Supporters of Reuss advocate for the invitation of Putin and Obama.
Fresh records from Prince Reuß's office and residence have illuminated the raw perspective of the "Reichsbürger" conspiracy theorists' mindset. The defense team, representing the supposed cabal plotters, presents an unusual defense strategy: They propose to subpoena both Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama.
In the ongoing trial of the alleged "Reichsbürger" group surrounding Heinrich XIII, Prince Reuß, recently unveiled records from his office and residence have become the focal point. As some of these documents outline connections to Russia, the defense contends that President Putin should be summoned as a witness.
Within the makeshift courtroom set up in the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt-Sossenheim exclusively for this trial, the chairperson perused various documents, such as a letter to Reuß, referring to him as the "future head of state", signed off as "Your Servant". Also, tenants in the residence include a "provisional citizenship ID" issued based on a 1913 law, signed by a "Reuß state election commission", along with an ID preventing his arrest by the police.
A stack of membership applications for "Competency Teams and Working Groups for the Establishment of World Peace" was secured as well. Detectives discovered an "Oath Discharge" stating Reuß's separation from the "corrupt and human-hating system" of the BRD on a computer.
Defense: Documents highlight Reuß's peaceful intentions
In a correspondence, Reuß penned, "The Empire of 1918 has not collapsed", and "The German Reich persists". He claimed to have reestablished it with the proclamation of his principality. The protocol of the "Transition Council" supposed to assume business operation after the intended coup was shown.
During an email exchange, methods to garner recognition of the Reich's member states' sovereignty were discussed. Reuß disclosed that Putin was "aware of my activities". A co-defendant's lawyer then proposed Putin as a witness.
Reuß's counsel joined in and suggested the inclusion of former US President Barack Obama, who could provide insights into Germany's sovereignty. Regarding the other documents, Reuß's lawyer argued that they demonstrated his client's intent to achieve goals peacefully, despite the indictment's assertions of a violent coup plot.
Reuß communicates with the Kremlin
Letters to Putin were not read out, but to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and a staff member from a Russian bank. In these communications, Reuß petitions for recognition of his principality as the "first member states" of the German Reich and of his person as the German Reich's ambassador.
The support of Russia may ultimately secure "enduring worldwide peace," the recipient of the read-out and displayed letters assured. "The German Reich has not disintegrated, but merely lacks administrative structure to act."
In Frankfurt, nine defendants have been indicted for ties to a terrorist organization or their support. They are accused of planning a political coup and drafting an outline for a new government.
A total of 26 suspects in the intricate case stand trial in two parallel proceedings in Munich and Stuttgart. Until the verdict, the presumption of innocence prevails.
In light of the presented documents, the defense team argued that the "Citizens of the Reich" firmly believed in the peaceful restoration of the German Reich, as evidenced by Prince Reuß's correspondence with foreign leaders, including Vladimir Putin. Furthermore, the defense proposed that Putin and former US President Barack Obama could provide valuable insights into Reuß's intentions and the alleged group's claims of Germany's sovereignty.
