Eid/Gelöbnis in die Hände ablegen

10:54 Jul 2, 2013 

The attached academic oath protocol from a Viennese university, inclusive of instructions for graduating students to shake hands with the president, is further evidence that indeed the concept is based on a verbal promise rather than a written document.
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=gelobnis in die ha...

03:39 Jul 1, 2013 

"einen Eid ablegen" is an idiomatic expression; not to be understood literally - nothing in writing here

03:02 Jul 1, 2013 

Thanks for your observations, Elisabeth! Your explanation makes the most sense to me. The graduates would have been together as a group, and it seems a verbal oath taken by all simultaneously would have been the most efficient use of time. I also don't see any reason why the oath would need to be written. It was just those three words ("in die Hände") that caused the confusion. I could only wonder: why not simply "vor dem Dekan" instead of "in die Hände des Dekans"? I think your proposed translation ("take an oath before s.o.") solves my problem!

02:53 Jul 1, 2013 

Even today, if you swear an oath or make an affirmation before a JP, you still end up signing a statement, so it could be in writing. However, I'd imagine that the midwives would receive a diploma at a graduation ceremony and would all together take a (verbal) oath in the presence of the dean, much like police recruits or soldiers take a pledge of allegiance - they don't actually sign anything then, or do they? I think in this case you'd probably be safe to assume that it was just verbal and 'take an oath before the dean' would be sufficient. Your thoughts?

02:41 Jul 1, 2013 

I'm specifically interested in determining whether the "Gelöbnis" mentioned in the 1869 diploma from the Univ. of Vienna was a spoken "oath/solemn vow" or whether this was something the recipient of the diploma signed and put "into the hands" of the dean. I searched for similar phrases via Google and found many occurrences, but none with translations. I, like you, Elisabeth, wonder if it is just an oath taken in the presence of an authority figure...or whether "in die Hände" suggests it is something tangible that can actually be placed into the hands of that authority figure.

02:30 Jul 1, 2013 

if you can't provide more context, we can't really make a sensible suggestion

02:16 Jul 1, 2013 

does it simply mean "take an oath before [dean, king etc]?

02:02 Jul 1, 2013 

can you give us your specific context?