Raids and Trials Intensify Against Reichsbürger Network

German authorities have escalated their crackdown on the far-right Reichsbürger scene with a series of arrests, searches, and court proceedings spanning multiple states. The Bavarian State Criminal Police confirmed that three male suspects were taken into custody during early morning operations targeting six individuals aged between 40 and 61. The coordinated raids, supported by around 300 officers and special forces units, covered properties in Bavaria, Saxony, and Thuringia.

Investigators allege that the suspects are linked to a terrorist organization within the Reichsbürger network that aimed to violently overthrow the German government. Evidence collected during the raids includes weapons-restricted items and digital storage devices, now under forensic analysis. Authorities believe the material could clarify the suspects’ level of involvement and identify possible wider support structures.

Weapons training and plans for armed action

Central to the current investigation is an April 2022 firearms training session held at a former Bundeswehr shooting range near Bayreuth in Upper Franconia. According to case files reviewed by journalists, 13 people attended the event, including Rüdiger von P., a former Bundeswehr officer already on trial in Frankfurt as one of the network’s alleged military leaders. The session reportedly formed part of preparations for an armed assault on the Bundestag in Berlin, a scenario prosecutors consider a key element of the group’s operational planning.

Investigators also linked other attendees to ongoing trials, including Christian W., arrested in December 2022 during nationwide anti-terror raids against the faction led by Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss. Surveillance records suggest that W. maintained prolonged contact with a female suspect from Heiligenstadt, one of the individuals targeted in the latest operation.

Parallel court cases across Germany

The crackdown on the Reuss-led Reichsbürger network has resulted in three major terrorism trials currently underway in Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Munich, involving 26 defendants. The group first drew national attention following large-scale raids in December 2022, when authorities accused its members of plotting to topple the federal government and replace it with a new regime headed by Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss.

Some members are also accused of planning to abduct former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach. In separate proceedings, a court in Koblenz handed prison sentences to five individuals connected to that plot. Prosecutors maintain that these activities form part of a broader effort to destabilize Germany’s constitutional order through coordinated, armed action.

Weapons caches and criminal convictions

Other Reichsbürger-related prosecutions reveal the group’s access to large quantities of weapons and ammunition. In one case heard at the Mosbach District Court, a family from Boxberg in Baden-Württemberg received suspended sentences for illegal weapons possession and cannabis cultivation. Police discovered thousands of rounds of ammunition, firearms hidden in concealed storage spaces, and a professionally maintained cannabis plantation with 38 plants.

The defense argued that the arsenal belonged to another known Reichsbürger adherent, Ingo K., who lived on the same property and is already serving over 14 years in prison for shooting and seriously injuring a police officer during a 2023 raid. While he admitted owning one of the weapon caches, the court determined that other firearms could be linked to the father and son among the accused.

Background on the Reichsbürger movement

The Reichsbürger, or “Reich citizens,” are a loose but increasingly organized network of individuals and small groups who reject the legitimacy of the Federal Republic of Germany. They often claim that the German Reich, as it existed in 1871, still exists, and that post-war Germany is either a private corporation or remains under Allied occupation. Members typically refuse to pay taxes, comply with official orders, or recognize court decisions, sometimes issuing their own documents such as passports or license plates.

Germany’s domestic intelligence service estimates that around 25,000 people nationwide belong to the Reichsbürger or related Selbstverwalter scene, with approximately 4,200 in Baden-Württemberg alone. Authorities view the threat potential as high due to the movement’s demonstrated willingness to use violence. Notable incidents include the fatal shooting of a police officer by a Reichsbürger adherent in 2016, which led to formal surveillance of the movement.

Increasing radicalization and state response

Long dismissed as fringe conspiracy theorists, the Reichsbürger have become a growing focus of counter-extremism efforts as intelligence agencies warn of deeper radicalization and stronger organizational links. Members have been documented establishing so-called “micronations” such as the “Free State of Prussia” or the “Principality of Germania” and forging symbolic royal titles for themselves.

The ongoing trials and large-scale raids mark a sustained effort by German authorities to dismantle operational cells before they can act on violent plans. Prosecutors emphasize that the combination of ideological extremism, military-style training, and access to weaponry makes the group a persistent domestic security risk.