Reichsbürger scene in Saxony stagnates

The scene of so-called "Reichsbürger" (citizens of the realm) in Saxony is on the wane. According to figures, there was even a slight decline in 2025. According to a minor inquiry by state parliament member Juliane Nagel (Left Party), around 3,000 people are currently assigned to this spectrum, 79 of whom also belong to the far-right scene. This figure had risen continuously since the Office for the Protection of the Constitution took a closer look at the scene almost ten years ago.

Number of known "Reichsbürger" meetings declining

Last year, the authorities registered 81 "Reichsbürger" events, fewer than in 2024 (more than 100). Nagel sees the nationwide ban of the "Kingdom of Germany" group in May 2025, which recently operated mainly from Saxony, as a decisive factor. In addition, repeated raids involving the "Reuß Group" are likely to have left their mark.

Since then, two splinter groups in particular have made public appearances in the Free State: the "Königlich Sächsische Gemeindeverband" and the "Vaterländische Hilfsdienst". However, they usually only mobilize a few people for their meetings.

Left-wing politician sees no all-clear

"However, it is too early to sound the all-clear. This is shown by further current data that I requested from the Ministry of Justice: in 2025, a total of 441 investigations by Saxon public prosecutors' offices had a Reichsbürger reference, hardly less than in the previous year (444)," Nagel said. The internal judicial identification referred to 242 different persons (2024: 240).

Scene is now particularly conspicuous in the Chemnitz area

The only thing that has shifted somewhat in the meantime is the local focus, according to Nagel. Most of the Reichsbürger proceedings are being handled by the public prosecutor's office in Chemnitz; in previous years, this was done by the authorities in Dresden. "Investigations are underway for more than 80 different criminal offenses, apparently often without a political background in the area of general crime."

Nagel attests to the high criminal energy of "Reich citizens"

For Nagel, the figures are proof of the unchanged high criminal energy of the Reich citizen scene. This is also a continuing burden for Saxon courts. "As in previous years, special security precautions had to be ordered again for numerous hearings, such as entrance checks, because those involved in the proceedings were considered to be Reichsbürger and there were fears of disturbances." Precautions had to be taken around 70 times, and only in individual cases had negotiations been disrupted.

Living in a parallel world

"Reich citizens" live in a de facto parallel world and do not recognize the Federal Republic of Germany as a state. They deny the legitimacy of the Basic Law, authorities and courts, for example, and do not accept official decisions.