The Hitler salute (Hitlergruß) is the embodiment of the Hitler cult of personality. The right hand is held upward (like the Roman salute), while exclaiming Sieg Heil! or Heil Hitler!.

Heil Hitler! or "Hail to Hitler!" was used when directly addressing Hitler, or a higher ranking officer.

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

All Nazi exclamations, including the SS motto Meine Ehre heißt Treue ("My honor is named loyalty") are forbidden in Germany.

Modern social usage of the Hitler salute

The Hitler salute is mostly not condoned, even when used jocularly.

Modern social usage of Sieg Heil! or Heil Hitler!

The usage of the words in modern times may be considered offensive, especially by those whose ancestors were tortured or killed by the Nazis. However, the words have been used to poke fun at Nazis, e.g., to cheekily insinuate that someone may be acting like a dictator.

The Swing Kids had a parody of the chant, "Swing Heil"". The usage "Sieg Geil" also was common, to hint at the quite vivid sex-life of high Nazi officials like Dr. Joseph Goebbels. The German word "geil" equals the English word "horny".

See also: Roman salute