Bsaluting&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=g1g-m1&aql=&oq=)** > [@](#): > > 1. Why didn’t the rest of Germany and/or the Nazi’s mimic their leader’s salute? As mentioned, it was a salute back to tell the lower ranking soldiers that he was accepting their salutes, other Nazi rulers also accepted the salutes in the same way. [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth\_coverage/europe/auschwitz/slideshow/media/2hospital01.jpg](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/europe/auschwitz/slideshow/media/2hospital01.jpg) To see Goering making a similar “I got your salute” salute, you need to scroll down to the middle of the page here: > **[phoenixinvestmentarms.com](http://www.phoenixinvestmentarms.com/History%20Book/904MausBanR.htm)** > > This domain may be for sale! ---
**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/4 "2011-06-02T04:44:37Z")
Incidently, before Hitler made such a fuss over it, the straight-arm salute was the proper way to honor the American flag. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/5 "2011-06-02T04:48:45Z")
> [@svd678](#): > > Incidently, before Hitler made such a fuss over it, the straight-arm salute was the proper way to honor the American flag. _Cite!!??_ With photographs. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/6 "2011-06-02T04:54:47Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > _Cite!!??_ > > With photographs. It was called the Bellamy Salute, it was a fine salute until the Nazis ruined it, then Roosevelt changed the pledge salute to the hand to the heart that we have today. > **[Bellamy salute](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellamy_salute)** > > The Bellamy salute is a palm-out salute created by James B. Upham as the gesture that was to accompany the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America, whose text had been written by Francis Bellamy. It was also known as the "flag salute" during the period when it was used, from 1892 to 1942, with the Pledge of Allegiance. Bellamy promoted the salute, and it came to be associated with his name. > Later, during the 1920s and 1930s, Italian Fascists and German Nazis in Europe adopted a si... ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/7 "2011-06-02T05:03:10Z")
IMO it’s because they were saluting him, and not vice versa. He was acknowledging their salute, not returning it. Think about it – “Heil ME!” ??? ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/8 "2011-06-02T05:11:55Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > IMO it’s because they were saluting him, and not vice versa. He was acknowledging their salute, not returning it. > > Think about it – “Heil ME!” ??? Obligatory [Mitchell and Webb sketch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHnyQXyuTGY). ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/9 "2011-06-02T05:17:54Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > _Cite!!??_ > > With photographs. You’ve gotten your cite, but addtionally G. Gordon Liddy talks about giving the Bellamy salute to the flag in the 30s when he was in grade school in his autobiography, **Will**. That’s how I knew about it. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/10 "2011-06-02T05:25:36Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Obligatory [Mitchell and Webb sketch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHnyQXyuTGY). ["Are we the “Baddies?”](http://youtu.be/FsNLbK8_rBY) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/11 "2011-06-02T05:34:06Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > IMO it’s because they were saluting him, and not vice versa. He was acknowledging their salute, not returning it. > > Think about it – “Heil ME!” ??? I also heard somewhere that Hitler didn’t like it if you came up to him and said “Heil Hitler!” to him directly. You were supposed to say “Heil, mein Führer!” if you were addressing him directly. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/12 "2011-06-02T08:17:53Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > I also heard somewhere that Hitler didn’t like it if you came up to him and said “Heil Hitler!” to him directly. You were supposed to say “Heil, mein Führer!” if you were addressing him directly. One can only imagine his reaction to “Hi, Hitler!” Probably blew his top. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_of_Lucan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/13 "2011-06-02T09:15:01Z")
In pictures where Hitler is shown with the full salute, it appears to be at the start or end of a speech. He salutes the crowd once then stops. I’d guess there was a practical issue for Hitler. If you are walking or driving past a large number of saluting people, you can’t hold a high arm salute for a long time. So, you develop an abbreviated version, which allows you to acknowledge many salutes. As a parallel, look at any picture of the British Queen travelling in an open car past crowds of people. She waves to the crowds as she moves along. However, she makes a very limited waving motion, using only the lower half of her arm, twisting her hand slightly. It can be repeated constantly over a period of time, without straining the arm, but everyone has a sense of being waved at. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/14 "2011-06-02T11:26:51Z")
Hitler also had late-stage syphilis, and his hands shook all the time. ---
**Author:** ![wintertime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c68b51/32.png) [@wintertime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wintertime)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/15 "2011-06-02T11:50:02Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > It was just the expected move that told the ones making the salute that the leader accepted their praises. Hitler was not against making the usual salute himself too. But when two dictators collided, the [proper protocol](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXQv-6CXf1g&feature=player_detailpage#t=88s) was less certain. > [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](#): > > In pictures where Hitler is shown with the full salute, it appears to be at the start or end of a speech. ["Start](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAXWE-4gPSo&feature=player_detailpage#t=36s) and [end](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAXWE-4gPSo&feature=player_detailpage#t=376s) of one of Hynkel’s [speeches](http://youtu.be/LMV4oGzxu7g). On a more serious note, the late historian Gordon A. Craig was 1935 a student in Munich and witnessed the following eerie scene (from his book “The Germans”, preamble): > [@](#): > > In those days in Munich, near the point where the Residenzstrasse empties into the Odeonsplatz, there was a plaque on the side of the Feldherrnhalle to commemorate the death of the twelve Nazi “martyrs” who had fallen there in November 1923, when Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch had been put down. On either side of the memorial stood an armed sentry, and pedestrians were expected, when they passed, to raise their arms in the so called “Hitler Gruss”. They always did so. And I was surprised to discover, the first time I walked up the Residenzstrasse, that when buses went up the street everybody aboard did the same – drivers, conductors and passengers together, all of the arms sweeping up in dedicated unison, giving the impression that the vehicle was lifting itself off the pavement. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/16 "2011-06-02T12:15:44Z")
> [@svd678](#): > > Incidently, before Hitler made such a fuss over it, the straight-arm salute was the proper way to honor the American flag. It also was (and in fact still is) the official [Olympic salute](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_salute). ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/17 "2011-06-02T20:30:43Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Hitler also had late-stage syphilis, and his hands shook all the time. Parkinson’s. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/18 "2011-06-02T20:37:14Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > Parkinson’s. Really? I always thought that he suffered some damage from the exploding briefcase bomb plot of July '44. Has consensus shifted? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/19 "2011-06-02T21:37:06Z")
Didn’t one of the Nazis on \*Hogan’s Heroes \*do a rather bored, Hitleresque salute all the time? Maybe Gen. Burkhalter? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045/20 "2011-06-03T01:44:08Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > Really? I always thought that he suffered some damage from the exploding briefcase bomb plot of July '44. Has consensus shifted? And, it may not have been [Parkinson’s Disease](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_disease) so much as it was a tremor induced by the [major tranquilizers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_tranquilizers#Side_effects) his doc was dosing him with. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nazi-hitler-salute/584045.md?page=2)