German prosecutors charge 27 far-right plotters with terrorism offenses
The German prosecutor's office has filed terrorism charges against 27 alleged participants in an attempted coup including a prince and a far-right MP, German newspaper Die Zeit reported on Dec. 12.
This marks the first time the federal prosecutor's office has pressed charges following a large-scale anti-terror raid in December 2022 against the so-called Reich Citizens movement.
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Known in German as Reichsbürgers, its members adhere to radical nationalist conspiracy theories.
Among the accused are a former lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany party Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, a retired special forces soldier, and Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, who is considered to be one of the ringleaders.
The accused are alleged to have planned to storm the Reichstag in Berlin to overthrow the political system in Germany.
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Investigators revealed that the group had already outlined the basic structures of their constitution, with Prince Reuss designated as the head of state. Malsack-Winkemann, a former judge, was to oversee a new justice ministry.
The group intended to negotiate a post-coup order with the Russian Federation, as one of the victorious Allied powers of the Second World War. The Guardian reported that Reuss attempted to contact Russian officials in 2022 to secure Russia’s support for the plan. However, it remains unclear how Russia responded, and Russia denies any connection to the conspirators.
Prosecutors said the accused believed in a “conglomerate of conspiracy myths”, including Reich Citizens and QAnon ideology, and were convinced Germany was ruled by a so-called “deep state.”
This group strongly opposes state institutions and the democratic constitutional order.
According to the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, approximately 23,000 people are members of the unofficial Reichsbürger movement.
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