Metal detecting in Germany

I have decided to take up metal detecting after being inspired by the discovery of the Varus battlefield (that was history changing battle in Germany), by a British army officer armed with a metal detector.

http://www.smithsonianmagazine.com/issues/...bush.php?page=4

I know that some on this forum would like me to find a rather large bomb (with my shovel) and the likelyhood of me making a similar discovery to the Varus battlefield are rather slim. I would, however, like something to do whilst taking my dog for walks and quite fancy metal detecting but do not want to upset any land owners or the local police.

Does anyone know the laws or where I could find out about them or does anyone know of any clubs, any shops that sell metal detectors, etc etc.

Any help would be appreciated.

Should have synchronised his watch properly, the silly beggar, then he could have turned up while it was on.

I remember something about this in the past. It's not easy to do it 'officially', AFAIR. I'll dig around and come back on it.

Edit: Just re-read it. No pun intended there.

All I know is that most place marked as a battle site, or under some kind of protection, can not be "Detected on".. AKA: Normandy Beach, The Ardeen, and many other places.. Just be carefull and do your homework before you decide to pull the detector out...

Thanks for the tips, if I think I have found something dangerous I will stand well back and let the dog do the digging

My friend has a house in Normandy and he, with some friends, went metal detecting in the woods. They found lots of WWII French issue rifles but not much else. They read up about the area and found out that when the Germans invaded the French did a runner, dropped their weapons and hid in the woods so their finds seem to bear out the history books.

I want to go detecting just out of interest but will have to find out where I can view old maps (to find out how the land has changed etc etc). My logic is that as we have plenty of arable land around here with lots of rivers and streams, early settlements must have been around here somewhere and I would like to find something to prove my theory (not necessarily of any cash value, though that would be a bonus).

Sometimes it is just luck to find anything. During the building of the Aylesbury by-pass, work was stopped as they found a Saxon graveyard in the middle of field, but no-one even suspected anything was there.

A little more on the importance of the Varus battlefield find:

http://www.speakeasy.invisionzone.com/lofi...php/t10796.html

I toured Gettysburg a couple of times (US Civil War battlefield) and I remember they seeded the park with metal slugs to prevent metal detectorists from removing bona fide items...

Canaryman,

My wife just bought a metal detector, when she asked at the local bürgeramt, they said there were no rules that they could find that would stop her.

So I would imagine a polite, " can i detect and I will show you what I find " to the land owner would be enough if its private land.

Why don't you come out to my house and see what's at the end of the buried staircase in my back yard? That would be fun...

Derek, thanks for the tip, I will plod down to our local Rathaus and ask what is what

KitKat, now that sounds like an offer I cannot refuse but I suggest you go to the next village whilst I am there just in case I found something big that may go bang!!

There are some restrictions in Germany. There was a newer law passed in 1992 which means you are not allowed to hunt at sites which have been declared as 'scientific/archaelogical interest'.

ok. I was not planning on detecting on any sites that actually already exist etc. I just have to find out about who I need to ask and where I can and cannot go to detect.

Strangely, I have seen a bloke in combat gear carrying a metal detector in the woods near the Isar but frankly, he seemed a bit odd so I will avoid him

If you want to make some money take your metal detector to the ski hills in spring and search under the ski lifts. I knew a guy who finds all sorts of treasure there including enough money to make it worth his while.

That sounds look a good idea, I wonder if the more upmarket the resort, the higher the likely return

In the U.S., insurance companies actually hire companies to go out and search for the stuff that has been lost uner the lifts. When some chickie says she lost her $15,000 engagement ring (which happens all the time), they will send people to try to recover the loss.

Historical archeological items are property of the state. They find Roman artefcts all the time in Regensburg during building renovations, especially when a building's foundation is repaired. Friends ket a few coins and oil lamps but most of the stuff found went to the city museum.

woof.

Hi all,

I'm wondering if there're enthusiasts of walking with a metal detector among you? I'd very much appreciate any information and useful web-pages that provide info about german (bavarian) law in this field.

What I mean is:



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Just tell them you are looking for unexploded mines. I am sure they will understand.

You just need the permissions of the land owner!

Yeah, I know I have to ask the owner of the land which I want to dig and that I can always say that I lost my keys and I'm looking for them...But I'd like to read the bavarian law because I've heard that this's the only land in which if you find sthng, it's all yours. I want to know if I should hide in woods or can walk visibly I'm interested in good/precise maps of the land, etc.

ur so going to lose a leg or something...at least stay away from built up areas, train tracks and roads...probably about as safe as mowing lawns in Afghanistan...

Hi there, look up Book 3 of the German Civil Code (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch), giving you the Law of Property. §§965, 973 & 978 may be of interest to you. English version can be found here. Good luck, post if you find anything interesting ... ! Xpet.

If you find stuff like jewelry, you need to turn it in to the lost & found and go through that wait. If you find any old relics (a couple Roman coins, for example) they belong to the state and you must hand them over. Hard to prove, but if you're found with relics that have no provenance, you could face some serious charges.

woof.