Heil

The German word Heil as used in the greeting and salute Heil Hitler is not merely just the German form of the English Word Hail meaning to greet enthusiastically or joyfully.

When members of the National Socialist Movement greet one another with Sieg Heil or Heil Hitler we should be aware that there is a whole raft of meanings attached to the words and far from being just a greeting that the word Heil also has deep religious connotations.

The word is used, with its religious significance, 40 or 50 times in Richard Wagner's Opera Parsifal.

Heil is closely related to the English word Holy. It can also mean salvation, health, success and many other meanings.

In German the adjective heilig is derived from the noun. Ewiges Heil means eternal salvation.

Old Nordic conception of “Heil”

In early medieval times, even before the Frankish Merovingian kings the form Königsheil demonstrated the authenticity of the ruling house. Königsheil also has connotations of Good Luck and if it became apparent that a king was lacking in luck then he would find himself replaced.

“Heil” as greeting formula

In parts of Austria (Tirol, Vorarlberg) Heil was used as a greeting even before National Socialism and it is still used even today as a greeting among friends although other greetings such as Servus and Gruß Gott are used.

Combat and Greeting Formula in National Socialism

In Germany the use of Heil as a greeting first became common amongst several political groups in 1918.

In National Socialism its use was dictated by law and was commonly used in the form Sieg Heil meaning Hail Victory in place of other German greetings such as Guten Tag and Gruß Gott.

The first Party use was in July 1925 at a parade of 5,000 uniformed Nazis in Weimar and the SA Commander Pfeffer von Salomon ritualized the salute and shout from then on.

Göbbels when he became Gauleiter of Berlin in October 1926 made the formula the regular greeting between Nazis and its use became madated by law.

At the end of letters the words Heil Hitler replaced the formula Yours sincerely/faithfully.

Sources:

Related:

Deutscher Gruss

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