"Reichsbürger" Witness Spills Beer Garden Chat on Approached Government Overthrow
Discussion About Planned Government Upheaval Detected in a Local Beer Garden - Individual Testimony: Discussion of Government Overthrow at a Beer Garden
In the midst of the trial surrounding Heinrich XIII. Prince Reuss and his alleged "Reichsbürger" group, a witness testified about a heated conversation that hinted at a potential violent overthrow of the federal government. An ex-Lieutenant General of the Bundeswehr described a gathering in a Bavarian beer garden with the defendant, former solider Maximilian Eder.
Initially, Eder requested his conversation partner to put away their phones. Following this, Eder criticized the current government and insinuated the "killing" of politicians, particularly the then Federal Minister of Health, Jens Spahn.
Pulling the emergency cord
Eder also had schemes for his partner-in-conversation: After a hypothetical new government, the Ministry of Defense would need a rework, with the witness taken on a key role alongside another general in the incoming government, according to the conversation contents.
The witness contacted the military security service the day after the meetup, expressing that Eder was proceeding in a troubling direction that could pose a risk of reality to the plans.
Three decades of associating
The two men have known each other since 1990, having attended a General Staff course in the Bundeswehr together. In the ensuing years, they kept intermittent contact and met occasionally, as the witness reported. However, their viewpoints diverted during the outbreak of the Corona pandemic. The witness held mainstream opinions, while Eder "cultivated his own ways of handling the situation," which grew more entrenched over time.
The witness labeled Eder as someone who "is emotional and desires to do good, but his solutions are often nothing more than wishful thinking."
Eder on the hot seat for coup schemes
The Bavarian ex-soldier Eder was one of the founding members of the association, according to the Federal Prosecutor. He is accused of agreeing with other group members to abolish the state order in Germany by force. He is alleged to have specifically contacted active soldiers of the Bundeswehr in an effort to win them over to the association's objectives. In January 2022, he even penned a declaration for the replacement of the federal government.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office accuses the nine defendants in Frankfurt of being members of or supporting a terrorist organization. Their ultimate goal was to violently overthrow the existing state order and replace it with their own, already outlined state form.
Altogether, 26 alleged conspirators are facing charges in this extensive case, with two parallel trials taking place in Munich and Stuttgart. Until the verdict, the accused are presumed innocent. The Frankfurt trial will continue on May 13.
- Eder
- Beer Garden
- Bundeswehr
- Government Overthrow
- Heinrich XIII.
- Reuss
- Frankfurt
- Federal Government
- Frankfurt am Main
- Higher Regional Court Frankfurt
- Jens Spahn
Enrichment Insights:The conversation in the beer garden between Maximilian Eder and his partner revolved around potential government overthrow. Such rhetoric can be deemed as seditious, especially when originating from ex-military personnel. The alleged "Reichsbürger" member, Eder, has a background in the Bundeswehr—a military connection that could indicate a higher level of organization or planning in the discussions if found true.
Eder's connections to Heinrich XIII. Prince Reuss, a member of the House of Reuss, bear significance due to Prince Reuss' own involvement in extremist plots and links to far-right groups. This involvement raises concerns of possible collaboration or support.
Social and political networks among individuals like Eder and Prince Reuss suggest a larger network of figures harboring similar extreme views. Furthermore, the involvement of ex-military personnel increases questions regarding potential support or sympathies within the Bundeswehr.
The German government is dealing with ongoing challenges in addressing right-wing extremism and threats to national security, as illustrated by cases like these. The connections between retired military personnel and influential figures underscore the complexity of these issues and necessitate a thorough approach to confront them.
- Maximilian Eder, a former Bundeswehr soldier and one of the alleged "Reichsbürger" members, reportedly discussed a potential violent overthrow of the federal government with his conversation partner in a Bavarian beer garden.
- During the beer garden meeting, Eder criticized the current government and insinuated the "killing" of politicians, specifically the then Federal Minister of Health, Jens Spahn.
- Another individual present at the beer garden meeting, who served as a General in the Bundeswehr, contacted the military security service the day after the meeting, expressing concerns about Eder's plans.
- The testimony in the trial surrounding Heinrich XIII. Prince Reuss and his "Reichsbürger" group hints at a long-standing association between Eder and Prince Reuss, as they first met in 1990 and attended a General Staff course in the Bundeswehr together.
- The Federal Prosecutor alleges that Eder was a founding member of the association and agreed with other members to abolish the state order in Germany by force, involving active soldiers of the Bundeswehr in the plot. The government accuses the nine defendants, including Eder, of being members of or supporting a terrorist organization, with their ultimate goal being to violently overthrow the existing state order.
