Prince Heinrich XIII of Reuss will go on trial in Frankfurt, along with eight men and women who planned to violently overthrow the government in order to bring him into power. The group, known as the “United Patriots,” believed in a vast conspiracy involving pedophilic politicians and an underground military base network. Prosecutors have spent months analyzing evidence to show the dangerous nature of the accused members. The plotters are part of the Reichsbürger movement, which considers the modern German state illegitimate, and have become increasingly radical over time. The trial is part of a larger crackdown on militant Reichsbürger structures in the country.
This high-profile trial in Frankfurt is just one of three related proceedings arising from the attempted coup plot. In Stuttgart, a trial is ongoing for nine men accused of being the military arm of the operation, while in Munich, eight other suspected plotters are set to go on trial for providing financial support. With 27 people indicted and the core group of alleged plotters too large for a single courtroom, the entire legal process is expected to take years before reaching a verdict. The Frankfurt trial, focusing on the group’s leadership, is considered to be the most important among the three proceedings.
Despite their outlandish beliefs based on far-right historical revisionism and QAnon-type mythology, the accused members of the group posed a real danger, according to authorities. The group possessed a cache of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and other military gear, along with gold and cash. Key figures in the plot included retired army officers, an active-duty chief inspector of the criminal police, a former federal lawmaker, and a judge who was elected on a far-right ticket in 2017. The group planned to overthrow the government in the summer of 2021 by entering Parliament, arresting top politicians, and broadcasting the coup to the public.
Prosecutors allege that the former judge used her security pass to bring other members of the group, including a former colonel, into the Reichstag for reconnaissance of the area. The group’s leaders meticulously planned the coup attempt, with regular meetings held at an old hunting castle belonging to Prince Heinrich XIII. They signed oaths pledging secrecy and promise of death if they revealed information about the group. The prince, although not the founder of the movement, was seen as the ideal figurehead due to his family’s connections to the German Kaisers.
The authorities have characterized the militant Reichsbürger as a serious threat to democracy in Germany. The crackdown on these structures is an ongoing effort to dismantle extremist groups and prevent future violent activities. The Frankfurt trial, with its focus on the leadership of the failed coup plot, is expected to shed light on the extent of the group’s preparations and potential ties to foreign intelligence services. As the legal proceedings continue, experts anticipate a long and complex road ahead before any final verdicts are reached in this case of a bizarre far-right conspiracy to seize power in Germany.
