Unearthed coup plot: 27 charged in Germany under 'Heinrich XIII' who planned to reinstate monarchy
The federal prosecutor's office accuses these 27 defendants of belonging to and aiding a terrorist organization known as the Citizens of the Reich (German: Reichsbuerger). This organization is reportedly conspiring to overthrow the German government. The proceedings of this case are set to take place in district courts in Frankfurt am Main, Munich, and Stuttgart. The indictment of 10 members of the group, including some of the most prominent figures, has already been presented to the court in Frankfurt.
9:41 AM EST, December 13, 2023
"The group members robustly reject state institutions and a free, democratic constitutional order," reads a part of the indictment quoted by the BBC.
Attempt to overthrow the German government
In December of last year, as part of one of the largest operations of the German police, 25 individuals - both men and women - including the group's leader, a descendant of the ancient family of Heinrich XIII, were apprehended in several federal states, Austria, and Italy. He had been contemplating assuming power in a prospective German monarchy post-coup.
These accused individuals are members of the aforementioned organization, Citizens of the Reich.
The German broadcaster MDR reported that former AfD member of the Bundestag, Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, Rüdiger von P., Maximillian E., and Peter W. - three former members of the Bundeswehr, as well as a Lower Saxony State Criminal Police officer, Michael F., are among the defendants. The BBC reports that they had access to nearly 380 firearms and roughly 148,000 pieces of ammunition. German intelligence data indicates that the organization had 23,000 supporters.
Based on the findings, it was supposed that the armed group intended to breach the parliament in Berlin. Following the attack, the leader of the Citizens of the Reich was supposed to establish contact with Russian officials to secure Moscow's support and discuss a new order after the coup.
