Hamburg Courtconvicts "Reichsbürger"
The "Kaiserreichsgruppe" intends to overthrow the government and abolish democracy. A 67-year-old from Schleswig-Holstein supports this plan. In addition, the man committed two weapons offenses. The Landgericht Hamburg is now rendering a verdict.
Due to his support for the insurrection plans of a radical "Reichsbürger" group, the Landgericht in Hamburg sentenced a 67-year-old man to a two-year probation term. The man was found guilty of membership in a terrorist organization in conjunction with aiding in the preparation of a high treason act, as a court spokeswoman stated. In addition, he was sentenced for two weapons offenses.
The court followed the defense's request for a sentence of no more than two years. The Hamburg Public Prosecutor's Office had demanded a sentence of two years and ten months. The defendant was part of the so-called "Kaiserreichsgruppe," which, among other things, planned attacks on the power grid and a publicly effective kidnapping of Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach.
According to investigators, the group intended to overthrow the Federal Government and replace the democracy with a self-governing authoritarian government system modeled after the 1918 collapsed German Empire. The relatively lenient sentence for the defendant from the Bad Bramstedt area was justified by the court due to his subordinate role within the group, as the spokeswoman explained. He had also been largely cooperative. He had participated in several meetings and was involved in the planning of the weapons acquisition.
Alleged Ringleaders in Koblenz on Trial
The alleged ringleaders of the group have been standing trial in Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, for over a year. Other suspects were indicted at other courts, including Düsseldorf. The scene of the so-called "Reichsbürger" and self-governing people consists of various groupings and more or less disorganized individual representatives.
Their members do not consider the Federal Republic a legitimate state and feel bound to laws, administrative acts, and court decisions in many cases. There are overlaps with right-wing extremists and adherents of conspiracy ideologies.
The "Kaiserreichsgruppe"'s conspiracy theories about overthrowing the government and abolishing democracy have led to multiple trials across Germany, including the ongoing trial of the alleged ringleaders in Koblenz. Despite the lenient sentence handed down in Hamburg, international organizations are closely monitoring these cases to prevent the spread of such ideologies and ensure justice is served. The defendants' refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the Federal Republic and their association with right-wing extremists and conspiracy ideologies further underscores the need for robust legal processes to protect democracy.
