Laws pertaining to Metal Detecting.

**azda** · 02-15-2013, 11:53 AM

Hello all, new here and also new to detecting. I wanted to post here specifically because of the theme of LAWS. I'm living in Germany, Munich to be precise but come from Scotland. I'm now looking to metal detect an area close to Munich and would like to know about the laws detecting on ploughed fields, woods etc. The area i'd like to detect is very historical from WWII period and i don't know if landowners would happily agree for me so go around digging up such a brutal past.

The area concerned is Dachau, but not directly inside Dachau itself, some 2-5km outside it where there is a lot of fields. Dachau was the 1st Concentration camp and was a model for all others, Dachau (the village) was also taken over by the SS and this is where SS soliders were trained. Just outside and to the North of Dachau is Herbertshausen, another small but historically important place, this is where the SS used 4000 Russian POWs as live target practise. Dachau itself and Herbertshasen i'm not wanting to detect due to the sensitive nature, it's mainly the outskirts of these sites, maximum 5km outside. Any info regarding laws of such areas would be welcomed as i'm not really wanting to cheese anyone off, just a bit of detecting time.

Thanks.

**StefanM** · 02-15-2013, 12:06 PM

by azda

Hello all, new here and also new to detecting. I wanted to post here specifically because of the theme of LAWS. I'm living in Germany, Munich to be precise but come from Scotland. I'm now looking to metal detect an area close to Munich and would like to know about the laws detecting on ploughed fields, woods etc. The area i'd like to detect is very historical from WWII period and i don't know if landowners would happily agree for me so go around digging up such a brutal past.

The area concerned is Dachau, but not directly inside Dachau itself, some 2-5km outside it where there is a lot of fields. Dachau was the 1st Concentration camp and was a model for all others, Dachau (the village) was also taken over by the SS and this is where SS soliders were trained. Just outside and to the North of Dachau is Herbertshausen, another small but historically important place, this is where the SS used 4000 Russian POWs as live target practise. Dachau itself and Herbertshasen i'm not wanting to detect due to the sensitive nature, it's mainly the outskirts of these sites, maximum 5km outside. Any info regarding laws of such areas would be welcomed as i'm not really wanting to cheese anyone off, just a bit of detecting time.

Thanks.

If you are already living in Germany why not just enquire at you local Munich Police station, I am sure someone there might be able to tell you about national or regional laws regarding using MD in Germany...or have I missed something?

BTW welcome to WRF

**azda** · 02-15-2013, 12:25 PM

I think firstly you have to understand the mindset. Did i mention that Dachau police station headquarters sit on the old SS training camp compound? This was never destroyed. I very much doubt they'll want their past digging up. I'm hoping to find badges etc as it's quite a rich historical area for this type of memorabillia. I've read in other places that its best NOT to ask, but if a gate says "privat" then just don't go in or ask the landowner. I'm right now just interested in the laws regarding detecting in Germany and as i wrote in this section, the thread name was "laws regarding detecting in Germany" i thought it was the perfect place, unfortunately i could'nt find these laws.

Thanks for the welcome

**StefanM** · 02-15-2013, 12:46 PM

by azda

I think firstly you have to understand the mindset. Did i mention that Dachau police station headquarters sit on the old SS training camp compound? This was never destroyed. I very much doubt they'll want their past digging up. I'm hoping to find badges etc as it's quite a rich historical area for this type of memorabillia. I've read in other places that its best NOT to ask, but if a gate says "privat" then just don't go in or ask the landowner. I'm right now just interested in the laws regarding detecting in Germany and as i wrote in this section, the thread name was "laws regarding detecting in Germany" i thought it was the perfect place, unfortunately i could'nt find these laws.

Thanks for the welcome

Without disrespecting any of my fellow WRF posters I am not sure I would want to take at face value any copy and paste explanation of the law on here however well intentioned without picking up a phone or visiting local Police station to confirm before starting out on such an adventure. I am sure "WRF forums members said it was okay" is probably not going to cut it if the advice was wrong or out of date or the legislation was misinterpreted... Just look at the opinions on here about the apparent ambiguity of French beaches being battlefields or not vis a vis French law.

I understand that Dachau police might be perturbed by someone asking about digging in the surrounding environs, but I don't understand why they would not be willing or able to tell you what the law is...it is not a moral issue about the rights and wrongs of wanting to treasure hunt WWII relics around Dachau it a matter of law. it is either legal or not and as the Police administer the law they will tell you what is permitted under the law. The fact that you also put forward the sensitivity that there might be about digging around Dachau then I would question why you would want to ignore that potential sensitivity and "dig" around Dachau in the first place?

