Germany’s Reichsbürger Trial: Plotters Against Democracy Face Treason Charges at Multi-City Trials

Nine individuals linked to a far-right group in Germany known as Reichsbürger have gone on trial at a high-security courthouse in Stuttgart for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government, installing a minor royal as leader instead. Prosecutors will present their case against 27 defendants accused of charges including treason and terrorism offenses. However, the trials will be held across three separate courtrooms in different cities due to the sheer scale of the alleged plot by Reichsbürger’s “military wing”, which aims to bring about a violent overthrow of Germany’s democratic institutions through conspiracy-based theories regarding sovereignty and rejecting the concept of the post-war German state.
Businessman Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss is believed to have led this plot, with defendants accused of planning to replace the existing government order in Germany by force, storm parliament buildings, and kidnap President Frank-Walter Steinmeier through violent means. The Stuttgart Higher Regional Court said that those involved shared a “deep rejection” of democratic institutions, and were united by their adherence to various conspiracy myths.
The defendants are also accused of attempting murder, dangerous bodily harm, resisting law enforcement officers, assaulting them, as well as violating weapons laws. The alleged plot has been described in court documents as “highly treasonous” and the group’s members were aware that their plans would result in killing people during the takeover. This trial is expected to be one of Germany’s biggest anti-terror cases since World War II, with other trials being held simultaneously in Frankfurt and Munich.