While it takes some effort for German citizens to legally buy and carry loaded firearms, it’s entirely prohibited to own any weapons of war. According to Insider, the man violated the Weapons Control Act by possessing military-grade weapons. His lawyers, however, argued that because most of his collection was non-functioning, he could not be charged.
(source)
TL;DR He lost the whole collection because of all the stuff like the working machineguns and flak ammunition he had laying around, in addition to the tank.
His lawyers, however, argued that because most of his collection was non-functioning, he could not be charged.
Yeah … I don’t think that “most of it is non-functional” argument is going to hold up in court when it’s illegal to own even one functional piece.
Now, if he could say that all of it was non-functional, then maybe they’d have a point. But, yeah … there’s a reason they’re not making that argument, isn’t there?
Yep, and from what I remember (this all happened like 5 years ago) the court said basically the same thing (“What do you mean he mostly didn’t break the weapons control act??”) and that’s why they took his tank away
It was common knowledge in town that the homeowner owned a tank, a man who grew up there told Stern. The tank even proved useful for clearing snow during the 1978 snowstorm. A news report mentions how the tank driver helped someone pull out trees
Original text in German
Im Ort sei bekannt gewesen, dass der Hausbewohner einen Panzer besaß, sagte dem stern ein Mann, der in dem Ort aufgewachsen ist. Der Panzer habe sogar in der Schneekatastrophe 1978 gute Dienste beim Schneeräumen geleistet. In einem Pressebericht ist die Rede davon, wie der Panzerfahrer jemandem beim Herausziehen von Bäumen geholfen habe
Owning firearms in Germany isn’t really that difficult although you must invest considerably more time and money than in countries like the US. Legally carrying them in public is a whole other story. Unless you work as something like a judge or prosecutor or have some serious death threats against you, the chance of getting a license approved is extremely low.
TL;DR He lost the whole collection because of all the stuff like the working machineguns and flak ammunition he had laying around, in addition to the tank.
Yeah … I don’t think that “most of it is non-functional” argument is going to hold up in court when it’s illegal to own even one functional piece.
Now, if he could say that all of it was non-functional, then maybe they’d have a point. But, yeah … there’s a reason they’re not making that argument, isn’t there?
Yep, and from what I remember (this all happened like 5 years ago) the court said basically the same thing (“What do you mean he mostly didn’t break the weapons control act??”) and that’s why they took his tank away
Well, the tank was ENCLOSED in a reinforced room - it had no way of exiting that room and was thus “non-functional”!
I don’t think it had no way of exiting:
Original text in German
https://www.stern.de/panorama/weltgeschehen/panzer-im-keller---84-jaehriger-waffenfan-bekommt-mildes-urteil-30643576.html
Not just a room, a basement. It can’t even crash the wall and leave.
Owning firearms in Germany isn’t really that difficult although you must invest considerably more time and money than in countries like the US. Legally carrying them in public is a whole other story. Unless you work as something like a judge or prosecutor or have some serious death threats against you, the chance of getting a license approved is extremely low.