

The term "Blitzendegen" is used by the Dorssian military frequently (see
[here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=valhuf2Ct5o) for an example). It seems
to be used as a salute, but it's also used in other context. The term seems to
be from German, but its literal meaning in German is "lightning rapier" which
doesn't make much sense.

What is the in-universe meaning of "blitzendegen", and when are Dorssian
soldiers expected to use it?


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2013-06-24T18:15:01.270
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2014-05-08T12:33:41.587
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valvrave-the-liberator
What does "Blitzendegen" mean?


No, it's just a modified [military
salute](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salute) and the words themselves have no
particular meaning or a translation that would make sense.

While a military salute can be used for acknowledgement when receiving orders,
it is rather uncommon and makes the person doing so look retarded. Another use
of a modified military salute may also be a [battle
cry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_cry). While there exist historic
videos from Germany with masses chanting and doing the [Nazi
salute](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_salute), flags hanging everywhere
and despite fascist songs being sung in the
[Wehrmacht](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wehrmacht), usage of symbols and
memes resembling those that the Nazis used (and not being very original) are
anything but an accurate take on this topic and rather use of artistic
license. Producers often use their artistic license in that kind to demonize
the enemy and depict dictatorships or fanatics.

I can't blame them, it still works very well and I found one of my teachers
refusing to believe me when I told her that the
[Schwabacher](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwabacher) typeface was abolished
in Germany by the Nazis (thus finally putting an end to the [Antiqua-Fraktur
dispute](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiqua%E2%80%93Fraktur_dispute)).

Similar uses of artistic license in Animes:

  * "Sieg Zeon" in the Universal Century setting of the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise from Sunrise
  * "Gloria Augusta" in Last Exile -Fam the Silver Wing-
  * [...]

So what happend here was that they took some well known phrase and replaced
one half with something random to have something new and unique. The Dorssian
flag is another example of that.


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2013-10-23T16:25:15.633
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answer


Its quite easy:

Blitz`n`Degen is a short form of Blitz und/and Degen

bolt and sword (like epee)

It's to make something similar to the nazi "Blut und Ehre" (blood and honour),
which is forbidden like the Hitler salute in Germany.


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2014-01-19T15:34:43.000
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2014-01-19T21:14:24.133
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