Detecting in Germany

[dasvinni]

Detecting in Germany

Happy Hunting. Detecting in Germany is Generally Legal But be smart about it .I go there every year cause I am from there and almost always meet Americans (and Germans) Detecting in Fields, the woods and around Castles. Castles Are Historic Ground and detecting there is illegal. Most of them never ask any one for permission. Usual response is - I never had a problem. Eventually ,you will have a problem and worst case have your Machine confiscated,. Farmers get real pissed if you dig around in seeded Fields. ALL land belongs to some body. Plus a lot of states have what's called a Treasure shelf (schatzregal) which means By Law if you for example find a old Roman coin you must leave it ,Protect it and notify the Historic society. Most people would now say, why tell any one (exactly) . I Am just stating the Law. There are many. For example It is unlawful to Hunt for WW2 Ammo. Many people have been injured by unexploded ordinance. If you have a big Hit don't just hack in to the ground like there is no tomorrow, because there may not be another Tomorrow . Not to Ruin your well deserved vacation. Here s how to do it .Most Farmers also own a Gasthaus (Bar). Go there, have a Beer and maybe a bockwurst introduce your self have a chat ,tell him or her about your Hobby and they will most likely tell you where you can Hunt. Last year one Farmer ask me to check out a corner of his field where he thought his grandpa filled in a hole with 2 Flier Bombs. Lord and behold, we found them. Make it short ,he was a happy men .Go to any city hall Building department. They have a map of all the land the own and they will tell you where you can go and Hunt. They may even ask you to find something for them. Like old power lines etc. Some people will come and ask what you are doing. Don't be a smock, they are just curious and interested. I have been ask to find some lost Jewelry in there Backyard. This is how you get invited to a BBQ and meet others that may tell you where to Hunt. Enough said, just follow some simple rules like most of you do .and you will have a good time. Happy hunting

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... By Law if you for example find a old Roman coin you must leave it ,Protect it and notify the Historic society. Most people would now say, why tell any one (exactly) . I Am just stating the Law......

Thanx for posting. We have a similar law in the USA, for certain forms of federal land. Like BLM and NFS federal land: you can detect, but ..... well ... just not for things over 50 yrs. old. Thus not unlike your law there on those certain states. HOWEVER, I have never heard of anyone here actually running down to the ranger station with a 51+ yr. old coin to turn it in. Nor flag it and "alert an archaeologist", etc.... Nor have I heard of anyone frisked, and the ages of their coins scrutinized with a calculator.

So in Germany, have you heard of anyone who has actually turned in Roman coins, "because they're too old " ?

 

[dasvinni]

Yes I have>! Lets say, you find something significant Historical in a state with a treasure shelf and report it. They will then close of the entire field for archaeological diggings which would make that field useless for the farmer who gave you Permission to hunt on it. Would you do that to Farmer ?? I would not. I know of someone in the Saar region who was building a House. Someone who did not like the guy, dropped a roman figurine in to the site. and notified the Archaeological society. I let you guess what happened.
Then ,just last year, this guy found the barbarian treasure.(hundreds of very old silver coins) did not turn it in, but posted them on websites for sale. Just 2 day later he got a visit from the authorities. He will not be happy for a while. Stupid is what stupid does
In a state without a treasure shelf. If you find such things ,half is yours and the other half to the Land owner. You still have to turn it in, but they will just photographically Record it and give it back. If they decide to dig for more (they have the right) what ever they find will still be split between you and the Land owner.

 

[doc holiday]

Interesting post--thanks for info.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Ok, so on the one hand, you acknowledge that it is a bureaucratic nightmare for a farmer, to have his field "locked up" for archie study. Thus no one would want to do that to a farmer who had granted permission, thus perhaps not many people reporting their Roman stuff .

But then on the other hand, you cite an example of someone WHO DIDN'T report, and thus got into trouble.

So I'm trying to read between the lines of report versus not report. Like when you say, in the case of the guy who found the hundreds of Barbarian silver coins, was his "stupid" to have a) not reported it properly? or b) to have stupidly posted his finds, selling, etc....

I mean, just like here: People buy and sell coins all the time (ebay, etc...) with no problem. But I suppose if I were to go on-line boasting that they were "found at Ghettysburg" or "found at Bodie on national park land", etc.... that THEN I could catch flack. So was the guy's stupidity to have gone about selling in the wrong way? Or was he stupid to have not reported ?

 

[dasvinni]

Ok Tom
Let me put it this way.The guy found the Hord in Baden Wuertemberg .He could have gone to Bavaria where they don't have a treasure shelf,get permission from a town hall to hunt in those woods somewhere and claim he found It there. Just dig a hole that you can find again in case you have to show where. And yes not many people report what the find.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

ah, thanx for the clarification. It's the same as here then: you can hunt till your heart's content, and no one pays you a second glance. Like at the beach, park, etc.... But if you or I start "waving around a gold coin" for every archie to see, then presto: All of the sudden people "start caring". Moral of the story ? You don't ask silly questions, and don't wave valuable stuff around. Durned, all I find is pennies and loose change anyhow.

