Nine accused of planning a coup in Germany placed on trial

On April 29th, the trial began for nine men who aimed to violently overthrow the German government. Coup d'états are a relatively unfamiliar sight for recent European years, so the fact that there was one brewing in Germany struck many as surprising. This article will delve into the attempted coup, from the people behind it, to how it was planned, to how it was stopped.

In December 2022, more than 3,000 officers were involved in a massive anti-extremism raid that uncovered a plot to overthrow the government. The RBG movement, also known as the "Citizens of the Reich'' movement, is a far-right extremist group in Germany that aimed to overthrow the current democratic government and establish a new German state based on the old Empire from the late 19th century. The alleged ringleader, Prince Heinrich XIII Reuß, a businessman and German aristocrat, is accused of leading the plot to install himself as a modern-day Emperor. Members of the revolution included former police officers and soldiers with weapons training and experience with special operations, former political figures, and businessmen. 

The RBG movement's ideology is not only a threat to German democracy but also has links to the American conspiracies such as QAnon. The organization's objective was to forcefully dismantle the established state system in Germany and instate its own governmental structure.  Unified by a profound disdain for state establishments and the principles of liberal democracy, the members of the group subscribed to a collection of conspiracy theories. The court highlighted that the defendants were aware that their proposed seizure of power would certainly involve “killing people” in the process.

This comes in a time of rising far-right ideologies in Germany. The right wing “Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)” recently polled at 22% nationally. In addition, Several AfD officials were discovered to have held meetings with neo-Nazis, deliberating on strategies for the mass deportation of migrants as well as naturalized German citizens. The surge in backing for parties such as the AfD throughout Europe is frequently linked to public frustration regarding immigration and COVID-19 containment measures, including lockdowns, mask mandates, and vaccination efforts. Furthermore, there's a perception that governments are pushing too rapidly towards a green-energy transition, which is seen as potentially detrimental to some of the more economically disadvantaged groups. Another factor often cited is the prevalence of "zero-sum thinking,” where there is less room for discourse as parties are either “right or wrong”, alienating voters.