WW2 weapons collection seized near Kiel, Germany

[I of the Storm]

If someone finds an english article about this, feel free to add.

http://www.n-tv.de/panorama/Weltkrie...e15433571.html

An older gentleman, who was known as an avid collector of WW2-era weaponry for years, has apparently moved into the focus of the authorities recently.

According to officials, he has a rather large basement area below his villa where he kept a Panther tank, an 8,8 gun, a torpedo and several other pieces of Wehrmacht equipment. The authorities are investigating on the grounds of a breach of the "Kriegswaffenkontrollgesetz" (law concerning the control of weapons of war (german composite nouns ftw!)). According to his lawyer all of the equipment has been demilitarized, therefore it doesn't fall under said law anymore. The paperwork is all there, said his lawyer.

Nevertheless, the authorities saw fit to confiscate and remove the equipment preemptively.

While collecting militaria of this size is a bit excentric, it's again a fine example of the tendency of german authorities to act first, think later imo. Checking whether the equipment is demilitarized could have been done in situ as well. Should he be cleared, the stuff will have to be returned and the govt. is facing a lawsuit for damage compensation (equipment and driveway damaged) in addition for the cost of the removal (2 wreckers and several other military vehicles used). Tax money

That said: the Panther seems to be in a well-kept condition, except for the missing tracks.

[Fragony]

Late again damnit

[rajpoot]

Man should be given back his stuff posthaste. It isn't as if he or anyone else could actually use that tank or any of the weapons. If he's an old collector I can only imagine what he must've felt when the authorities took away all his stuff.

[Fragony]

Man should be given back his stuff posthaste. It isn't as if he or anyone else could actually use that tank or any of the weapons. If he's an old collector I can only imagine what he must've felt when the authorities took away all his stuff.

I can absolutily assure you that my mom's WW1 firearms and cannons collection will absolutily work, none of them have been dissmatled don't tell the police. If I buy her a tank she is absulitly going to put it in her garden, she already has two cannons from the Napolean wars. Yes I have an awesome mother. If I can buy a tank I am going to, I know exactly where to place it

[Pannonian]

I can absolutily assure you that my mom's WW1 firearms and cannons collection will absolutily work, none of them have been dissmatled don't tell the police. If I buy her a tank she is absulitly going to put it in her garden, she already has two cannons from the Napolean wars. Yes I have an awesome mother. If I can buy a tank I am going to, I know exactly where to place it

There's a T-34 in south London with its gun reputedly pointed at the local planning office.

[Fragony]

There's a T-34 in south London with its gun reputedly pointed at the local planning office.

Awesome. No such plans though but she would love to have a T-34 in her garden. She has an absolutily staggering amount of firearms, all functional. Old rifles but also the first Colt and Remington revolvers, some ivory coated. That room is of-limits for me, I don't have the security codes and I am certainly not going to get them. There is an insane collection there, I love checking it out but I am not allowed to touch anything.

Tank sounds good, she has a big garden and I am sure she likes. Now find one and wrap it up. It's awesome just because I get to say that I bought a tank for my mom

[Husar]

(german composite nouns ftw!)

Yes indeed.

While collecting militaria of this size is a bit excentric, it's again a fine example of the tendency of german authorities to act first, think later imo.

I think that is very situational and we don't know how many months they thought about the paperwork that said he had these things in his basement. They certainly seem to think a lot if you need something from them.

Tax money

Germany always has too much of that and too little of it at the same time. We have too little when it comes to helping poor fugitives and too much of it if we need to bail out a bank or the investment of a bank in a bankrupt country. During the Cold War our army was huge and had modern equipment and nowadays our army is little and can't even afford the spare parts to keep half the equipment working.
I don't think it is because of such actions though, maybe they wanted a legal excuse to have a closer look at his collection.

[Gilrandir]

"Kriegswaffenkontrollgesetz" (law concerning the control of weapons of war (german composite nouns ftw!)).

You forgot the article which is declined.