Learning processes in Upper Franconia
In a significant development, German authorities have conducted raids and arrested several suspects linked to the far-right Reichsbürger movement, accused of planning a violent overthrow of the German government.
The latest information as of August 2025 indicates that the arrests were made on August 7, 2025, during early-morning raids across several German states, involving around 300 investigators. Three men suspected of being Reichsbürger members were arrested, with arrest warrants issued for three more suspects, decisions on whom are expected on Friday.
The suspects, ranging in age from 40 to 61, include five men and one woman. They are suspected of being members of a terrorist organization, with the alleged goal of violently overthrowing the state order. The group is said to have conducted exercises, including a training session with firearms on a shooting range in Upper Franconia in April 2022, allegedly to prepare for a possible attack on the German Bundestag.
The searches were carried out in various locations, including Forchheim and Nürnberger Land in Bavaria, Erzgebirgskreis and Chemnitz in Saxony, and Eichsfeld in Thuringia. During these raids, authorities confiscated weapons-regulated items and electronic devices now under forensic analysis to determine the suspects' involvement and possible broader support networks.
The Reichsbürger movement, known for its rejection of the legitimacy of the modern German state, has been a cause for concern for German authorities. The group claims the German Reich still exists and that the Federal Republic is illegitimate, often combining these views with far-right and antisemitic beliefs.
Heinrich XIII Prince Reuß, a key figure in the Reichsbürger movement, was arrested along with others accused of plotting a coup to install Reuß as head of state if successful in late 2022. The group called "Königreich Deutschland" ("Kingdom of Germany") was also banned by the German federal government in May 2025, with four leaders arrested in connection to the movement, which is considered a main Reichsbürger organization.
The chairman of the Police Union (GdP), Jochen Kopelke, stated that the arrests demonstrate the threat posed to democracy by extremists and active terror groups. The accused are accused of planning a violent overthrow of the federal government and consciously accepting deaths in the process.
It is important to note that the presumption of innocence applies to the suspects until a final conviction. The ongoing security operations underscore persistent threats from Reichsbürger extremists seeking to disrupt Germany's constitutional order through violent means, with Heinrich XIII Prince Reuß still a central symbolic figure in these plots.
[1] BBC News [2] Deutsche Welle [3] The Local [4] Reuters
- The latest arrests of Reichsbürger movement members, accused of planning a violent overthrow of the German government, have raised concerns about extremism and terrorism in the context of general news, politics, and crime-and-justice.
- Radio discussions on war-and-conflicts and extremism may focus on the ongoing threat posed by the Reichsbürger movement, with the arrests of suspects earlier this month providing insights into the group's tactics and potential support networks.
