Reich citizens planned to overthrow the federal government: is Putin behind it?

Created: 2022-12-15Updated: 2022-12-15, 5:26 p.m

By: Tobias Utz

Reich citizens planned to overthrow the German government: the head of the NRW constitutional protection sees Russia as an actor behind it.

Update from Thursday, December 15, 5:15 p.m .:

According to the head of the NRW Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Jürgen Kayser, the Russian government is specifically encouraging Reich citizens in their world view.

The influence should extend as far as North Rhine-Westphalia.

"In the Reichsbürger scene, pro-Russian narratives prevail," Kayser told the

.

The country is often seen as the victim of a global conspiracy that is forcing Putin to resist alleged NATO expansion plans in Ukraine.

And Russia has an interest in “destabilizing German society”.

"For this purpose, the citizens of the Reich are also used, whose crude worldview is being strengthened in a targeted manner by the Russian government," said Kayser.

"On social networks, disinformation is being spread through certain channels by influencers who are obviously supported by Moscow."

Jürgen Kayser, head of the North Rhine-Westphalia Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Update from Thursday, December 15, 1:15 p.m .:

After Greens leader Ricarda Lang called for an AfD ban in connection with raids in the Reichsbürger scene, CDU leader Friedrich Merz considers this useless.

"I don't think much of such ban procedures," he told the

.

“They reorganize themselves the next day and are in another party.

And then the game starts all over again, ”said Merz: Instead, a political – and not a legal – dispute with the AfD is necessary.

During a raid against so-called Reich citizens, a police officer secures a searched property in Frankfurt.

© Boris Roessler/dpa

In comparison, Merz spoke in the interview for a tightening of gun laws in Germany, as demanded by Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser.

"If it turns out that people from this scene have come into possession of weapons legally, then you really have to check that," said the CDU leader.

Overthrow before Christmas: Reich citizens planned “death penalties” and “purges”

Update from Wednesday, December 14, 4:19 p.m .:

After the raids on the Reichsbürger scene, further details of the plans are known.

Apparently there were coup projects in the "military arm" of the alleged conspiracy group before Christmas 2022. Specifically, a former colonel in the Bundeswehr, who is a member of the group, gave details of this in a video.

This is reported by the

.

Henry XIII

Prince Reuss is arrested.

© Boris Roessler/dpa

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In the video, the man said that the politicians responsible for the Corona measures now know that “they have their backs to the wall”.

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is an example of this.

He also warned that children in particular would be “revenged”.

"You can get our system to shake if a few determined, committed, courageous people tackle it," said the former colonel, according to

in the video.

He also appeared several times as a speaker at demonstrations of the so-called lateral thinking movement.

The man has since been arrested in Italy.

Nothing came of the coup plans, probably due to the investigations and raids by the authorities.

Reich citizens planned “purges” and “death penalties”

Update from Tuesday, December 13, 1:30 p.m .:

According to a report, the investigative authorities have found numerous weapons during raids in the Reichsbürger scene.

Several participants in the Interior Committee in the Bundestag gave details to Die

after a special session that was not open to the public : According to this, a total of 93 weapons, including 19 handguns and 25 long guns, were confiscated.

In addition, there are numerous finds of non-disclosure agreements, apparently a three-digit number.

It is said in part to say that a violation of the obligation to secrecy carries the “death penalty”.

Satellite phones and kilos of precious metals were also found during the searches.

These were probably intended for the secure communication of the right-wing extremist network, according to the report of the

.

In the interior committee of the Bundestag, new details of the coup plans also came to light.

According to this, “cleansing” was planned in numerous municipalities.

Mayors should probably be eliminated.

Second "enemy list" discovered by Reich citizens: new details known

First report from Tuesday, December 13, 8:30 a.m.:

Berlin – Another “enemy list” was discovered in investigations into the activities of Reich citizens.

Apparently there are names of politicians on it, especially from Baden-Württemberg.

As the

reports, the list was made by Marco v.

H., a Reich citizen arrested on suspicion of terrorism.

He is part of a 25-strong group from the Reichsbürger scene who are currently being investigated.

According to the report, detailed information can be found on the list, including addresses of MPs' constituency offices.

In addition, it should also contain the addresses of numerous medical practices.

Marco v.

H. was already noticed by the investigating authorities during the protests against the Corona measures: According to the report, he expressed radical views and was considered violent.

Reich citizens planned overthrow: new "enemy list" discovered

The "enemy list" found is the second of its kind: a list had previously appeared containing the names of a total of seven cabinet members and members of the Bundestag.

Among others, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) are mentioned.

There are also the names of Saskia Esken and Kevin Kühnert (both SPD).

However, the first "enemy list" was not published by Marco v.

H., but found at Peter W.

According to consistent reports, W. was instrumental in planning the storming of the Reichstag building.

The investigations into the "enemy lists" found are still ongoing.

However, it was already announced on Friday (December 9) that the investigating authorities have been puzzled.

Security circles said the purpose for which the lists had been drawn up still had to be checked carefully.

The Frankfurt real estate entrepreneur Heinrich XIII is said to be the leader of the suspected terrorist group.

be Prince Reuss.

He is said to be the head of the right-wing extremist network.

Among other things, he became known for spreading anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

(do with dpa/AFP)