A German Society of Etiquette

“What could he be hiding?” — It has always been considered rude to keep one’s hands in one’s pockets. Nowadays, it can display an uncaring casualness, a defensiveness or even sloppiness of posture, but in decades and centuries past, it showed a cavalier attitude that was overtly rude and showing no respect to one’s ‘betters’ or those of higher social rank. It was also a way of concealing a weapon and continues to be so in modern times. Keeping a gloved hand in a pocket is especially suspicious. 
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Edwardian Era Societies 

Germany, like England and America too, is full of societies and clubs with curious names and purposes. The newspapers announce that a very bizarre one has been set up in Berlin: the partners who co-operate in politics are obliged never to commit acts of bad manners and, above all, to never stand with their hands in their pockets. Someone who, by distraction, shows up with his hands in his pockets, is sentenced to pay five Deutschmark in fines. 

And if a serious club member commits some bigger rudeness, such as scratching his head, spitting, or something else, he pays a greater fine. What would you say if a society of this kind, which angers us, were to set itself up? Of course, in Italy we would give it a slightly more agile name than it has in Germany. Do you know what they call it? Simply “The Hand Holding the Pocket Association.” — Translated from Italia News, San Francisco, 1913 

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia