Approval for ban on the "Reichsbürger" group

The Left and Greens in the Saxon state parliament immediately welcomed the ban on the "Reichsbürger" group "Kingdom of Germany". Green Party interior politician Valentin Lippmann spoke of a "long overdue decision" and described the group as a "dangerous collection of weapons fanatics and democracy despisers". It had established a dubious parallel society, particularly in Saxony.

"Reichsbürger" lose important point of contact

"The ban on the association means that the constantly increasing number of "Reichsbürger" will be deprived of at least one important point of contact. The next step now is to fully expose the group's financing methods," emphasized Lippmann. His party had long pointed out that the self-proclaimed King Peter Fitzek was financing his "kingdom" through more than dubious banking transactions. Fitzek was arrested in Halsbrücke near Freiberg in the morning.

Connection to right-wing extremists

Left-wing politician Juliane Nagel established the connection between the "Reichsbürger" and right-wing extremists. She said that action needed to be taken more quickly and that "Reichsbürger" should no longer be dismissed as bizarre fringe figures. They are an integral part of the extreme right. The "Kingdom of Germany" had been able to amass considerable funds and acquire real estate under the eyes of the public. The expansion of the group in Saxony was accompanied by a significant and continuous growth of the entire scene.

"The largest organization of the "Reichsbürger" scene in Germany was smashed here - a scene that has been growing for years and is acting ever more aggressively against our state. This group has used criminal energy to set up a pseudo-state and specifically attacked our constitution and applicable law," explained SPD politician Albrecht Pallas. "Reichsbürger" are not harmless eccentrics, many of them are dangerous right-wing extremists.

Currently around 3,100 "Reichsbürger" in Saxony

Nagel regularly submits small questions to the state parliament on the subject of "Reichsbürger" and "Selbstverwalter". In the last answer from the Ministry of the Interior at the end of January, around 3,100 people were attributed to this scene, including 79 right-wing extremists. "Reich citizens" do not recognize the Federal Republic of Germany as a state. They deny the legitimacy of the Basic Law, authorities and courts and do not accept official decisions.

Saxony's Office for the Protection of the Constitution had long warned against the "Kingdom of Germany". In 2022, the authority announced that Fitzek was looking for plots of land for his "public welfare villages", particularly in Saxony. Fitzek lures his followers with the promise of leading a "self-determined life far away from state rules". Those who entrust Fitzek with their savings not only become existentially dependent on him, but also fall into the maelstrom of extremist ideologies and conspiracy theories.