Descendant of Former German Empire Marquis Family... "Caught in Conspiracy Theories"
Some Coup Plotters Are Russian... Suspected Backing
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] The recent large-scale coup attempt in Germany has sent shockwaves through German society. In particular, Heinrich XIII, a descendant of the former German Empire nobility and the central figure in this incident, is attracting international attention. Concerns are rising that spontaneous terrorist organizations may continue to emerge due to growing dissatisfaction caused by security threats from the Ukraine war, economic crises, and weakening social safety nets.
According to Deutsche Welle (DW), a local German media outlet, on the 11th (local time), the German government announced that since the 7th, over 1,000 participants involved in the coup attempt by the anti-government group 'Reich Citizens' have been arrested, and a massive amount of firearms and weapons have been seized from them. This group is an organization with approximately 23,000 members in total, recently recruiting former soldiers and accumulating a large stockpile of weapons.
Notably, they have continued anti-government activities centered around Heinrich XIII, who is known as a descendant of the former German Empire marquis family, with the aim of reviving the old German Empire.
Who is the Veiled Figure 'Heinrich XIII'? ... "An Ordinary Real Estate Developer"
According to the British BBC, Heinrich XIII, known as the leader of this coup attempt, is a descendant of the House of Reuss, a marquis family from the 19th-century German Empire. He was originally known as an ordinary real estate developer. Born in 1951, he was born in the Hesse region of Germany and has mainly worked as a real estate developer in Frankfurt.
His father, Heinrich Reuss zu K?stritz, and his mother, Princess Bozena Fedora Reuss, both came from noble families, but after the former German Empire's defeat in World War I in 1919, they lost their noble titles and became ordinary citizens. The House of Reuss is known as a marquis family that ruled the eastern German region of Thuringia for over 700 years.
The current head of the House of Reuss is known to be his relative, Heinrich XIV, who previously emphasized in interviews with German media that "Heinrich XIII is not a direct descendant of the family but a collateral descendant and a mentally disturbed person caught up in conspiracy theories," denying any connection with the family.
Rapid Increase in Social Dissatisfaction Amid Russian Security Threats and Economic Hardships
Inside and outside Germany, concerns are rising that following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, intensified security threats and worsening economic difficulties due to soaring energy prices could lead to continued conspiracies to overthrow the state, primarily by far-right groups.
According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the anti-government group Reich Citizens, whose leadership was largely arrested this time, has so far rejected Germany's identity as a democracy and tax obligations but had not been particularly aggressive in its activities. However, last year, as its membership surged past 20,000, it transformed into an extremely dangerous organization. This is presumed to be due to the increase in social dissatisfaction as more people suffer from rising energy costs, reduced social security funds to cover defense expenses, and economic hardship.
There are also suspicions of Russian backing. According to German police investigations, among the 25 leaders of the Reich Citizens arrested this time, three were Russian nationals, and they were arrested on charges of supporting the group's funds. There are concerns that Russia may continue to support anti-government groups to induce chaos in Germany, a key country leading sanctions against Russia in the Ukraine war.
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