A spokeswoman for Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office said the founder of the “Reich Citizens” subgroup “Kingdom of Germany,” Peter Fitzek, had been taken into custody on Thursday. Fitzek and three other suspected ringleaders of the group, part of a conspiracy theorist movement that rejects the legitimacy of the modern German republic, were arrested.What do we know about the ‘Kingdom of Germany’ arrests?Police on Tuesday conducted raids on the properties of key members of the group in seven German states, making four arrests. The swoop came after Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt banned what is currently the largest group of so-called Reich Citizens. He accused the “Kingdom of Germany” of trying to establish a “counter-state” within Germany.Security authorities believe Fitzek to have founded the group in 2012, ruling as the self-declared monarch of the “Kingdom.”Justifying the ban on the group, Dobrindt said, “The members of this association have created a ‘counter-state’ in our country and built up criminal economic structures.”“In this way, they undermine the rule of law and the Federal Republic’s monopoly on the legitimate use of force,” he added. “At the same time, they use antisemitic conspiracy narratives to back up their supposed claim to authority.” The ban also includes associated splinter groups.What is the ‘Kingdom of Germany’ group?According to Dobrindt, the “Kingdom of Germany” group, which reportedly has around 6,000 members, is the biggest association within the Reichsbürger scene, whose supporters deny the legitimacy of Germany’s post-World War II Federal Republic.This attitude leads some members to refuse demands made by legal authorities, such as fines and taxes. They have also been known to print their own passports and driver’s licenses.Security authorities in Germany have paid increased attention to the movement in recent years amid fears of its violent potential.Most notably, a plot to overthrow the German government was uncovered in late 2022. Its planners are said to have intended to raid the German parliament and arrest key politicians before installing an interim government.Some 27 people were charged in connection with the plot, and 380 firearms were found. Three major trials on terrorism and conspiracy charges began in late April 2024.The Tuesday raids took place in Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.
