Bavarian authorities apprehended individuals identified as far-right Reichsbürger adherents
In a significant move against extremism, German authorities have dismantled the "Kingdom of Germany" subgroup, a part of the far-right "Reichsbürger" (Citizens of the Reich) movement. This action follows a series of nationwide raids, resulting in the arrest of four leading members, including the self-proclaimed "king" Peter Fitzek, and the seizure of weapons-regulated items and electronic data storage devices for further analysis.
The "Kingdom of Germany" group had been establishing pseudo-state structures, such as issuing their own currency, identity papers, and running an insurance scheme. Their ultimate goal was to create a "counter-state" and undermine Germany’s liberal democratic order. The broader Reichsbürger movement, which rejects the legitimacy of the Federal Republic of Germany and asserts the continued existence of the German Reich in pre-WWII borders, remains under close surveillance as an extremist threat.
The operation, supported by roughly 300 officers, including special forces units, led to the arrest of three male suspects on Thursday, as confirmed by the General Prosecutor's Office in Munich. Court proceedings against 27 alleged ringleaders of the Kingdom of Germany group are ongoing in Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Munich, with more suspects under investigation.
Emerging in the 1980s, Reichsbürger members operate as both organized groups and individuals. Long dismissed as eccentrics, they have drawn increased scrutiny in recent years due to increasing radicalization. Some members refuse to pay taxes, ignore court rulings, or create self-declared "micronations" with names like the "Free State of Prussia" or the "Principality of Germania."
The central figure of the banned 'Kingdom of Germany' group, Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, and other key leaders of the far-right group were arrested in December 2022. The group is alleged to have been preparing for a possible armed assault on the German Bundestag in Berlin.
The evidence gathered from the raids may help determine the level of involvement of the suspects and whether the group received wider support. The "Reichsbürger" are a loose network of conspiracy theorists in Germany who reject the legitimacy of the modern German state. Some members have been linked to violent actions and several coup plots against the German government, including arrests in 2022 and recent detentions in three German states for suspected violent attempts to overthrow the constitutional order.
One of the training events took place in April 2022 at a former German army shooting range near Bayreuth. In another case, a court in the western city of Koblenz jailed five people who planned to abduct former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach as part of the plot. The group is believed to have conducted weapons training and planning meetings.
The "Kingdom of Germany" subgroup's disbandment is a significant step in curbing extremism within Germany. However, with the wider Reichsbürger movement still posing a significant security challenge, ongoing law enforcement efforts against its radical elements are essential.
- The media is reporting that the government's dismantling of the "Kingdom of Germany" subgroup, part of the extremist Reichsbürger movement, is a crucial move in combating war-and-conflicts related activities, given the group's ambition to create a counter-state and undermine Germany's democratic order.
- In the realm of politics and general news, the ongoing court proceedings against the 27 alleged ringleaders of the "Kingdom of Germany" group, across cities like Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Munich, highlight the severity of crime-and-justice issues associated with the far-right Reichsbürger movement.
- As the "Reichsbürger" movement, which denies the legitimacy of the Federal Republic of Germany, continues to pose a threat to Germany's liberal democratic order, the media continues to monitor this development closely, paying particular attention to the movement's connections with extremist violence and the possibility of future war-and-conflicts within the country.
