Practice Sessions in Upper Franconia Region
German Aristocrat Accused of Involvement in Far-Right Coup Plot
In a significant turn of events, Heinrich XIII Prinz Reuß, a German nobleman and real estate developer, has found himself at the centre of a far-right extremist plot aimed at overthrowing the German government. The plot, uncovered in 2022, targeted the Bundestag (the German parliament) in Berlin and aimed to establish Prinz Reuß as the head of state.
The conspiracy is linked to the "Reichsbürger" movement, a group that denies the legitimacy of the modern German republic and upholds conspiratorial and extremist views. The movement draws inspiration from conspiracy theories like QAnon and denies the authority of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The arrests of Prinz Reuß and other key suspects took place in December 2022. The ongoing trial involves 27 alleged ringleaders, including an ex-politician from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, former military officers, and extremists who had undergone firearms training in preparation for the planned attack on the Reichstag.
Searches were conducted in several districts across Saxony, Thuringia, and Bavaria, including Forchheim and Nürnberger Land in Bavaria, Erzgebirgskreis and Chemnitz in Saxony, and Eichsfeld in Thuringia. During the searches, items subject to the Weapons Act and data carriers were secured.
The Oschenberg shooting range, a 528-meter-high facility near Bindlach, is believed to have been used by a group associated with Prinz Reuß for training purposes. The arrested men are said to have participated in a training session with short and long firearms on the shooting range in Upper Franconia in April 2022.
Until a final conviction, the suspects enjoy the presumption of innocence. Three supporters of the group are currently being investigated who are at large. Three major terrorism trials against the "Reichsbürger" group associated with Prinz Reuß are currently underway nationwide. A first arrest warrant was issued on Thursday, and decisions on arrest warrants for two more suspects are to be made on Friday.
The arrests were made by special forces of the police, who suspect these individuals of being members of a terrorist organization aiming to violently overthrow the state order. The investigation involves five men and one woman aged 40 to 61, including Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, a former AfD member of the Bundestag.
Jochen Kopelke, the chairman of the Police Union (GdP), stated that the arrests demonstrate the significant threat to democracy from extremists and active terrorist groups from various ideological camps. The arrests prevented potential further actions by the group, according to authorities.
[1] Historical Background of the House of Reuss [2] German Far-Right Coup Plot Uncovered [3] Reichsbürger Movement [4] QAnon Conspiracy Theory
- In light of the recent German Far-Right Coup Plot uncovered, the broader context of politics, war-and-conflicts, general-news, and crime-and-justice has been heavily influenced by the ongoing trials of the 'Reichsbürger' movement members, who are denying the legitimacy of the German republic, aligning with extremist ideologies such as QAnon.
- The historical background of the House of Reuss, traditionally known for their aristocratic lineage, has unwillingly entered the realm of politics and crime-and-justice, as one of its members, Heinrich XIII Prinz Reuß, is accused of being involved in the far-right coup plot aimed at overthrowing the German government.
