Nazi salute
Enable an AI agent to recognise and document a possible Nazi salute, assess the evidence and context of its use, and determine an appropriate response without treating visual resemblance as proof of intent.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
Researched by: Codex + Grok
Purpose and description
Enable an AI agent to recognise and document a possible Nazi salute, assess the evidence and context of its use, and determine an appropriate response without treating visual resemblance as proof of intent.
The Nazi salute is a prescribed political greeting of National Socialist Germany in which the right arm is extended forward and upward, typically accompanied by the formula "Heil Hitler" or "Sieg Heil," and used as an official sign of loyalty to Hitler and the Nazi party-state.
It can be Annotate visible gesture features and competing interpretations.; Request additional frames, audio or surrounding context needed to assess identification.; Separate evidence of the gesture from claims about endorsement or participant identity.; Describe or contextualise a depiction for archival, educational or review purposes.; Evaluate a proposed display, publication or moderation action against verified applicable rules.; Escalate contested identification or consequential handling decisions for human review..
Distinguishing features
Assess whether the visible arm extension, hand orientation and movement are consistent with a Nazi-salute interpretation; a raised arm alone is insufficient.
Compare the complete movement and immediate interaction with plausible alternatives such as waving, pointing, reaching or another salute.
Check for accompanying words, symbols, explicit naming or other contextual evidence connecting the gesture to Nazism, recording which evidence is actually available.
Distinguish recognition of the depicted gesture from endorsement by its performer, publisher or audience.
Treat a cropped still, partial limb view or edited sequence as limited evidence when competing interpretations depend on missing movement or context.
Scope
+ Observable bodily features and movement of a suspected Nazi salute
+ Evidence connecting an occurrence to Nazi symbolism or identification
+ Participants, audience, setting and circumstances of performance
+ Differences between endorsement, coercion, quotation, criticism and ambiguous use
+ Photographic, audiovisual, illustrated and staged representations of the gesture
+ Applicable handling requirements and the evidence needed to justify a response
- Nazism as an ideology or historical political movement
- Membership and organisational structure of Nazi or neo-Nazi groups
- Other salutes and gestures except where needed for identification boundaries
- A participant's overall beliefs, identity or culpability beyond evidence from the occurrence
- Complete histories of events, artworks or media containing the gesture
- General hate-speech law, platform policy or criminal proceedings
Characteristics
- Observed gesture configuration
- Arm used; extension direction; elbow position; palm and finger orientation; visibility of each feature Supports identification through observable details rather than an unsupported label.
- Movement sequence
- Entry movement, held position, repetition and exit movement; unavailable where not observed Helps distinguish a salute from a similar-looking moment within another action.
- Visible duration
- Seconds, with start and end criteria and an indication of whether the recording is complete Separates a transient pose from a sustained or repeated gesture without making duration decisive.
- Identification assessment
- Unassessed, supported, contested, indeterminate or alternative interpretation supported Keeps the classification revisable and distinguishes uncertainty from absence.
- Associated Nazi references
- Links to observed utterances, symbols, explicit descriptions or event context, each with its evidence source Records contextual support without inventing accompanying references.
- Performance context
- Reported or evidenced endorsement, coercion, historical reenactment, quotation, criticism, parody, mixed context or unknown Prevents gesture recognition from automatically becoming an inference about commitment.
- Evidence medium
- Direct observation, still image, continuous recording, edited recording, illustration, textual report or synthetic depiction Determines which features and contextual claims the evidence can support.
- Participant attribution
- Observed or reported performer, audience, director or coercing actor, with separate attribution evidence Avoids assigning a gesture or its intended meaning to an unsupported identity.
- Applicable handling basis
- Dated legal, institutional or platform rule linked to the relevant jurisdiction, venue and intended action Makes handling decisions depend on verified applicable rules rather than assumed universal restrictions.
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 6 bundles · 11 layers · 18 findings · 28 questions.
Gesture recognition The bodily form and movement evidence needed to assess a Nazi-salute interpretation.
A model must distinguish a recognisable gesture from an isolated raised-arm resemblance.
Visible configuration
Observable arm and hand features, including what the evidence obscures.
Arm and hand evidence
Record the visible configuration without assuming that every occurrence has an identical pose.
- Which arm extension, elbow, palm and finger features are visible in this suspected Nazi salute? measurement
- Which relevant features are hidden, blurred or distorted by viewpoint? boundary
Movement and alternatives
The temporal evidence needed to distinguish a salute from another action.
Salute versus transient pose
Assess the whole available action and document plausible competing interpretations.
- How does the arm enter, hold and leave the suspected salute position? measurement
- Could waving, pointing, reaching or another salute explain the observed sequence, and what evidence distinguishes those alternatives? boundary
Nazi reference and meaning Evidence connecting the gesture to Nazi symbolism and supporting interpretations of its use.
Identifying a Nazi reference and attributing endorsement are separate judgements.
