Germany is home to some of the world's largest arms manufacturers, including Heckler & Koch and SIG Sauer. However, like those from Japan and the United Kingdom, German citizens must give a credible reason for owning firearms (via Evening Standard).
The German Weapons Act (Waffengesetz) bans a raft of weapons, namely fully automatic firearms, and it requires all prospective gun owners to apply for a license, known as "Waffenbesitzkarte." Applicants are cross-examined by authorities, who conduct interviews, examine government records, and administer knowledge tests. Those with criminal convictions and mental health issues will be refused.
If a licence is granted, the new gun owner will be subject to further conditions. The immediate condition is liability insurance, which is a legal obligation. Also, after a 2009 shooting that killed 15 people, all gun owners have been subject to increased government surveillance. In fact, authorities may enter owners' property at any time to check that their firearms are properly stored, per GunPolicy.org. According to The Local, such rules have caused the US Library of Congress to describe German gun control as "one of the most stringent in Europe."
Despite all of that, gun ownership in Germany is anything but low — the country has the fourth-highest rate of ownership in the world and tops every other country in the European Union (via The Guardian). Also, unlike the United Kingdom, certain handguns are available to German citizens, provided they pass the required tests and wait through the one-year application process.
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