When the news of broke on Wednesday, it sounded like the plot of a mediocre spy movie: a group of people including a former member of parliament, a low-level aristocrat and former military officers plotting to overthrow the government of one of Europe鈥檚 most stable democracies to install a new German Reich. Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction, however, and what sounds almost amusing in its absurdity is considered a serious terrorist threat by German officials.
More than 3,000 police officers, including special forces, were involved in the searches of more than 130 objects across 11 of Germany鈥檚 16 federal states, making it one of the largest counter-terrorism operations ever in the country. 鈥淭he investigations gave us a glimpse into the abyss of the terrorist threat posed by the 鈥楻eichsb眉rger鈥,鈥 Germany鈥檚 Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, said in a statement. 鈥淭he uncovered alleged terrorist organization is driven by fantasies of a violent coup and conspiracy theories,鈥 Faeser added, saying that the country would 鈥渇ight with full force against enemies of democracy.鈥
While the 鈥淩eichsb眉rger鈥 (literally 鈥渃itizens of the Reich鈥) movement has gained notoriety in Germany in recent years, and is officially observed by the country鈥檚 domestic intelligence service as a potential threat, it is lesser-known outside of Germany鈥檚 borders. The following infographic provides some background information on the group, its motives and beliefs.
