9 on trial in Germany for terrorism over alleged far-right coup plot to revive Reich

17 others to face court at later date; defendants include former lawmaker, self-styled prince thought to be leader of group that professed ‘conglomerate of conspiracy theories’

One of nine suspected participants in a coup plot wears handcuffs as he is brought to the courtroom to take the stand in the first set of proceedings in Stuttgart, southern Germany, on April 29, 2024. (Bernd Weißbrod/POOL/AFP)
One of nine suspected participants in a coup plot wears handcuffs as he is brought to the courtroom to take the stand in the first set of proceedings in Stuttgart, southern Germany, on April 29, 2024. (Bernd Weißbrod/POOL/AFP)

BERLIN (AP) — Nine people charged with terrorism in connection with an alleged far-right plot to topple the German government went on trial Monday in one of three linked cases.

The trial opening in Stuttgart is the first to open in relation to the purported conspiracy, which came to light in late 2022. It is focused on those defendants of the Reich Citizens group who allegedly were part of its so-called military arm, German news agency dpa reported.

Federal prosecutors in December filed terrorism charges against a total of 27 people, one of whom has since died.

Nine other suspects, among them a self-styled prince and a former far-right lawmaker, will go on trial on May 21 at a Frankfurt state court in the most prominent of the three cases. The other eight will go on trial in Munich on June 18.

The Frankfurt case includes Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss — a scion of the Reuss dynasty that once loomed large in the east German state of Thuringia — whom the group allegedly planned to install as Germany’s provisional new leader; Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, a judge and former lawmaker with the far-right Alternative for Germany party; and a retired paratrooper.

The proceedings of the three cases are expected to last well into 2025.

File: Masked police officers lead Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, center, to a police vehicle during a raid against so-called ‘Reich citizens’ in Frankfurt, Germany, December 7, 2022. (Boris Roessler/dpa via AP)

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said on ZDF public television that the trial “shows the strength of our rule of law that the largest terrorist network of Reich Citizens to date… has to answer for its militant plans to overthrow the government.”

Prosecutors have said that the accused believed in a “conglomerate of conspiracy myths,” including Reich Citizens and QAnon ideology, and were convinced that Germany is ruled by a so-called deep state.

Adherents of the Reich Citizens movement, or Reichsbuergerbewegung in German, reject Germany’s postwar constitution and have called for bringing down the government.

One of nine suspected participants in a coup plot wears handcuffs and hides his face behind a folder as he is brought to the courtroom to take the stand in the first set of proceedings in Stuttgart, southern Germany, on April 29, 2024. (Bernd Weißbrod/Pool/AFP)

According to prosecutors, the German suspects had planned to storm into the parliament building in Berlin and arrest lawmakers. The group allegedly intended to negotiate a post-coup order primarily with Russia, as one of the allied victors of World War II.

The nine defendants at the Stuttgart trial are accused of membership in a terrorist organization and “preparation of a high treasonous enterprise.” One of the defendants is also on trial for attempted murder, dpa reported.

Most of the nine suspects in the Frankfurt trial are also charged with membership in a terrorist organization and “preparation of high treasonous undertaking.” The other eight alleged members of the group have been charged in separate indictments at the court in Munich.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

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