 

[skookum]

Hi,
I live in Germany as well.
And you are NOT allowed to search or dig in any woods/forests - period.
You are allowed to search for mushrooms though - even if it is private land - but no digging in the soil.
Any forets ranger catches you doing that and it´ll become a costly endeavour.
Unfortunately the archeological authorities are not as liberal as they are in Britain where they more or less work hand in hand with metal detectorists.
Many a hoard has been found by British amateur detectorists and they are rather proud when their find is made available to the public by being displayed in a museum.
Thus the German detecting scene is more or less a close mouthed bunch where as in Britain they have huge rallies and a lot of fun to boot.
I try to visit Britain to go detecting whenever time and money permits - it´s more fun over there.
hh
skookum

 

[skookum]

Here is a list of the many metal detecting clubs in Britain:
http://fid.newbury.net/clubs.html

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Hi, I live in Germany as well. And you are NOT allowed to search or dig in any woods/forests - period.
.... - but no digging in the soil......

So are you saying that all the md'rs that md in Germany (and there are many) are not detecting in "woods/forests"? Or are not (gasp) "digging" ? I suppose that they are all detecting on private land ?

I suppose that what you are saying could also be said of Britain too (which you extoll as much more inviting for md'rs). Try this: Go talk to a purist archie in Britain. Ask him: "Hi, can I detect on forests/woods in England, and dig holes, and keep cultural antiquties for my own fun and profit?" Then sit back and listen to his reply.

Then I think you will see that Germany is actually no different from England in that regard, for public lands. Moral of the story ? : Don't ask purist archies silly questions.

 

[skookum]

Hi,
You ever been here or just talking your head off ??
I repeat : in Germany you are NOT allowed to metal detect in the forest.
Period.
Savvy that ??
You get caught - you will face consequences.
It´s as simple as that.
Now I don´t really care what others do - I will head for Britain or go detecting on private land with the owner´s permission.
And no - having been both places I do see a difference - from personal experience and not from hear say.
On most detecting rallies in Britain there is someone from the archeological society present and they will help you identify your finds right on the spot.
You show me ONE public detecting rally in Germany and you may call me OTTO.
hh
skookum

 

[skookum]

I must add:
Over here in Germany privately owned forests must be made open by the owner to the public for hiking year round and for the purpose of seeking mushrooms in the fall.
You are not allowed to fence it in and post signs such as : no trespassing - private property.
Thus you are not only being watched by the forest rangers but by the land owners as well.
Roads leading into the woods away from public highways may NOT be used by private vehicles unless the owners of such have immediate agricultural or forest related business to do in that area.(LoF)
It is all very regulated over here and everybody knows/is aware of these laws.
And like I already mentioned : you get caught - you better have a well padded wallet.
A lot of other European countries ban metal detecting all together - it´s rather sad, but true.

hh
skookum
Edit: the shoreline along the sea below the high tide mark is about the only place you can metal detect without any fear at all about being busted and without having to ask for permission

 

[Tom_in_CA]

skookum, my point was: You are extolling Britain's system as better, superior, more inviting, less restrictive, etc.... than Germany. I am saying that: All the things you lament that the public forests supposedly can't be md'd in, CAN BE SAID OF BRITAIN TOO. Why do you think that 99% of all their hunting there is done on private farmer's lands with permission ?

 

[skookum]

Hi,
I ain´t "lamenting" about not being able to metal detect in the woods - just stating a fact.
But another fact IS - in Britain the archeological authorities work hand in hand with private/hobby detectorists.
In Germany generaly they don´t - I would even go as far as to say that they try to discourage you in any way possible.
You may apply for a search permit as I did.
This encompassed a thorough interview with the head of our local archeology department (untere Denkmalschutz Behörde).
In the permit the area where I may search in is clearly defined.
It is not very large and if I go to another township I have to apply for a new permit there - even if it is in the same state.
Costs 50€ each time.
In some states it takes forever to get such a permit - if they will issue one at all.
Since I run a business, I can´t afford to come into conflict with the law - it just isn´t worth it.
So I would say that until you have experienced detcting both in Germany and in Britain - you just take my word for it that in the UK it is a lot laxer and more fun.
hh
skookum

 

[doc holiday]

Bottom line is even having to endure 7 years of OBOLA the ole USA is Still the best country on earth.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

skookum, why can't you just hunt @ private farmer's fields in Germany, with farmer's permission ? The restrictive laws that you speak of, would apply to public land, not private land, right ?

There has even been USA md'rs who wax romantic about the British system, wishing that the USA would devise something like that! But this is where the British system is mis-understood: Everything resource under the soil of Britian (oil, gold, etc...) "belongs the queen". Unlike in the USA, where if you and farmer Bob find a box of gold coins on his land, it's totally between you and farmer Bob what you want to do with it. And trust me: That system in England does NOT allow md'rs MORE access to public land. That's why md'rs there hunt 99% of the time on private farmers land.

 

[skookum]

quote tom:
skookum, why can't you just hunt @ private farmer's fields in Germany, with farmer's permission

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Hi tom,
I do.
Quote from my previous posting:
"Now I don´t really care what others do - I will head for Britain or go detecting on private land with the owner´s permission."

This sometimes proves to be a major hassle though, as the agricultural parcels are usually very small and not at all like in the US where most farms are one solid parcel.
Here in Germany - through land division by means of inheritance over the centuries - land parcels have become very small and cluttered and it is sometimes hard to find out who the owner is.
Another thing is: if you do find something valuable and report this find, the authorities may ban ALL future activities on the land all together until they have thoroughly examined it themselves.
This is not in the interest of any farmer - hence they sometimes will not grant you permission due to this reason only.
Then there are many absentee owners who quit farming all together and have leased their property to other farmers.
The guys who lease the property are not listed in any municipal documents and the owners will often not tell you their names to protect privacy.
It is all not as easy as you may think - but I keep struggeling to succeed in my quest.

greetings from Germany
skookum