Reichsbürger-Bewegung – «Königreich Deutschland»: Anklage gegen mutmassliche Anführer

On May 13, 2025, German prosecutors announced charges against four suspected leaders of the Reichsbürger group “Königreich Deutschland” (KRD). The Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Germany’s top prosecutorial body, accused them of acting as organizers within a criminal organization. Among the suspects, founder Peter Fitzek faces additional allegations including operating an unauthorized insurance business and multiple cases of tax evasion. The ban on the largest known group of Reichsbürger and self-administrators came on the same day, following a decision by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. At the time, the KRD claimed around 6,000 members, though security authorities estimated the number closer to 1,000. The group was founded in 2012 in Wittenberg, Saxony-Anhalt, according to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. It described itself as a sovereign state with its own constitution, currency, and identity documents, centered around a personality cult led by Peter Fitzek, whom they called the “highest sovereign.” Fitzek, born in Halle (Saale), was described by the prosecutor’s office as holding ultimate control over all essential matters. He dictated ideological direction and acted as a de facto leader until the formation of a “State Council” and the election of a first king. As a trained cook, he held this role despite his lack of formal political experience. Among the other suspects are two alleged deputies and a man responsible for financial affairs. On the same day prosecutors filed charges, law enforcement conducted searches nationwide and arrested the four individuals in the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, and Brandenburg. They have since been detained for investigation. The KRD reportedly funded itself through illegal banking and deposit operations, donations, and income from seminars. Members were allegedly exempted from taxation and social contributions. The group also promoted the exchange of euros into their own currency, known as the “E-Mark” for digital payments or the “New Deutsche Mark” for cash transactions, which equaled 1.10 euros. According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, participants risked substantial financial loss because the KRD did not offer refunds or exchanges for the “E-Mark.” Despite this, the group received large donations, sometimes in six-figure sums, and assets from its followers. A key aspect of the group's activities involved acquiring real estate and land to expand its supposed “state territory.” These properties were used for housing, settlements, and commercial activities such as “exit system seminars.” In 2022, the KRD reportedly purchased several properties in Lower Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony. Reichsbürger and self-administrators reject the Federal Republic of Germany as a state and oppose democratic and rule-of-law structures, including parliament, laws, and courts. The intelligence service estimates there are approximately 30 cross-border active groups of this nature, with around 26,000 individuals affiliated with such movements in 2024.