Nine individuals accused of plotting to overthrow the German government and install a minor royal as leader went on trial in Stuttgart on Monday. The defendants, tied to the far-right Reichsbürger movement, face charges including high treason and belonging to a terror organization.
The Reichsbürger movement espouses conspiracy-based theories regarding sovereignty and rejects the post-war German state. The plot, exposed in 2022, aimed to resurrect the German Reich through violence, storm the German Bundestag, and kidnap President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, a descendant of the former ruling family of eastern Germany, allegedly led the plot. The defendants, including former soldiers and judges, planned to eliminate the existing state order and replace it with their own government.
The Stuttgart Higher Regional Court stated that the organization aimed to "violently eliminate the existing state order in Germany and replace it with its own form of government." The defendants followed a "conglomerate of conspiracy myths" and knew the "violent takeover would have involved killing people."
The trial is one of the biggest anti-terror cases in Germany's modern history, with 27 people facing charges across three separate courtrooms in Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Munich. The defendants are accused of participating in the "military arm" of the Reichsbürger, which planned to use violence to achieve its goals.
The indictment issued by the Federal Public Prosecutor General in December accuses the defendants of belonging to a terrorist organization founded in July 2021 and preparing a highly treasonous enterprise. Two defendants face additional charges of violating the Weapons and War Weapons Control Act, with one also accused of attempted murder, dangerous bodily harm, and resisting law enforcement officers.
The trial marks a significant moment in Germany's efforts to combat far-right extremism and terrorism. The Reichsbürger movement has been linked to other violent plots, and the government has taken steps to crack down on the group's activities.
The defendants' alleged plan to install a minor royal as leader is seen as a rejection of Germany's democratic order and a desire to return to a pre-war authoritarian state. The trial will likely shed light on the inner workings of the Reichsbürger movement and its ideology, which has been linked to other far-right groups across Europe.
The German government has faced criticism for its handling of far-right extremism, and the trial is seen as a test of its commitment to combating terrorism and protecting democracy. The outcome of the trial will likely have significant implications for Germany's approach to counter-terrorism and extremism.
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