All that is known about preparations for a coup d’etat in Germany

Germany was rocked by the news that a large-scale police operation prevented a coup d’état. Although the first details of the investigation are only emerging, a “Russian trace” in the case has already come to light. In particular, it turned out that the potential new “head” of Germany had been in touch with Russian officials in an effort to gain support for his plans. Kristina Bondareva, a European Pravda reporter, studied the details of the high-profile revelation and describes them in hot pursuit. For all the details, see the article Resetting Scholz on Russia’s Advice: How a Prince, Ex-Deputy, and the Military Prepared a Coup in Germany. On Wednesday morning, December 7, one of the largest police operations against extremists ever conducted in the country took place in Germany. About 3,000 police officers were deployed to eleven federal states and searched more than 130 apartments, offices and storage facilities, including the barracks of the Special Forces Command. Investigations and detentions also took place in Austria and Italy. A total of 25 arrests were made as a result of the investigation, in which more than fifty people were involved. The secret organization under investigation has no name, but many of its members were recruited from the ranks of the far-right group Reichsbürger. The latter are known for denying the existence of modern Germany as a legal and sovereign state, rejecting its legal system and considering it an illegitimate entity created by the WWII winners. In addition, prosecutors reported that the conspirators were influenced by the American conspiracy theory QAnon. It is worth recalling that it was this theory that fueled the storming of the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 by former President Donald Trump’s supporters. The federal prosecutor accused the detainees of preparing to overthrow the German government and wanting to replace the current system of government with their own form of government. Many of those arrested are known to have had military training, and among them are former German soldiers. One of the biggest fish in the police hands was the former Bundestag deputy of the far-right Alternative for Germany, current Berlin judge Birgit Malsack-Winkemann. But the most interesting figure is undoubtedly the 71-year-old Prince Heinrich XIII, a descendant of the aristocratic Royce dynasty that once ruled in eastern Germany. For some time now, law enforcement authorities in Germany have classified him as a threat. It was he, according to the rebels’ plans, who was to lead the new state, and it was he, according to the prosecutor's office, who sought support for his “rule” from Russia. According to the investigation, Henry XIII contacted official representatives of the Russian Federation in Germany with the support of a Russian citizen, identified as Vitaly B. (detained as an accomplice). How successful the negotiations were for him is not known. The secret society thought to create a shadowy militia-like army to carry out the coup plans. Militia cells were to be stationed all over Germany. The group tried to obtain weapons and equipment from various sources, conducted firing drills, and had a large sum of money, the amount of which was not disclosed. In recent months, they tried to recruit new members to their organization, in particular from the Bundeswehr and the police. After seizing power, the rebels wanted to create their own government. Some ministers had already been appointed. According to the head of the German Interior Ministry, Nancy Faeser, we are talking about “an abyss of terrorist threats”.