The number of gun licenses registered in Munich has increased rapidly in recent years.
In an interview with tz.de, an expert gives possible reasons for this.
Munich – What means security for some causes fear for others.
As the official figures from the district administration department (KVR) show, the number of firearms and alarm pistols in Munich has risen sharply in recent years, which the AZ also reported on.
As a weapons expert explained
to tz.de
, fear and fewer police officers on the streets are a possible reason for the increase in gun owners in the Bavarian capital.
Around five firearms per owner: more and more people in Munich have guns at home
According to the district administration department (KVR), a total of 9,176 firearm owners were registered in Munich in mid-April 2023.
They own 45,551 firearms, which would mean around five guns per owner.
The majority of registered firearm owners in Munich are male, according to official figures from the KVR, only 14 percent are female.
However, the KVR information does not relate to gas and alarm pistols.
These will not be registered.
The KVR assumes that there should be several tens of thousands of weapons.
Blank pistols in particular have become much more popular with the people of Munich in recent years.
For a blank pistol, all you need is the so-called small gun license.
According to the KVR, 3552 small gun licenses were still registered in 2015.
At the end of 2022 there were already 8,658. "This is due to the refugee crisis at the time and the events on New Year's Eve at Cologne Cathedral," said a press spokeswoman for the KVR, explaining the increase, which can be seen from 2016.
On New Year's Eve 2015, there were sexual assaults and other criminal offenses on the Cologne Cathedral Square and at the main train station.
As the KVR classified to
tz.de
, events surrounding the corona pandemic are not decisive for the increase in firearms that require a permit.
"The way to the purchase is too long and time-consuming for that," explained a press spokeswoman.
Firearm is “seen as a tool”: Weapons expert points out possible reasons
The people of Munich are much more interested in blank pistols and the small firearms license.
The weapons expert Lars Winkelsdorf assumes that.
He prepares expert opinions on weapons and deals with the subject professionally.
Winkelsdorf sees a nationwide trend in the increase in registered gun licenses and firearms.
He suspects that the increased interest could come from “the fact that there are fewer and fewer police officers on the streets.
That leads to a lot more discomfort among the citizens, ”
explained the expert to
tz.de.
On request, a press spokesman for the Munich police headquarters said that a comparatively large number of officers were on the streets of the city, and that patrol activity was even higher than in other major German cities.
The spokesman explains the procedure and the supposedly short deployment and "presence time" of the officers.
During an assignment, they only do the so-called “initial processing” and take on the first tasks that arise on site.
The criminal police takes over the "final processing" and the associated continuation of the investigation.
This exchange would allow the first officials to move on and act elsewhere, but not necessarily staying in the same place for long.
“People feel unsafe and see fewer and fewer police on the streets.
As a result, the weapon is seen as a tool to deal with this uncertainty," says Winkelsdorf.
The KVR assumes another reason.
Instead, it gives “exercising shooting sports and hunting” and “commercials in the security and valuables transport sector” as important reasons for purchasing a firearm.
Difference between large and small gun license: These are the requirements for acquisition
With regard to the increase in registered gun licenses, Winkelsdorf sees a “completely normal development”.
“The problem is that we have made a lot more guns licensable.
Gun laws are stricter.
A lot more people need permission for that.”
Large Gun License
For a major gun license, applicants must have a valid reason and be able to demonstrate that they are mentally and physically fit to handle a firearm.
Furthermore, the person must be "reliable under firearms law".
This means that the adult must have "no relevant crimes" and "no efforts against the free democratic basic order", must store the firearm properly and successfully pass a weapons law proficiency test.
Small Gun License
These requirements do not apply to the small gun license.
In order to obtain a small firearms licence, applicants simply need to be reliable under firearms law, suitably qualified and of legal age.
He does not have to give a valid reason for the acquisition or expertise.
Nevertheless, Winkelsdorf emphasizes a serious problem: the potential danger of illegal privately owned weapons.
To get a grip on this problem, he also presents a possible solution.
Illegal Black Market Weapons: Expert Suggests Central Authority and Undercover Investigators
According to the weapons expert, legally privately owned firearms only pose a low risk.
Most of the guns are owned by sports shooters or film companies.
However, the situation is different with illegally acquired weapons.
The weapons expert estimates the risk potential to be many times higher.
The Munich Police Headquarters is preparing conceptually for operations involving firearms.
"The protection of the population has top priority here," emphasizes a press spokesman.
Emergency services receive special training in emergency call acceptance.
The individual measures are based on the specific individual case.
Further details "cannot be given for tactical reasons".
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Winkelsdorf names the source of the pervasive problem with illegal firearms: the black market.
"Yes, we have a problem.
But there, too, the problem is that we cannot solve this with a legal text.
We need specially trained police officers,” suggests Winkelsdorf.
Drying out the black market "needs money and staff".
His proposed solution: A central authority "to compare the legal weapons according to the same standard and to find and pursue the illegal ones".
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