Metaldetecting in Germany

[F7davidsen]

Greetings from Denmark to everyone out there on this great forum.

I´ve read lots of threads on metal detecting on this site and on the internet. However, I´m not a bit wiser and even more confused, since some seem to disagree!

Would someone kindly explain to me, since I do not wish to break any laws:

IS IT LEGAL OR NOT - present year 2019 - to metal detect in Germany as a foreigner(provided: You DO NOT metaldetect on "protected", known battlefields of WW II and known/protected archeological sites!).

1) Are you allowed to metal detect on PRIVATE lands if given permission by the landowner?
2) The same goes for eventual finding of WW II artefacts(not ammo!)?

Many thanks to everyone kindly answering these questions

[BlackCat1982]

You would need to apply for a Nachforschungsgenehmigung depending on the part of Germany you were in. Detecting on a protected historical or scientific site is not allowed. Digging in areas where you are highly likely to find live ordnance is not allowed. In some parts even detecting on private land with permission could get you into trouble if you find live ordnance. Detecting on the Baltic coast beaches is ok however...

[F7davidsen]

Hello, BlackCat,
- and thank you so much for your kind and helpful answer, very appreciated. Could you please tell me HOW to apply for a "Nachforschungsgenehmigung"? Lots of thanks again. - F7Davidsen

PS: Ich lese und verstehe Deutsch..

[BlackCat1982]

It really depends on where abouts in Germany you are going as each state within Germany has different laws and there is no one single answer. If you have a friendly farmer who is happy for you to detect then you should be ok, as long as you don't dig up anything nasty. Don't go detecting near to ancient historic places, or venerated battlefield sites.

[F7davidsen]

Much appreciated, again thanks.

[PotatoDigger]

Just in case anyone wants to know, if you want to legally metal detect in the Bundesland of Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany, you have to apply for a permit, you basicly go to the local "Amt für Bodendenkmalpflege" (department of preservation and care of field monuments) and they ask you a few questions, you tell them on which fields you want to detect (yes, only fields, no meadows or forests) and you have a pay a fee of 75€ as "Bearbeitungsgebühr" and within the next few weeks the permission should arrive but this is only for the fields you have listed and is valid for one year in the county you have stated, every county needs its own permission! (I know it's ridiculous) so it doesn't come cheap! Then you can go detect on the fields you have listed with the permission of the owner, otherwise if you don't and find something that the landowner might want you can be reported for "Unterschlagung" which isn't nice at all (form what I've heard )
So (in my opinion at least) it is not very surprising that many ( and I do mean a lot) people just say "screw that" and metal detect illegally wherever they want.
I hope the change the law in future because I really enjoy working together with the archaeologists, you hand them in the finds you have located and categorised for them to authenticate and log into their database and in a couple months you can have all the finds back unless they are something very special. With this system everyone is happy, but it is far from perfect because you can't go into the forests and that's a deal breaker for most WWII detectorists.
Hope you found it interesting
Luis

[F7davidsen]

Hello, Luis.
Thank you so much for taking you time to answer and your kind and helpful reply. Really appreciated!👍

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Hello, Luis.
Thank you so much for taking you time to answer and your kind and helpful reply. Really appreciated!👍