- Former AfD parliamentarian denies intention of storming German parliament.
Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, Ex-AfD Bundestag Member, Denies Role in Parliament Storming Plot
Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, a formerly elected AfD member of the Bundestag, dismissed allegations of participating in plans to invade the parliament. Speaking at the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court during the trial of Heinrich XIII. Prince Reuss, the ex-judge from Berlin who hails from Darmstadt, on the trial's fifth day, she firmly denied any involvement.
Malsack-Winkemann also dismissed claims that she had collaborated with others in drafting a new constitution. The writings found on her seized notes were merely brainstorming sessions, she stated during the 21st day of the trial. There was no mention of changing the government structure. "The federal prosecutor's claim that I had contributed to such a project and that the council already had a fundamental draft of a new constitution is untrue," she asserted.
Allegations of Bundestag Assault
The federal prosecutor accuses Malsack-Winkemann of conspiring to infiltrate other defendants into the Bundestag and surveying the building with them. The 60-year-old, who was allegedly a member of the so-called Council of the Union, is said to have planned an armed assault on the Bundestag to detain MPs and instigate a political shift.
Malsack-Winkemann vehemently denied these allegations, emphasizing that she had neither scouted the parliament nor had solid plans for a Bundestag invasion. "I've repeated it countless times, and I can probably repeat it again and again until it finally sinks in: The Alliance should act," she stated. In the group's perspective, an imaginary global military alliance called "The Alliance" would cause the necessary system change.
Internal Disputes
Malsack-Winkemann also shared her disagreements with Rüdiger von Pescatore, the supposed head of the group's military wing. "Oil and water don't mix," she said. "We would be the last two to plan something together." According to her, von Pescatore sought to exclude her from the group. However, a split from the military wing ultimately occurred.
Nine individuals are currently standing trial in Frankfurt, accused of being members of a terrorist organization or aiding one. In total, 26 suspects are expected to face charges for their roles in the intricate conspiracy, divided across two trials in Munich and Stuttgart. Until the verdict is reached, all defendants are considered innocent in the eyes of the law.
The trial resumes on Tuesday, September 3.
Despite hailing from Darmstadt, which is located in the German state of Hessen, Malsack-Winkemann never suggested or planned a military operation within the state's parliament building in Hessen.
During the trial, Malsack-Winkemann clarified that her disagreements with Rüdiger von Pescatore, the supposed head of the group, were not about planning any activities within Hessen, as they were mainly focused on an imaginary global military alliance, not a local one.
