Hand gestures?

[deiter]

Does anyone know where I can find information about hand gestures in 1940's Germany or before? I'm not talking about military hand gestures, but social hand gestures and their meanings. For example the "thumbs up/down" or "okay" gesture. I believe the "okay" gesture didnt really mean "okay". Any info would be great.

Thanks, DL

[Michael Fay]

Does anyone know where I can find information about hand gestures in 1940's Germany or before? I'm not talking about military hand gestures, but social hand gestures and their meanings. For example the "thumbs up/down" or "okay" gesture. I believe the "okay" gesture didnt really mean "okay". Any info would be great.

Thanks, DL

Hey dieter,
this may be really hard to come by, as it is hard to come by such social hand gesture work for any nation or era...even for the present it is not so easy -except in academic works maybe.

Your best bet may be finding a history of hand gestures which would cite specific academic or military intell (on enemy countries customs).



Or look for an old travel book on Beautiful Germany of the 20s /early 30s which might give some info.

In other words it might be like trying to find a needle in a hay-stack

PS why do suspect hand gestures to have changed so much from the Nazi era (other than the Heil salute, of course) to the modern era? Perhaps a modern work on the subject would be easier to find in an academic work

By the waY : In the Roman era, the thumbs up actually meant death to the gladiator and thumbs down meant let him live.

[compressore]

Hi,
here in germany a lot of studies about gestures are made by univercities for sociology. I assume in your country too. Maybe worth to cgoogle and than to ontact some of them ?

Michael,
what you wrote is what is actually in the mind of many people, much supported by movies like Gladiator. Actually historians says the opposite, supported by imgaes on coins, some remains texts etc.:
"pollice compresso favor indicabatu": Grace by the thumb which stays inside." Interpretations says that the thumb represents the sword blade. Thums inside or at the fist: Blade stays inside scabbard. Thumb outside (up or to the side) Blade is outside the scabbard, kill.
Regards
Christian

[jacquesf]

this one means. One T34 @ 12hoo

[jacquesf]

Normally seen just before this was heard " OH CRAP RUN" Obviously in german.

[Michael Fay]

this one means. One T34 @ 12hoo

Please post this in any thread where someone starts saying DHW woodwork is SS for me.

Back to hand gestures, they are interesting. I once researched some prolific hand gestures in the Balkan conflicts...a lot can be packed into a simple gesture.

[Michael Fay]

"pollice compresso favor indicabatu": Grace by the thumb which stays inside." Interpretations says that the thumb represents the sword blade. Thums inside or at the fist: Blade stays inside scabbard. Thumb outside (up or to the side) Blade is outside the scabbard, kill.
Regards
Christian

"Thumbs Up" Christian!....(it means something else now)

[320]

Hi,
there is a small instruction leaflet from Heer that describes all tactical gestures in use in the WW2 German Army. Not expensive, pops-up from time to time on Ebay and militaria dealers websites.
320

[deiter]

I will investigate academic works then. If the heer booklet is filled with cartoons, then I think I have it already.

Thanks for your help guys.


DL

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this one means. One T34 @ 12hoo

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