German authorities raided over 700 properties on Tuesday in connection with the thwarted Reichsbuerger (Reich citizens) coup attempt in December 2022, a planned coup that sought to overthrow the German government by seizing the Bundestag and replacing the German Federal Republic with a monarchy under the leadership of Heinrich XIII Prinz Reuss.
Supposed Supporters
The raids were conducted across three separate German states and targeted properties identified as bunkers and an ex-military training site by Der Spiegel owned by a 73-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman who live in Calw, located in Germany’s Baden-Wuerttemburg state. The couple is believed to have used the properties searched by authorities to train agents for the planned coup attempt. Der Spiegel reports that authorities are searched for supposed weapons caches due to the male’s possession of a large number of firearms.
Other than allegedly providing training, the couple have been accused of providing Ruediger Wilfried Johann von Pescatore, a key leader in the Reichsbuerger’s militant wing, a vehicle, a meeting room, and other forms of logistical support. Authorities stated that the couple were cooperative with police and have not been arrested at this time, suggesting that no evidence was discovered at the raided properties.
Those arrested in connection with the Reichsbuerger plot began their trial last month, with 27 people standing accused of terrorism and high treason for their alleged support of the plot.
Armed Resistance
In a dramatic turn of events regarding the case, one member of the movement fired a number of shots at authorities when police arrived at his apartment in Reutlingen, Baden-Wuerttemburg, to issue a search warrant. Originally, police had not planned to arrest the alleged member of the movement identified as Markus Peter L., but once authorities breached the property, Markus began firing. Police special forces led the raid after arriving at the scene due to Markus’ legal ownership of 22 weapons, with authorities believing Markus’ owned more that were registered.
Investigators allege that Markus had prepared for a police raid in advance, loading multiple firearms and keeping them close at hand in preparation for police action. He had allegedly constructed an improvised cover by draping a protective vest over a desk. Once police breached the premises, Markus reportedly fired at least ten rounds while police fired sixteen shots in response, as evidenced by the shell casing recovered by the forensic team. While police attempted to locate Markus, the suspect shot through a closed door, hitting one officer multiple times in his protective shield, with one shot managing to hit the officer in the elbow. Another officer was wounded in the finger.
Following these injuries, police retreated to their vehicles, evacuating nearby apartments before cordoning off the scene of the shooting. Eventually, Markus surrendered himself to the police.
This incident will be an important focus point for prosecutors as they unpack the Reichsbuerger’s plot, with prosecutors likely using Markus’ case as evidence of the plotters’ alleged violent plans for the future of Germany. The case surrounding the attempted coup first began on May 21, with nine defendants, including Reuss, denying the aforementioned charges of high treason and terrorism, which has led to a protracted court case that is expected to come to an end by January 2025 at the earliest.
Alongside the alleged planned coup, leaders of the movement have been accused of seeking Russian aid for the overthrow of the Federal Republic after a number of leaders reportedly met with Russian officials at consulates both in Germany and the Slovak Republic.
Among those facing trial are former Bundeswehr officers Maximilian Eder and Ruediger von Pescatore, along with a former judge turned Alternative for Germany parliament member, Birgit Malsack-Winkemann. Prosecutors claim that Malsack-Winkemann utilized her position as a member of the Bundestag to allow her alleged co-conspirators access to the federal building in order to further plan the coup. Eder defended their visit to the Bundestag, claiming in an interview with Stern, a German magazine, that the trio had visited in order to plan a confrontation with politicians they believed to have been cooperating with an alleged child molestation ring.
While the case is heating up, further evidence brought forward by prosecutors paints a grim picture for those accused of plotting the coup.