Early Tuesday morning, German police conducted property raids targeting individuals connected to the far-right “Reichsbürger” movement, an organization which rejects the legitimacy of the Federal Republic of Germany and its democratic foundations. The raids, which involved approximately 700 police officers, took place in seven locations across the counties of Baden-Württemberg, Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein. This latest action forms part of an extensive investigation into the movement, which has been accused of plotting to overthrow the German government.
According to the German newspaper Der Spiegel, the targeted individuals included a 73-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman suspected of offering their properties to the Reichsbürger group for recruitment purposes in recent years. This is part of a broader crackdown on the movement, which saw a major operation in 2022 resulting in the arrest of its suspected leaders. These individuals will face trial this month for founding a terrorist organization and participating as members thereof, a violation under §129a para 1 no.1 of the German Criminal Code.
The Reichsbürger movement envisions the establishment of a new political system, which they refer to as “The Council.” This system would have various departments handling military, internal affairs, health, and justice, aligned with the group’s extremist ideologies. Their plans included close ties with the Russian Federation. The group is also associated with far-right, antisemitic conspiracy theories and is closely linked to the QAnon movement. For more detailed information on the recent raid, you can read further on JURIST.