Roman salute

The Saluto romano ( Roman greeting, even Olympic salute) is a greeting, as is attested to by an outstretched arm. He is believed to have originated in the Roman Empire as a general salute, but this is controversial. Historian and Professor Martin M. Winkler holds for testing: " Not a single Roman work of art - sculpture, painting, or coin - displays a greeting from the type that is found in fascism, Nazism or a related ideology. He is also the unknown Roman literature and is never mentioned by ancient historians, neither of which the Republican nor those of imperial Rome. "

It is more likely that the exact gesture was invented only in the 18th and 19th centuries. Interpreted as illustrations of a saluto romano gesture can be found on Trajan's Column in Rome ( see image right). This gesture was then used several times in the history to modern times for ideological purposes.

There are several versions of the gesture: on the one hand the held straight forward arm with the palm down, on the other hand pointing straight up the form, as well as the extended arm straight down.

Use

From the greeting was, among others, the Bellamy salute, which was from 1892 to 1942 officially prescribed in the United States during the recitation of the loyalty oath.

The Dictator Benito Mussolini took over the Saluto romano again in a slightly modified form for his party Partito Nazionale Fascista and later for his own personality cult. During the period of National Socialism, Adolf Hitler took over, after Mussolini model, the Saluto romano also and made him the Hitler salute ( right hand is stretched slightly upwards ), also known as " German greeting " at that time. This is still used by right-wing extremist groups and is in Germany according to § 86a paragraph 2 sentence 1 of the Penal Code and punishable in Austria.

Nowadays the Saluto romano is prohibited as an expression of fascist ideology in Italy by law.