{"id":2434154,"date":"2025-05-13T14:17:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T18:17:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/germany-bans-reich-citizen-group-and-arrests-its-leaders\/"},"modified":"2025-05-13T14:18:37","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T18:18:37","slug":"germany-bans-reich-citizen-group-and-arrests-its-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/germany-bans-reich-citizen-group-and-arrests-its-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"Germany bans \u2018Reich citizen\u2019 group and arrests its leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgermany-bans-reich-citizen-group-and-arrests-its-leaders%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2434154&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Teh German government has banned the &#8220;Reich citizens&#8221; movement, a controversial group that refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the modern German state and claims that the pre-war German Reich still exists. This decision follows years of conflict with authorities and culminated in a nationwide operation were over 800 police officers executed raids and arrested four of the group&#8217;s leaders. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt accused the movement of establishing a &#8220;counter-state&#8221; and engaging in criminal activities, including antisemitism. The group had attempted to create its own parallel state and refused to acknowledge government authority, leading to increased scrutiny from law enforcement, especially after a member killed a police officer in 2022. Although the group claims about 6,000 members, authorities beleive the actual number may be closer to 1,000, with an estimated 40,000 individuals identified as &#8220;Reich citizens&#8221; overall.The movement is considered fringe and has been under surveillance due to its connections to right-wing extremism.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Germany bans &lsquo;Reich citizen&rsquo; group and arrests its leaders<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2016904\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/germany\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"German\">German<\/a> government banned the controversial &ldquo;Reich citizen&rdquo; group and arrested its leaders. Also called the Reichsburger movement, the group rejects the legitimacy of the modern German state, maintaining that the prewar German Reich still legally exists.<\/p>\n<p>After years of conflicts with authorities, the German government banned the movement&rsquo;s largest group, the &ldquo;Kingdom of Germany.&rdquo; In a nationwide operation, over <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >800 police officers stormed members&#038;rsquo<\/a>; properties and arrested the four leaders.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3409243\/trump-saudi-arabia-abraham-accords-drop-syria-sanctions\/\">Trump drops sanctions on Syria and previews expansion of Abraham Accords in Saudi Arabia<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3409299\/sean-hannity-saudi-arabia-relationship-united-states-interview-trump-riyadh\/\">Sean Hannity sees &#8216;desire&#8217; from Saudi Arabia to work with Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3408898\/trump-officials-white-south-africans-afrikaner-refugees-arrival-dc\/\">Trump officials celebrate white South Africans&#8217; arrival in DC<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt accused the members of building criminal structures.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The members of this association have created a &lsquo;counter-state&rsquo; in our country and built up economic criminal structures,&rdquo; he said, also accusing them of holding antisemitic beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We will take decisive action against those who attack our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/german-intelligence-designates-afd-extremist-group-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"German intelligence designates AfD &#039;extremist&#039; group ... Washington Examiner\">free democratic basic order<\/a>,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Participants of a demonstration of Reich citizens carry black and white and other flags in Potsdam, Germany, Nov. 14, 2020. (Christophe Gateau\/dpa via AP, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Among those arrested on Tuesday was Peter Fitzek, 59, who proclaimed himself King Peter I in a 2012 ceremony during which he brandished a medieval sword.<\/p>\n<p>In a 2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-europe-63916812\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"interview\">interview<\/a> with the BBC, Fitzek denied any violent intentions, but added, &ldquo;I have no interest in being part of this fascist and satanic system.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Police blocked the group&rsquo;s online platforms and seized its assets.<\/p>\n<p>Though commonly associated with the Nazis, the German Reich, translated as &ldquo;realm&rdquo; or &ldquo;empire,&rdquo; was the constitutional term for the German state from its foundation at Versailles in 1871 to the dismemberment of Germany in 1945. The Reichsburger movement <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/what-is-germanys-reichsb%C3%BCrger-movement\/a-36094740\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"argues\">argues<\/a> that the state never actually fell, that the current German Republic is a private company rather than a state, and that Germany is still under occupation by the Allies.<\/p>\n<p>Reichsburger movement adherents refuse to pay taxes or fines, ignore court orders, and generally disregard authorities. Some groups issue their own passports, driver&rsquo;s licenses, or other marks of legitimacy. Several members have declared themselves monarchs and attempted to establish their own parallel states.<\/p>\n<p>While only a small percentage of Reichsburger adherents are considered right-wing extremists, the number was high enough to draw concerns from authorities. The movement was put under surveillance after a member killed a Bavarian police officer who tried to confiscate a cache of weapons. The incident caused law enforcement to change its view of the group from harmless cranks to something more sinister.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is not about harmless nostalgics, as the title of the association might suggest, but about criminal structures, criminal networks,&rdquo; Dobrindt said Tuesday. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s being banned today.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The &ldquo;Kingdom of Germany&rdquo; claims roughly 6,000 members, but authorities believe the actual number is around 1,000. Authorities estimated the total number of Reichsburgers to be around 40,000.<\/p>\n<p>The Reichsburger movement gained national attention in 2022 when federal police arrested 25 people who were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2337509\/germany-foils-alleged-far-right-coup-attempt-to-overthrow-the-government\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"allegedly planning a coup\">allegedly planning a coup<\/a>. The group was made up of right-wing extremists and ex-military figures, who were reportedly planning for a &ldquo;Day X&rdquo; to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-europe-63885028\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">storm the Reichstag<\/a> and install their own king.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2337509\/germany-foils-alleged-far-right-coup-attempt-to-overthrow-the-government\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"GERMANY FOILS ALLEGED FAR-RIGHT COUP ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT\">GERMANY FOILS ALLEGED FAR-RIGHT COUP ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Reichsburger movement is considered fringe, with no links to mainstream groups such as the Alternative for Germany Party, which has also been targeted by the German government.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after becoming the country&rsquo;s most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ukraine-zelensky-uses-martial-law-to-ban-main-opposition-party-in-crackdown-on-division\/\" title=\"Ukraine: Zelensky Uses Martial Law to Ban Main Opposition Party In Crackdown on &#039;Division&#039;\">popular political party<\/a>, the AfD was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3399059\/german-intelligence-designates-afd-extremist-group\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">deemed an &ldquo;extremist&rdquo; group <\/a>by the government earlier this month. Germany&rsquo;s intelligence agency now spies on the group, and the government is split on whether to ban it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2016904\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2016904\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Germany bans &#8216;Reich citizen&#8217; group, arrests its leaders<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2434155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Reich-Citizens.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[4283,3946,55158],"class_list":["post-2434154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-arrests","tag-germany","tag-reich-citizens"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Reich-Citizens.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2434154"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2434158,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434154\/revisions\/2434158"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2434155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2434154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2434154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2434154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}