The first trial against the alleged “Reich Citizens” group around Heinrich XIII took place before the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court. Prince Reuss started. Because of the large crowds in front of the courthouse, the proceedings started more than an hour later than planned. Reuss himself will only come to court later in another case.
The nine defendants are accused of membership in a terrorist organization and of so-called “preparation of a treasonous enterprise.” One of the defendants is also on trial for attempted murder.
Two of the accused want to comment on the allegations made by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office. The two defendants said in the trial that they were prepared to provide information about the person and the matter. Another defendant announced that he wanted to provide personal information but not the matter. The remaining six defendants initially do not want to provide any information at all. It is not yet clear when the two defendants will testify.
Company structure was partly advanced
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office is convinced that the establishment of militarily organized associations was in some cases well advanced. In two cases, the so-called homeland security companies could have taken action themselves, said a representative of the authority when reading out the charges against nine suspected members of the group in Stuttgart. They are accused of membership in a terrorist organization and of “preparing a treasonous enterprise” before the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court. One of the defendants is also on trial for attempted murder.
Within Company 221, which was supposed to be responsible for the Tübingen and Freudenstadt areas in Baden-Württemberg, those responsible for recruiting additional personnel had already been named, according to the indictment read out.
The company that was supposed to be responsible for Jena, the Saale-Holzland district and the Saale-Orla district was also able to take action itself. In addition, a variety of actions have been registered to set up additional homeland security companies, said the representative of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office. According to the indictment, the companies were supposed to carry out political “cleansing operations” in their area of responsibility following a potential seizure of power by the group.
Violent overthrow of the federal government planned
The trial in Stuttgart is the first of three mammoth trials against the group around Prince Reuss and one of the largest state security proceedings in the history of the Federal Republic.
Several defense lawyers have failed in their request for a stay of the proceedings. The suspension will be rejected, said presiding judge Joachim Holzhausen. The demand for a merger of the three processes in Stuttgart, Frankfurt am Main and Munich will be postponed.
Several defense lawyers had previously criticized the division of the proceedings between the three higher regional courts and requested a suspension of the Stuttgart proceedings. According to a lawyer, effective criminal defense is not possible because the findings in one trial are difficult to incorporate into the others. The division into three courts is not practical. Other defense lawyers joined the motion.
A defense attorney said a merger would be in the interest of comprehensive investigation. There is a risk that witnesses in the three different trials will give different statements.
Violent overthrow of the federal government planned
The total of 27 suspects are said to have planned a violent overthrow of the federal government. In Stuttgart it is primarily about the military arm of the group, which should have enforced the takeover of power by force of arms.
The suspected ringleaders, including Reuss, will be charged in Frankfurt on May 21st. The remaining alleged members will be in court in Munich from June 18th.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) said in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin”: “It definitely shows the strength of our constitutional state that the largest terrorist network of Reich citizens to date is just standing trial and has to answer for its (…) militant plans for a coup .”
