Bavarian law enforcement apprehends individuals affiliated with the far-right Reichsbürger movement
In a significant development, three individuals connected to the far-right Reichsbürger movement in Germany have been arrested, suspected of plotting a violent coup to overthrow the country's constitutional order. These arrests took place during coordinated early-morning raids across Bavaria, Saxony, and Thuringia, involving around 300 officers, including special forces[1][2][5].
The Reichsbürger group, a loose network of conspiracy theorists, rejects the legitimacy of the modern German democratic state. They assert citizenship in a continued monarchy that supposedly survived since Germany's defeat in World War I[4]. This movement is known for its far-right extremist views and opposition to the post-war constitutional order.
Investigations revealed that the suspects participated in paramilitary training sessions, including one held in April 2022 at a former German army shooting range near Bayreuth. The raids targeted properties linked to their weapons training and operational planning activities[2].
Authorities consider the Reichsbürger group involved in terrorist activities with plans to violently dismantle Germany’s constitutional system, describing the suspects as members of a terrorist organization[1][3].
The operation was supported by roughly 300 officers, including special forces units. The group's central figure, Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, and other key leaders of the far-right group were arrested in December 2022[6]. Prosecutors say the group intended to install Reuss as a provisional head of state following the overthrow of the government.
Germany's domestic intelligence service began officially monitoring the movement in 2016, citing growing links to extremism and violence[7]. Some Reichsbürger 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."
Some members of the Reichsbürger overlap with the far right. In one 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[8].
Investigators believe the evidence obtained from the recent raids may help determine the level of involvement of the suspects and whether the group received wider support. Court proceedings against 27 alleged ringleaders are ongoing in Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Munich, with more suspects under investigation[1].
References: 1. BBC News 2. Deutsche Welle 3. The Guardian 4. The Local 5. Reuters 6. Deutsche Welle 7. The Local 8. Deutsche Welle
The media outlets reported that the arrests of three individuals associated with the Reichsbürger group were a response to their planning of a violent coup against Germany's constitutional order. This movement, known for its far-right extremist views and rejection of the modern German democratic state, is being investigated for terrorist activities aimed at dismantling the government. The raids, involving around 300 officers, including special forces, targeted properties linked to the group's weapons training and operational planning activities. The suspected ringleaders, including the group's central figure, Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, were arrested in December 2022. Investigators believe that evidence obtained from the recent raids may shed light on the level of involvement of the suspects and whether the group received wider support. The ongoing court proceedings against 27 alleged ringleaders in Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Munich suggest that this is not an isolated incident but part of a broader conflict involving general news, politics, crime-and-justice, and war-and-conflicts.
