Timmy Hartke

Final Presentation Outline

German 334
Guns in Germany vs. Guns in the United States
Introduction

In Germany, many conversations I had about America centered around guns, and how
prevalent they are in American society
The circumstances in Germany are very different than in America, which explains much
of the difference in policy and attitudes of the two countries towards guns
The environment present in America, along with the sheer vastness of the country make
guns necessary for many Americans

Germany

Gun ownership seen as a privilege, not a right; you need a good reason to own a gun
Self-Defense doesnt count as a reason (obp.org)
Process for legally owning a gun can take over a year and requires taking numerous tests
and shooting practices
There are several different reasons of which the government deems acceptable to own a
gun:
o Collecting
For collecting purposes, you must take a test for a very specific type of
gun
You are only allowed to purchase the type of guns that you took the test
for
You need a separate license to be able to buy ammunition for the guns
o Hunting
You must pass a government test of general knowledge, which has a
failure rate of about 65% (thetruthaboutguns.com)
You must purchase a hunting license every year
o Sport
You must be a part of a shooting society for 12 months and have
permission from the shooting society in order to purchase a gun
Guns that you can purchase with this license have a very, very strict set of
requirements
Costs several thousand euros (obp.org)
Every applicant is background-tested
Concealed Carry is automatically granted to state politicians
For a normal citizen to be granted concealed carry privileges, they must prove that they
are in extreme danger. This usually involves being shot multiple times
(thetruthaboutguns.com)

A Gun Owner must lock their guns in a safe when they are not in use (obp.org)
There are only 30.3 guns per 100 people in Germany, compared to 112.6 for the United
States (Blick.ch)
Since 2009, there have 50 deaths as a result of guns in Germany (opb.org)

The United States

Almost four times more guns per person

More guns than people
NRA is an organization that protects the 2nd Amendment
In 2015 alone, 13,286 people were killed by guns (bbc.com)
Guns laws vary wildly from state to state
o Unrestricted Constitutional Carry
Any person who can legally purchase a gun can open or concealed carry in
any place not designated as gun-free
o Shall-issue
License is required to concealed carry
Will issues a license to concealed carry given that a set of criteria are met
Majority of states use this policy
o May-issue
A permit is required for concealed carry
The issuing of a permit is up to the discretion of local authorities
Concealed Carry laws are significantly more lax than in Germany

Conclusion

After seeing the stark contrast in guns laws between Germany and the United States, it is
easy to see why Germans have a misunderstanding of the United States and its guns.
Although many Germans see problems with American gun laws, the laws in America will
never be as restrictive as the laws in Germany regarding guns
Germans also have a hard time understanding just how large America is, and that for
many people, guns are the only lines of defense
There will always be misunderstandings between the United States and Germany when it
comes to guns, but hopefully both sides can be more understanding in the future

Works Cited
"Concealed Carry Permit." USA Carry. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2016.
<http://www.usacarry.com/concealed_carry_permit_reciprocity_maps.html>.
Meyer, Adrian. "Waffenkammer Schweiz." Blick. N.p., 18 Feb. 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
Peacher, Amanda. "Within Gun-Restricted Germany Firearms Are A Privilege, Not A Right."
OPB. N.p., 18 June 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.

Weiss, Oliver. "German Gun Laws." The Truth About Guns. N.p., 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 01 May
2016.