The Germanic Proficiency Runes (German: Germanische Leistungsrune) was a decoration of the German SS, issued as a type of sports badge to members of the Germanic-SS

Germanic-SS

The Germanic SS was the collective name given to SS groups which arose in Occupied Europe between 1939 and 1945.The units were modeled on the Allgemeine-SS in Nazi Germany...

. In many ways, the badge was similar to the SA Sports Badge

SA Sports Badge

The SA Sports Badge was a decoration of Nazi Germany that was issued between the years 1933 and 1945. It was a political version of the much more generic German Sports Badge which was also issued in great numbers by the Nazis....

 and the German Sports Badge

German Sports Badge

The German Sports Badge is a decoration of the German Olympic Sports Federation DOSB, of the Federal Republic of Germany...

, but was intended to be awarded solely to non-German members of the Germanic-SS who were serving the SS in countries under Nazi occupation. A short lived predecessor to the Germanic Proficiency Runes was the rare SS Sports Badge

SS Sports Badge

The SS Sports Badge was a rare SS sports decoration of the German Schutzstaffel, created in 1941 as an award of the Germanic-SS. The decoration was solely awarded to ethnic German SS members, and was not intended for presentation to regular German members of the Allgemeine-SS who were eligible for...

.

The award was issued in a bronze and silver grade, depending on the physical prowess

Physical fitness

Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...

 displayed by the person so awarded. Very few Germanic Proficiency Rune badges survived World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, most often since they were destroyed to avoid the holders from being identified as Nazi collaborators

Collaborationism

Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...

.

In the film Inglourious Basterds, the character of Hans Landa

Hans Landa

Colonel Hans Landa is the primary antagonist of the 2009 Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds. He is portrayed by Austrian actor Christoph Waltz.- Character :...

, who is Austrian prominently displays the Germanic Proficiency Runes badge, even though for an SD

Sicherheitsdienst

Sicherheitsdienst , full title Sicherheitsdienst des Reichsführers-SS, or SD, was the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. The organization was the first Nazi Party intelligence organization to be established and was often considered a "sister organization" with the...

 Colonel

Colonel

Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

to possess the award would have been highly unusual.

External links

• Germanic Proficiency Runes description (including picture)