The Hitler salute (German: Hitlergruß, also known in Germany uring World War II as the Deutscher Gruß, literally: German Greeting), or in English as the Nazi salute, is a variant of the Roman salute, adopted by the Nazi Party as a sign of loyalty to its leader Adolf Hitler. It was adopted following its use by supporters of Italian fascism, a political movement under the leadership of Benito Mussolini, and other mass movements of the era. The Hitler salute became the embodiment of Hitler's cult of personality throughout Nazi Germany.