The 2022 Reichsbürger Coup Attempt

Background

In December 2022, German intelligence services and police uncovered an extensive plan for an armed coup against the German state. The operation, dubbed "Operation Limes," resulted in the arrest of 25 people across multiple raids conducted between December 3-7, 2022. The group consisted primarily of members and supporters of the Reichsbürger movement—a right-wing extremist, anti-state movement with more than 20,000 members in Germany.

The Reichsbürger movement refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the Federal Republic of Germany and claims that the German Reich from before 1945 still exists as a legal entity. Members view themselves as citizens of a fictional state formation and reject German legislation and the legal system.

Group Leadership and Structure

The plan was led by Heinrich XIII, who uses the full name Heinrich XIII Prinz Reuß. He is a 71-year-old retired legal advisor who positioned himself as leader of the intended new government. Another key member was Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, a former CDU politician and member of the Bundestag from 2017-2021, who was to assume the role of foreign minister in the planned regime.

The group also included active and former military personnel, economists, and technology specialists. Several members had acquired military experience, indicating plans for armed action. The network extended across Germany with nodes in multiple federal states.

The Coup Plan

Intelligence services uncovered a concrete military plan for the coup attempt. The group had:

- Expressed intent to invade the Bundestag (parliament) with armed force - Planned the arrest of members of the federal government - Attempted to establish connections with right-wing militias and other extremist groups - Sought contact with Russian military circles for potential support - Accumulated weapons and military equipment

The plan appeared naive and more poorly organized than many superficial analyses initially suggested. The group lacked realistic strategies for establishing state control or sustaining such control for any length of time. Their will was present—the realism of their planning was questionable.