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Gun ownership in the district: Debate about stricter laws flares up!
Over 20,000 weapons are registered in the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district; The debate about stricter gun laws is intensifying.
Gun ownership in the district: Debate about stricter laws flares up!
In the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district, 3,441 citizens currently have a gun ownership card (WBK), which is a prerequisite for the legal purchase of firearms. While twelve people have a large firearms license that allows them to carry firearms in public, there are 947 holders of a small firearms license for blank firing, signal and irritant weapons. There are currently 20,734 weapons registered in the district, which makes the debate about stricter gun laws particularly relevant. [Merkur reports that ...](https://www.merkur.de/lokales/wolfratshausen/wolfratshausen-ort29708/rufe-nach-schaerferem-gesetz-so-viel-schuss Waffen-sind-im-landkreis-registriert-93783367.html)
The shooting spree in Graz, in which the perpetrator took the lives of ten people, has reignited the discussion in Germany. This horrific incident suggests that a change in gun laws may be urgently needed. What is even more frightening is that the perpetrator, who legally owned both a shotgun and a Glock pistol, met all the requirements for legal gun ownership. This underlines the fragility of the already strict German gun law, which has been constantly adjusted for 20 years. ORF reports that…
Safe handling and strict specifications
In Germany, applicants for a WBK not only have to be at least 18 years old, but also have to prove their reliability, suitability and expertise. These checks are intended to ensure that only responsible people own weapons. In addition to the already high requirements, the need for regular psychological checks is being discussed in the discussion about the revision of the gun law. The laws are similar in Austria, but no significant changes have been made there since the 1990s.
Both the police union and some politicians are calling for stricter gun laws. It is crucial to ban firearms and knives from the public to ensure the safety of citizens. The director of public security in Graz, Franz Ruf, said that legal requirements for owning weapons must be proven, but weapons may not be carried outside the house. This de facto means further restrictions for gun owners in the future. [Staatsanzeiger addresses the differences in gun law...](https://www.staatsanzeiger.de/hochschulen/bachelorarbeiter/ Waffenrecht-was-deutschland-von-oesterreich-unterscheidet/)
An international comparison shows that Germany has a sensitive issue, with around five million legal firearms in private ownership and a six-month increase in gun ownership. With 20,734 registered weapons in the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district, there is an exciting development that may also influence the security situation throughout the country. Incidents like those in Graz must give reason to think further about the responsibilities and regulations for gun ownership and, if necessary, adapt them to the new challenges.
The federal government's plans to further reform gun laws to ensure that extremists and mentally ill people do not have weapons in their hands are a step in the right direction. The broader debate about gun ownership will play an important role in ensuring public safety not only in the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district, but also throughout Germany and Austria.