What is a “Merkel diamond” and what happens when you do it

It has been called the “Merkel diamond”, the “triangle of power” and the “diamond gesture”. It has become a trademark of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and one of the most recognized hand positions in the world. Do you recognize it and what does it mean?

The press noticed: Angela Merkel often folded her hands in a peculiar way: hands at the level of the stomach, thumbs outstretched and forefingers, connecting, forming a diamond. Such a stereotypical gesture was immediately picked up by comedians – it turned out that you just need to put on a bright suit and fold the “Merkel diamond” from your fingers to portray Frau Chancellor. Opponents of Merkel gave the diamond a negative connotation and used it as a tease.

However, in Merkel’s party (the Christian Democratic Union), this gesture has always been seen as a symbol of calm leadership. It even became the key image of one of the election campaigns with the slogan “The future of Germany is in good hands”.

Angela Merkel has repeatedly answered the question of what “Merkel’s rhombus” means. Her explanation turned out to be very simple – she didn’t know what to do with her hands and started folding them like this. She likes the gesture because it contains a certain symmetry.

And everyone can check its magical effect for themselves. By folding your hands in a “triangle of power” you can really calm down and find inner balance. Look at it!

Photo: Wikipedia