German authorities have taken significant action against an extremist group known as the "Kingdom of Germany," banning its activities and arresting four key members, including its self-proclaimed "king," Peter Fitzek.
This group was identified as promoting a secessionist agenda and declaring itself a "counter-state" governed by an absolute monarch.
The Kingdom of Germany is linked to the Reichsburger movement, a far-right network that dismisses the legitimacy of the current German state.
According to the domestic intelligence agency, about 25,000 individuals are engaged with various Reichsburger groups throughout the country.
Members of the group assert that the historical German Reich still exists, refusing to recognize the authority of Germany’s government, including its legislative and judicial bodies.
They reject state obligations such as taxes and fines.
On Tuesday, approximately 800 police officers executed raids across Germany, targeting properties associated with the Kingdom of Germany and the residences of its prominent members.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt remarked that the extremists were operating a counter-state in Germany and running criminal financial operations.
He noted that their activities were reinforced by anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
The minister emphasized that the group's actions were not simply a case of "harmless nostalgia," explaining that the ban is a response to the challenges posed by criminal networks and structures.
Established in 2012 in Wittenberg, the Kingdom of Germany became notorious for its operations of unlicensed banking services and promotion of its own parallel legal system.
Fitzek, who previously attempted a parliamentary run, declared himself "King Peter I" and appointed deputies and a finance minister to bolster his self-imposed authority.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Karlsruhe indicated that Fitzek had control and decision-making authority over essential operations within the group.
Authorities highlighted that the Kingdom of Germany perceives itself as a sovereign state under international law, aiming to extend its territory to match the borders of the former German Empire as they were in 1871.
In a related incident in 2022, law enforcement had apprehended individuals from a group affiliated with the Reich Citizens movement, which included a former Member of Parliament and former military personnel, for allegedly conspiring to storm the parliament and overthrow the government, intending to install Prince Heinrich XIII Reuss as the new leader.