Trial begins for German far-right group accused of plotting coup
The primary accusation against the group is their alleged intention to incite a civil war-like scenario by causing a widespread power outage and plotting to abduct German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach
Representational Image. Reuters
As many as four men and their 75-year-old female leader accused of planning a coup and to kidnap German Health Minister were produced before the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz city of Western Germany on Wednesday.
The accused persons suspected to be part of the “Vereinte Patrioten” (United Patriots) group, are facing charges of conspiring to overthrow the German government.
According to federal prosecutors, they formed the “Vereinte Patrioten” in mid-January 2022 and are now accused of establishing or being involved in a terrorist organization, local media reports confirmed.
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The primary accusation against the group is their alleged intention to incite a civil war-like scenario by causing a widespread power outage and plotting to abduct German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach.
Their objective, reportedly, was to dismantle parliamentary democracy in Germany.
Once in control, the accused planned to take charge of government institutions themselves. Federal prosecutors have therefore charged them with “preparing high treason against the federal government.”
How were they caught?
The involvement of an undercover investigator is believed to have been crucial in apprehending the suspects. The investigator spent months embedded within the group, gathering evidence.
On April 13, 2022, the four male suspects were arrested, followed by the arrest of the woman on October 13 of the same year. Since then, they have been held in custody.
If found guilty by the court, they are likely to face significant prison sentences.
What are they accused of?
Investigators have identified specific preparations made by the suspects, who primarily communicated through a chat group on the Telegram messaging service and held multiple meetings at various locations.
One of the accused individuals scouted potential targets for attacks on the electricity network, while another planned the abduction of the health minister, even considering the possibility of killing his bodyguards if necessary.
To facilitate their plans, the group acquired Kalashnikov rifles, pistols, and ammunition. They also intended to import barrels of explosives from the former Yugoslavia.
The ‘Female’ Kingpin
The alleged ideological leader of the group is a former pastor and teacher who recently resided in Saxony.
Her writings were discovered on the blogs affiliated with the “Reichsbürger” (Citizens of the Reich) movement.
These writings bear the distinct characteristics of the movement, which boasts a membership of 23,000 individuals and asserts that the German Reich, referring to Germany under imperial rule, still exists in its pre-1918 form.
The woman stands accused of composing open letters on “Reichsbürger” blogs addressed to figures such as Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, or “the Allies.”
These letters contain expressions of antisemitic sentiments and are signed with the name “Wilhelm-Emperor-Rex-Descendants,” implying that she views herself as a successor to the last German emperor.
Federal prosecutors firmly believe that the woman and her accomplices are more than mere eccentric individuals pretending to be part of the movement.
According to the group’s doctrine, which contends that the German Reich persists based on the constitution of 1871, they would conclude that the democratic framework of the Federal Republic of Germany is illegitimate.
Instead, they advocate for the reintroduction of an authoritarian system of governance modeled on the German Empire.
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