Germanic Proficiency Runes Silver – Germanische Leistungsrune

NOT GERMAN SS AND WAFFEN SS SPORT BADGE (Germanische Leistungsrune)

 Badge specially created by Himmler on August 15, 1943 to reward non-German SS personnel in occupied countries and non-German Waffen SS. The organizations grouped under the name of Germanische SS concerned the countries of Norway, Denmark, Holland and Belgium (Flanders).

For the awarding, the tests were both individual and group activities that focused on physical endurance and training exercises in the field. They included: running, swimming, jumping, hammer throwing, rope use, shooting, map reading, reports, reading reports, tactical land use, etc.

 The bronze badge was given to the SS staff who successfully demonstrated a high level of sports competence. The silver badge was awarded to SS staff demonstrating an even higher level of competence. For example, to receive the silver grade, 400 meters in were to be covered in 68 seconds instead of the 72.5 seconds of the bronze grade.

 The first badges were assigned by Himmler himself in February 1944 to 95 Dutch SS men at a training center in the Netherlands.