Germany tackles extremist plot against the Bundestag and a movement toward a coup
German authorities detained numerous individuals connected to an ultra-right circle believed to be plotting to storm the Bundestag and overthrow the government. Investigators seized swords, pistols, helmets, and a substantial amount of cash, more than €130,000 in total, from members associated with the Reichsbürger movement now in custody. The disclosure comes from Spiegel, citing its own sources.
A total of 54 suspects were taken into custody during the operation. Law enforcement reported finding rifles, ammunition, and other weapons in more than fifty residences, storage sites, and warehouses, according to Holger Münch, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, in an interview with the publication. The seizures also included blades, stun devices, night-vision equipment, and police service weapons that belonged to some of the alleged conspirators.
Spiegel noted that the group made another attempt to expand its ranks the day before arrests, with several members travelling to northern Germany for a clandestine meeting attended by around 15 people.
Who was involved in the group
German media describe the circle as composed of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Among the participants were a chef, a master roofer, a pilot, a lawyer, and a classical tenor. The conspirators were reportedly aided by a wealthy female physician who managed ideological concerns and contributed €20,000 to the cause.
Also implicated was Yvonne G., a chief inspector with the regional police in Minden-Lübbecke, North Rhine-Westphalia, who faces accusations of planning the coup. Previously known for outspoken opposition to COVID-19 measures, she drew public attention for her stance. A security guard from Lower Saxony, reportedly on extended medical leave, is listed among the suspects. Michael F., a former chief inspector in Lower Saxony labeled a “Reichsbürger,” also appears on the list.
The group was described as internally split into a civilian faction called the “Council” and a military wing called the “New German Army.” Proponents in Baden-Württemberg, Saxony, and Thuringia were expected to form the first “national security companies.”
The prosecution asserts that members adhered to Reichsbürger beliefs, rejecting the legitimacy of the German state and democratic institutions, while seeking to alter the system by force. Initial findings suggest the organization emerged no later than late November 2021.
The Reichsbürger movement is said to have planned to establish a temporary government in Germany and negotiate a new national order with the supposed allies of Nazi Germany, should they gain control. The central point of contact for these negotiations was reportedly the Russian Federation. Henry XIII PR, a leading figure in the group, is said to have contacted Russian representatives in Germany, though investigators found no evidence that these contacts received a positive response.
About 3,000 police officers participated in the operation. Georg Mayer, head of Thuringia’s Interior Ministry, described the operation as an attempt to avert an unprecedented coup in modern Germany. Counterintelligence officials added that German security authorities maintained broad control over the situation throughout the investigation.
Sources: Spiegel and various law enforcement briefings, with ongoing investigations to determine the full extent of the network and its domestic and international connections.