Reference evidence
Contextual support for naming the observed gesture a Nazi salute.
Identification basis
Identify which visual, verbal or contextual evidence supports or contests the Nazi-salute label.
- What accompanying words, symbols or explicit descriptions connect this gesture to Nazism? definition
- Who identified it as a Nazi salute, and did that identification rely on direct evidence or another person's account? provenance
Use and intent
The supported distinction between performing the gesture and endorsing what it invokes.
Communicative role
Record evidence for endorsement, quotation, criticism, parody or another role while preserving conflicting accounts.
- What evidence supports the claimed role of the Nazi salute in this occurrence? provenance
- Which conclusions about the performer's intent remain unsupported even if the gesture is identifiable? boundary
Performance and social setting Who performed or directed the gesture, to whom, and under what circumstances.
Voluntariness, audience and interaction affect how an occurrence should be understood and handled.
Agency and direction
Participant attribution and evidence about voluntary, instructed or coerced performance.
Performer and pressure
Separate the observed performer from any actor who instructed, staged or compelled the gesture.
- What evidence identifies the person performing the suspected Nazi salute? provenance
- Was the gesture self-initiated, directed for a performance or made under pressure, and what supports that assessment? boundary
Audience and interaction
The immediate social exchange surrounding the salute.
Address and response
Record the apparent addressee and observable reactions without treating audience response as proof of performer intent.
- Was the gesture directed toward a person, group, camera, symbol or no discernible addressee? measurement
- What observable reactions indicate recognition, participation, objection or a possible intimidation concern? measurement
Depiction and evidence How a suspected Nazi salute is recorded, represented and recirculated.
A depiction may establish what is shown while leaving the underlying event, intent or authenticity unresolved.
Recording integrity
The origin and completeness of evidence used to identify the gesture.
Source and missing context
Track the earliest available evidence and transformations that could affect interpretation.
- What is the earliest available source for this depiction or report of a Nazi salute? provenance
- Have cropping, editing, missing audio, mirroring or synthetic alteration changed evidence relevant to identifying the gesture? boundary
Representation context
The distinction between the depicted act and the purpose of its presentation.
Depiction versus promotion
Assess the framing of historical, fictional, educational, critical or promotional presentations independently of the depicted gesture.
- Does the material present an actual occurrence, a staged performance, an illustration or a synthetic scene? definition
- What captions, narration or surrounding material support an interpretation of the publisher's use of the Nazi-salute depiction? provenance
Handling and review Evidence-based decisions about documenting, displaying, restricting or escalating an occurrence or depiction.
Recognition alone does not settle what an agent may do with a Nazi-salute occurrence or representation.
Applicable restrictions
The verified rules governing the particular performance, venue or publication action.
Rule and context fit
Connect proposed handling to an authoritative rule and its actual scope without assuming a universal prohibition or exception.
- Which current rule applies to this Nazi-salute performance or depiction in the relevant jurisdiction, venue or platform? provenance
- What contextual conditions or exceptions must be verified before applying that rule? boundary
Decision and reconsideration
The action justified by available evidence and the conditions requiring further review.
Proportionate response
Record the chosen handling action, its evidential basis and unresolved identification or contextual questions.
- Does the evidence justify description, contextualisation, restricted display, moderation escalation or another available action? action
- What additional evidence or qualified review is needed before a consequential decision about this suspected Nazi salute? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Kinds and varieties
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Civilian Hitlergruß (Deutscher Gruß): the everyday raised-arm greeting required in public life after 1933
- Military and SA/SS parade salute: a stiffened, often higher arm used in formations, reviews, and oath-taking
- Party-congress and mass-rally salute: synchronized arm-raising with chanted "Sieg Heil" as a crowd ritual
- Oath and flag salute: the gesture as part of the Führereid and other loyalty ceremonies
- Postal and documentary formula: written "Heil Hitler!" closing letters and official papers without the physical gesture
- Post-1945 extremist or neo-Nazi performance of the same gesture as a banned political symbol
- Parodic, theatrical, or documentary reenactment of the historical gesture
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of Nazi salute this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Wikidata - Q160219 - Item "Nazi salute"; also labelled Hitlergruß, Deutscher Gruß, Hitler salute.
- German criminal-law Kennzeichen class - StGB § 86a (Hitlergruß as a Kennzeichen of a verfassungswidrige Organisation) - Not a catalogue code; the legal class under which German courts treat the gesture.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of Nazi salute this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Germany: Strafgesetzbuch § 86a (use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations) and § 130 (incitement); exceptions for art, science, research, teaching, and reporting on current events or history (Bundesrepublik Deutschland / Bundestag).
- Austria: Verbotsgesetz 1947, including public use of Nazi emblems and greetings (Republic of Austria).
- France: provisions on apology of crimes against humanity and public display of Nazi insignia in the Code pénal, as applied to the salute in public (French Republic).
