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Next level Wehraboo (lemmy.world)
submitted 3 months ago by FoxtrotDeltaTango@sh.itjust.works to c/YUROP@feddit.org
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/35012734

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[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 44 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

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.

[–] OwOarchist@pawb.social 27 points 3 months ago (1 children)

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?

[–] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 19 points 3 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] Shayeta@feddit.org 12 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Well, the tank was ENCLOSED in a reinforced room - it had no way of exiting that room and was thus "non-functional"!

[–] crater2150@feddit.org 11 points 3 months ago

I don't think it had no way of exiting:

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

https://www.stern.de/panorama/weltgeschehen/panzer-im-keller---84-jaehriger-waffenfan-bekommt-mildes-urteil-30643576.html

[–] Ceruleum@lemmy.wtf 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Not just a room, a basement. It can't even crash the wall and leave.

[–] Noctambulist@lemmy.world 11 points 3 months ago

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.

[–] alleycat@feddit.org 17 points 3 months ago (1 children)

It is definitely legal to own a decommissioned, but otherwise functional tank in Germany. I know that the owner of my local scrapyard had a Russian tank that he liked to drive on his property. I suspect the guy in the OP had some other stuff, that was illegal to own...

[–] crater2150@feddit.org 10 points 3 months ago

He also had a whole stash of weapons and a flak gun. The tank was actually found to not be usable as a weapon, but he had to give it up anyways (in some articles I've found, it sounded like it was not officially decommissioned, just not usable because of damage). He only got a probation sentence in the end, for the possession of a machine gun barrel and two rounds, the only ones his permit was not good for as they count as weapons of war. (German source about the sentencing: https://www.lto.de/recht/nachrichten/n/lg-kiel-7kls1317-weltkrieg-panzer-keller-flak-waffen-munition-sammler-bewaehrungsstrafe)

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 11 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Please tell me it all went to a museum at least.

[–] ignoble_stigmas@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

It went to Poland

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 2 points 3 months ago

Is Poland a museum? 😁

[–] 6244901@lemmy.zip 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Bro was waiting for the day when he’d finally get to use it

[–] TheTiltster@feddit.org 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

He actually did (in a non-violent capacity). Dude hat this tank since at least the 1970s. In 1978, ~~Hamburg~~ Kiel was hit by a massive blizzard that stopped all regular traffic. The guy used his tank to drive around town.

[–] 6244901@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

That’s insane 😭ty for that little bit of trivia 🙏🏻

[–] TheTiltster@feddit.org 4 points 3 months ago

Well, the guy was a selfdeclared "merchant" and collector in all things connected to the third Reich. Neighbours had known about his tank at least since the 1970s, when he used his toy during the blizzard. Accordung to documents, he even had Bundeswehr specialists at his house on a regular basis to do repairs and maintenance to keep the tank in driving condition. The full extend of his "basement museum" came to light when federal investigators did a search of his house in connection with two statues from Hilters Reichskanzlei. The tank wasn´t even the highets priority for investigators. He also had a f**k ton of live ammunition and other weapons of war. Here´s a nice summary (in german): https://de.everybodywiki.com/Klaus-Dieter_Flick