Schwurhand

Elisabeth Kopp's oath of office after her election to the Swiss Federal Council in 1984

The Schwurhand (German pronunciation: [ˈʃvuːɐ̯hant], "swear-hand"; Dutch: spreekgebaar) is a heraldic charge depicting the hand gesture that is used in Germanic Europe and neighbouring countries, when swearing an oath in court, in office, or in swearing-in. The right hand is raised, with the index finger and middle finger extended upwards; the last two digits are curled downwards against the palm. The thumb is shown slightly curled or raised.

Traditional use

The use of the gesture dates back many centuries. Recruits of the Pontifical Swiss Guard at the Vatican City use the sign when swearing their oath of allegiance to the Pope, in a ceremony performed on 6 May every year since the Sack of Rome in 1527. The use of the three digits is said to symbolise the Holy Trinity.^[1]

In Switzerland

See also: Oath of office § Switzerland

Depictions of the Rütli Oath or Rütlischwur, the legendary founding oath of the Old Swiss Confederacy in the 13th century, show the participants using this gesture.^[2] The people elected at the Swiss Federal Assembly and at the Swiss Federal Council traditionally use the Schwurhand for their oath of office (and say 'I swear').

Heraldic use

• 
  Gommiswald, Switzerland (until 2012)
• 
  Gempen, Switzerland
• 
  Anjala, Finland
• 
  Grästorp, Sweden
• 
  Hommertshausen, Germany
• 
  Oberammergau, Germany
• 
  Heiligenkreuz Abbey, Austria

Military use

• 
  Finnish conscripts and women serving voluntary military service swearing the military oath in 2005
• 
  Polish military recruits being sworn in
• 
  A Swiss Guard recruit being sworn in
• 
  German Reichswehr soldiers swearing the Hitler oath in 1934

See also

• Benediction
• Hand gestures (Oath)
• Three-finger salute (Serbian)

References

1. The Vatican - The Roman Curia - May 6th: The Recruits Take their Oath of Loyalty
2. Swiss Club of Victoria - The Rütli Oath