Although more Germans are seeking gun licenses to protect themselves, their options for self-defense are very limited. Citizens applying for a “small weapons license” find that they don’t have much to work with.
Unlike Americans who have a right to bear arms and purchase firearms for self-defense, Germans are subject to among the strictest gun-control laws in Europe.
This situation was met with indignation by much of the German general public in the aftermath of the attack and helped create a loss of public trust in German security services.This was followed by a sharp series of terrorist attacks in 2017 that occurred in London, Russia, Sweden and in other locations in Germany.
But what protection will Germans actually gain from their new gun licenses? Not the type of self-defense that a person with serious safety concerns might expect.
The German “basic weapons license” limits a person to carrying the following arms:
When faced with a life of death situation, a German small-arms license bearer can defend themselves against a likely armed assailant using a cloud of pepper spray, a flare, or burst of a teargas-like substance from gas signal guns.
To obtain a license for non-lethal guns, it is necessary to prove that the applicant is reliable, knows how to use the technology, has expertise in the firearm, has lived in Germany for five years, and has an actual need for the gun.
The fact that so many Germans are legally applying for small arms permits is an indication of their law-abiding mindset and commitment to following rules.
However, as in America, it is likely the criminals that the Germans hope to protect themselves from will not follow the same rules as law-abiding citizens do when obtaining firearms.