Germany Arrests 25 for 'Coup Plot'... Also Planned Military Formation

'Imperial Citizens' Member with Over 20,000 Followers
Believes in Conspiracy Theories, Refuses Democracy and Tax Obligations

On the 7th (local time), German police are escorting the German coup ringleader known as 'Heinrich XIII'. Photo by Reuters·Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Anti-government forces dreaming of overthrowing the state were arrested in large numbers in Germany.

According to foreign media reports on the 7th (local time), German police launched a large-scale operation at around 150 locations across 11 of the 16 federal states in Germany, deploying about 3,000 personnel, and arrested 25 anti-government activists. They were identified as participants in the so-called 'Reichsb?rger' movement, with half of those arrested caught in the southern German states of Baden-W?rttemberg and Bayern. Two others were arrested in Austria and Italy.

According to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, the suspects are accused of having made concrete plans since around November last year to carry out an armed attack on the parliament with the aim of overthrowing the German national order. The Reichsb?rger have refused Germany's modern democracy and the obligation to pay taxes. While their activities were once known to be non-aggressive, their power rapidly grew last year, and recently they have shown very dangerous movements.

Anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories are widespread among the Reichsb?rger, and about 10% of them have engaged in violent activities. According to the BBC, it is estimated that there are currently about 21,000 followers of the Reichsb?rger movement in Germany, about 5% of whom have far-right tendencies. The BBC also reported that about 500 Reichsb?rger members legally possessed firearms as of the end of last year.

The key figure among them is a 71-year-old man called 'Heinrich XIII.' His followers reportedly intended to install him as the new leader after overthrowing the state. Claiming himself as a prince, Heinrich XIII comes from the noble House of Reuss, which ruled parts of the eastern German state of Th?ringen until 1918.

The descendants of the House of Reuss still own several castles, and Heinrich is said to have a hunting lodge. His family members described Heinrich as "a person filled with conspiracy theories and misunderstandings, sometimes confused," keeping their distance from him.

The Reichsb?rger were also planning to establish an army led by the second ringleader, R?diger von P. This army reportedly consists of active and former military personnel, including former elite soldiers from special forces. The Federal Prosecutor's Office stated that the purpose of this military unit was "to eliminate democratization groups at the regional level."

The number of violent crimes committed by Reichsb?rger members over the past year reached about 1,000, doubling in just one year. In 2016, one Reichsb?rger member killed a police officer, and in April of this year, they were involved in an attempted kidnapping of the German Minister of Health in protest against the COVID-19 lockdown, which ultimately failed. Some members dreamed of building an autonomous state, issuing their own currency and identity cards, and even purchased land in the Sachsen region earlier this year.

Meanwhile, among the arrested suspects was a Russian woman, leading to speculation about Russian involvement. However, Russia quickly denied these allegations on the 7th. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded to reporters' questions about any connection between the incident and Russia by saying, "This is an internal German issue. There was no Russian interference whatsoever." He added, "Germany also stated that there was no Russian interference. We learned about the incident through media reports," emphasizing the point again.

German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann tweeted, "They were preparing an armed attack on government institutions," and added, "German authorities have protected democracy."