Nine men in Germany are facing charges of high treason, attempted murder, and plotting a violent coup d’etat to install an aristocrat as national leader and impose martial law. This is part of one of the largest legal proceedings in German history, with a total of 27 people accused of conspiring in the plot, which was foiled by authorities at the end of 2022. The group, known as the Reichsberger, aimed to impose harsh military law on Germany after carrying out the coup. They do not recognize modern-day Germany as a legitimate state and have been under observation by the country’s domestic intelligence service since 2016.
The political leadership of the Reichsberger group, led by Heinrich XIII Prinz Reuss, are set to appear in court next month in Frankfurt, while another group of suspects will face trial in June in Munich. Prosecutors argue that the suspects’ meticulous planning, large stocks of firearms, and cash show that they posed a real danger. Their plan involved infiltrating an armed group into the parliament building in Berlin, detaining legislators, and bringing down the system. The suspects are expected to contest the charges in court.
The Reichsbergers, who believe they are citizens of an earlier Germany before the Federal Republic, claim that a foreign “Alliance” including the U.S. and Russia is ready to help them depose the current government, which they consider illegitimate. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has condemned their actions, stating that they are driven by hatred for democracy. The Reichsbergers have similarities to sovereign citizen and QAnon movements in the U.S. and Britain, where theories of a deep state have led to violent actions such as the storming of the Capitol in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021.
One of the suspects, Markus L., is accused of shooting and seriously injuring a policeman while resisting arrest. The group had amassed 500,000 euros in cash, 380 guns, 350 bladed weapons, and 148,000 rounds of ammunition. The trial is being heard in the Higher Regional Court in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and hearings are scheduled to continue until January 2025 due to the complexity of the case and the number of witnesses and suspects involved. Experts believe the trial could run even longer, possibly for several years, similar to the trial of the far-right National Socialist Underground gang that lasted five years and involved the murder of 10 people, mostly ethnic Turks.
The Reichsberger group’s goal of carrying out a coup and imposing martial law in Germany is a serious threat to the country’s democratic system. The group’s beliefs in a foreign Alliance and a deep state conspiring against them have fueled their actions, leading to charges of high treason and attempted murder. The trial of nine suspects in this group marks the beginning of a lengthy legal process that aims to expose and dismantle any militant structures that threaten the stability and security of Germany. The prosecution argues that the suspects’ actions were carefully planned, with the intention of seizing power through violent means, including killing people. The outcome of this trial will have significant implications for how Germany addresses and responds to extremist and anti-democratic movements within its borders.
