schwurhand

{{Short description|Heraldic motif of an oath-taking hand gesture}}

Image:Kopp Vereidigung.JPG's oath of office after her election to the Swiss Federal Council in 1984]]

The Schwurhand ({{IPA|de|ˈʃvuːɐ̯hant}}, "swear-hand"; {{Langx|nl|spreekgebaar}}) is a traditional hand gesture and heraldic charge (depicting the gesture) that is used in Germanic Europe and neighbouring countries, when swearing an oath in court, in office, or while 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.[https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/swiss_guard/swissguard/giuramento_en.htm The Vatican - The Roman Curia - May 6th: The Recruits Take their Oath of Loyalty]

=In 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.[https://swissclubvic.wordpress.com/tag/national-day/ Swiss Club of Victoria - The Rütli Oath] 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').