- Allied Control Council Law No. 1 and subsequent denazification measures (1945-) abolishing Nazi greetings as official practice in occupied Germany (Allied Control Council).
- Sports and event house rules in many jurisdictions treating the gesture as a banned political symbol even where it is not a standalone criminal offence.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of Nazi salute this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Official greeting of the German Reich and NSDAP, 1933-1945, in schools, offices, the Wehrmacht (after 1944 increasingly displacing the military hand salute), SA/SS, and public events.
- Mass choreography at Nuremberg rallies and similar party spectacles, often with the spoken "Sieg Heil."
- Written closing "Heil Hitler!" on civil and military correspondence.
- After 1945: evidence in criminal and administrative cases, museum and documentary depiction, and (illegally in several countries) extremist demonstrations or isolated public incidents.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of Nazi salute this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Arm elevation from the horizontal - about 30-45 degrees above horizontal in the canonical civilian form; steeper in some parade variants - degree
- Legal consequence in Germany for public use as a Nazi Kennzeichen - fine or imprisonment up to 3 years under StGB § 86a (higher if combined with § 130) - year (maximum custodial term)
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of Nazi salute this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Criminal liability where the gesture is a banned Nazi symbol (Germany, Austria, and comparable bans elsewhere).
- False positives: ordinary raised-arm waves, pointing, or sports celebrations misread as the salute.
- False negatives: abbreviated, one-handed, or ironic performances still treated by courts as the Hitlergruß when intent and context are clear.
- Harm as a threat or humiliation when directed at victims of Nazism or at the public as a political intimidation signal.
- Platform and workplace sanctions even in jurisdictions without a specific criminal ban.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of Nazi salute this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Germany and Austria: named Hitlergruß or Deutscher Gruß; public performance is a criminal offence except for privileged contexts.
- Italy and some other European states: often grouped with the Fascist Roman salute; local bans and case law differ.
- United States and much of the English-speaking world: usually called "Nazi salute" or "Hitler salute"; typically protected as speech unless tied to true threats, incitement, or private-venue rules.
- Historical Nazi usage itself varied by setting: civilian street greeting versus military/party drill.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of Nazi salute this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Roman salute (ancient and modern revival) - The Roman salute is a broader raised-arm motif claimed for antiquity and later used by Italian Fascism; the Nazi salute is the specific Hitler-era German form with "Heil Hitler"/"Sieg Heil" and NSDAP/state context. Shared kinematics do not make them the same legal or historical object.
- Italian Fascist salute - Same family of raised-arm greetings, but tied to Mussolini's regime and Italian Fascist ritual, not to Hitler and the NSDAP; Italian and German criminal and historical treatments are distinct.
- Bellamy salute (U.S. Pledge of Allegiance, to 1942) - A palm-out raised-arm Pledge gesture abandoned because it resembled the Fascist/Nazi salute; identified by U.S. school/civic context and the Pledge text, not by Nazi formulae.
- Olympic salute (early IOC games) - A straight-arm Olympic greeting discontinued after visual confusion with Fascist/Nazi salutes; distinguished by sporting/IOC setting and lack of Hitler formulae.
- Ordinary military hand salute - Fingers to the headgear or brow; the Nazi form extends the whole arm. Wehrmacht practice used both at different times.
- Raised-arm wave or "Heil" parody without Nazi intent - Separated by context, speech, and intent: German courts look to whether the movement is recognisable as the Hitlergruß and used as a Kennzeichen, not merely an awkward wave.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of Nazi salute this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Sources
- Strafgesetzbuch § 86a - Verwenden von Kennzeichen verfassungswidriger und terroristischer Organisationen - German criminal ban on using Nazi symbols, including the Hitler salute, outside narrowly defined exceptions (art, science, teaching, reporting).
- Verbotsgesetz 1947 (Nationalsozialistengesetz) - Austrian prohibition of National Socialist activity, including public use of the salute as a Nazi emblem.
- Nazi salute / Hitler salute (Hitlergruß) - Museum encyclopedia treatment of the salute as an official Nazi greeting and loyalty ritual.
- Nazi salute (Q160219) - Stable identifier, aliases (Hitlergruß, Deutscher Gruß, Hitler salute), and links to the Roman and fascist salutes as neighbouring concepts.
What the second pass must settle
- Which documented variations in arm, hand and movement configuration fall within this registry entry, and how should recognition handle them?
- What evidence most reliably distinguishes Nazi-salute occurrences from visually similar salutes and ordinary movements across historical and contemporary settings?
- How should contested cases weigh visual evidence, accompanying speech, participant explanations and independent accounts without treating any one as automatically decisive?
- Which jurisdiction-specific and institution-specific rules govern performance and depiction, and how should their dates, scope and exceptions be maintained?
- What minimum evidence and review threshold should apply before attributing endorsement or taking a consequential action against an identifiable performer?