**Paul D** · 02-15-2013, 12:55 PM

GERMANY
The 1992 law on the search for, and preservation of antiquities, covers all objects belonging to the ancient period, early Christianity and the Middle Ages.
Excavation requires a licence and work may not be carried out, without permission, near an antiquity in such a way as to affect it directly or indirectly. All accidental discoveries must be reported. Rewards are made equal to 50% of value if found on public land and 100% if on private land.
Although the 1932 Act does not refer to metal detectors, any items found by its use are covered by the Act.

There may be local regulations to comply with as well , if you have read about this in other places then you will surely know that metal detecting in Germany is not allowed without the relevant permissions !!

**StefanM** · 02-15-2013, 01:03 PM

Advice from someone else living in Germany found on metal detectorist website ".......You should better contact the Boden-Denkmalschutz Büro of the nearerst city for further informations ,otherwise you could get yourself into trouble."

I found the Munich branch contact phone and address details for you:

http://www.blfd.bayern.de/bodendenkmalpflege/index.php

Bayerisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege
Hofgraben 4
80539 München
Telefon 089/21 14-0
Fax 089/21 14-300
E-Mail: poststelle@blfd.bayern.de

Hope this is helpful

**azda** · 02-15-2013, 03:29 PM

Why would i want to dig around Dachau? Strange question, i live around the area, it's green and it has lots of farmland. Should i need any other reasons to dig open fields? Why do you dig in your chosen locations? Do you travel hundreds of miles to do so? Why? I'm only going 8km to a chosen destination, so there's my reason for wanting to dig OUTSIDE Dachau, not Dachau Village itself or anywhere near KZ. This area will of course be protected, its how much of the radius is also protected.

Anyway, i have the girlfriend on the case, as my German is'nt strong enough to ask the sort of questions i need to ask. The link from the previous poster should be very helpful and the girlfriend has only today informed me that her godparents son is actually in the Police and stationed in DACHAU. I'll return with any information i receive regarding digging in Deutschland, that's if you're interested in the info of course.

**Paul D** · 02-15-2013, 06:54 PM

by azda

Why would i want to dig around Dachau? Strange question, i live around the area, it's green and it has lots of farmland. Should i need any other reasons to dig open fields? Why do you dig in your chosen locations? Do you travel hundreds of miles to do so? Why? I'm only going 8km to a chosen destination, so there's my reason for wanting to dig OUTSIDE Dachau, not Dachau Village itself or anywhere near KZ. This area will of course be protected, its how much of the radius is also protected.

Anyway, i have the girlfriend on the case, as my German is'nt strong enough to ask the sort of questions i need to ask. The link from the previous poster should be very helpful and the girlfriend has only today informed me that her godparents son is actually in the Police and stationed in DACHAU. I'll return with any information i receive regarding digging in Deutschland, that's if you're interested in the info of course.

We are always interested in any current information on the laws / regulations regarding MDing in amy country so please post any information you get thankyou,

cheers

Paul

**StefanM** · 02-15-2013, 09:01 PM

by azda

Why would i want to dig around Dachau? Strange question, i live around the area, it's green and it has lots of farmland. Should i need any other reasons to dig open fields? Why do you dig in your chosen locations?

Not such as strange question when you yourself wrote:

by azda

I think firstly you have to understand the mindset. Did i mention that Dachau police station headquarters sit on the old SS training camp compound? This was never destroyed. I very much doubt they'll want their past digging up.

If you very much doubt they'll want you digging up their past...it begged the question why do it?

However good hunting anyway

You have come to the right forum to share your future legal finds...and look forward to seeing them!

**Thunderbolt251** · 02-16-2013, 02:58 AM

Well. . . . .it appears to me that relic hunting is verboten in EVERY country in EUROPE!!!! Without exception.

So to think, one can just jet into ANY country in Europe and dig like the U-tube videos would lead you to believe is not only ill advised but downright impossible.

btw, have any of you seen these videos's??? Check these out:

WW2 Airborne Paratrooper Parachute Relics - Dug up - YouTube Hinterlassenschaft des WW2 Teil 3 - YouTube ww2 relics found in Holland and Germany 08/09 - YouTube

Yet. . . . .here in these very forums and the aforementioned video's . . . . .are guys coming home with "buckets" of stuff.

This is sooooo counter intuitive that I can't make heads or tails out any of this. The only constant that rings true throughout is that IF. . . . .and I mean IF. . . .you have the permission of the land owner you MAAAAY dig. Depending on the country which creates yet another moving target and a whole another set of consequences.

I'd really like to know how, at least one of you, managed to MD your finds. Just one story, please, if only to put all this dialogue and these u-tube video's into perspective.

I mean. . .what are guys doing? Digging at 2am with NVG's?