A coup… with 25 men. Arrests in Germany among the organizers of an “Imperial” Putsch
Yesterday the German police arrested 25 people, defined as right-wing extremists, who thought they were organizing a sort of coup and seizing power in Germany by upsetting state institutions. How 25 people could do it remains a mystery, but still the group that would have tried is called "Reichsburger", "Citizens of the Empire". The "citizens of the Reich" are groups or individuals who, for very different reasons, question the existence of the Federal Republic of Germany and its legal system. In many cases, they deny the legitimacy of any democratically elected representative. They often consider themselves outside the legal system. In concrete terms, this means that the “Reichsbürger” reject official identification documents of the Federal Republic of Germany, for example, and instead issue fictitious documents such as the “Reich driving licence” or the “Reich identity card”. or use “German Reich” license plates. Also, they refuse to pay any taxes or duties.
Ideologically, the “ Reichsbürger” partly overlaps with the right-wing extremist scene. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution therefore classifies the “Reichsbürger” as anti-state and anti-constitutional.
In its latest report, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution points out that "self-administrators" should not be ignored. A clear distinction between the two groups is difficult. The “Reichsbürger” rejects the Federal Republic with reference to a German Reich of any kind. The "self-administrators," on the other hand, feel completely outside the state structures, according to the report. In many cases, they claim that they have "resigned" from the state with a corresponding declaration and are therefore not bound by its laws.
Characteristic of the scene is its personal, organizational and ideological diversity. The "Reichsbürger" often act in small groups, but also in supra-regional associations and virtual networks. The spectrum ranges from loose associations to strictly hierarchically managed organizations. They also form "governments in exile", "kingdoms" or other fictional structures – for example, the "Principate of Germany", the "Republic of Free Germany" or "People's Germany". In short, they are a small group of dreamers who imagine being able to return to a sort of fantasy Germanic empire, a bit as if a group of Italians wanted to restore the Roman Empire…
Nationwide, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution has around 21,000 people in the “citizens of the Reich” and “self-administrator” scene. The data comes from the latest report from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which dates back to 2021. Practically four cats, less than members of a football club.
According to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, there is a high potential for violence in the "citizens of the Reich" and "self-administering" scene. Of the 21,000 "citizens of the Reich" and "self-administerers", around 2,100 are violently oriented. They include people who have already attracted attention through violence or threats, for example by resisting government measures. There have also been particular cases of serious violence and even a murder, but they have been isolated and extremist cases.
The environment is organized in a confusing way. According to the Berlin State Agency for Civic Education, the “Reichsbürger” are particularly represented in rural areas, but there are also activities in cities. Especially Thuringia, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Saxony see the largest number of "Reich Citizens".
The "Reichsbürger" disseminates its world view via the Internet, for example on its own websites, via social media channels and in specially set up discussion forums. Last year, according to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the “Reichsbürger” group “Bismarck's heirs” expanded its presence in social networks and tried to establish its own news format. On their websites, the “Reichsbürger” sometimes also offer their fictitious documents for a fee, such as the “Reichs-Ausweis” or the “Reichs-Führerschein”.
In the end these 25 arrests, which even include a former prince of the royal house, reveal a world of farce rather than tragedy. More than a Putsch, this pseudo-conspiracy looks like an idea taken from the famous film by the Monicelli – Tognazzi duo “Vogliamo i colonelli”
This operetta conspiracy will become the pretext for the German press and media to attack not so much the right, but all those who do not accept the commands and orders of an increasingly totalitarian power. In fact, the German media hastened to bundle a bit of everyone: no vax, right, libertarians, nonconformist dreamers. You fear more a power that fears confrontation or a group of reactionary lunatics. To you the choice.
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The article A coup… with 25 men. Arrests in Germany among the organizers of an "Imperial" Putsch comes from Scenari Economici .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/un-golpe-con-25-uomini-arresti-in-germania-fra-gli-organizzatori-di-un-putsch-imperiale/ on Thu, 08 Dec 2022 07:00:46 +0000.