The Nazi salute, Hitler salute (, ; also called by the Nazi Party , 'German greeting', ), or "Sieg Heil" salute, is a gesture that was used as a greeting in Nazi Germany. The salute is performed by extending the right arm from the neck into the air with a straightened hand. Usually, the person offering the salute would say "Heil Hitler!" ( 'Hail Hitler!', ), ""Heil, mein Führer!" ('Hail, my leader!'), or "Sieg Heil!"" ('Hail victory!'). It was adopted in the 1930s by the Nazi Party to signal obedience to the party's leader, Adolf Hitler, and to glorify the German nation (and later the German war effort). The salute was mandatory for civilians but mostly optional for military personnel, who retained the traditional military salute until the failed assassination attempt on Hitler on 20 July 1944.