What salute did the German Military use in World War 1?

Question

I know the Roman salute was used in WW2 by the Nazi's but I have been unable to find pictures or descriptions of what was used prior to that. Was it the same or was it similar to British or American military salutes?

Answer 1

In the German Army the General were required to use the "Party Salute" the famous right hand at forty-five degree hand flat.

Officers Colonel and below the European or Queen Anne's Salute. Right and to brim palm out.

The Luftwaffe used the Party salute except in the Field then Hand Salute.

German Navy used the hand salute at all times until 1944 when Hitler ordered the only the Party Salute was to be used by all services. Most Services ignored this order as the salutes were ingrained in to the members.

Answer 2

The German *military* in WWII used the regular military salute that we in the USA still use today.

The Nazi Party salute (the stiff-raised arm) was for Party and SS members. (For a while Nazis were banned from the military). Adolf Hitler had his own salute, which was raising his arm over his head and flipping the hand back.

Then World War II started, and for most of it the Wehrmacht (armed forces) used the regular military salute. Then the conservative officer corps staged a coup d'etat against the Hitler regime on July 20, 1944 that failed. As punishment and humiliation, Hitler ordered the military to use the Nazi Party salute, which they were supposed to have used until the end of the war.

And no, contrary to what the first poster said, the German military did not use the finger as a salute.

Answer 3

it was the finger m o r o n