14
May 2025
10:39 UTC
Germany Alert: Authorities ban far-right extremist “Konigreich Deutschland” organization, arrest group leaders on May 13; reflects use of financial crimes to fund extremist activity
Current Situation
- In the early morning hours (local time) of May 13, authorities carried out raids in seven states, including Baden-Wurttemberg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. Operations were also carried out in the Swiss canton of Solothurn, aided by local police. Four German nationals were arrested in the raids, which involved a total of 800 police personnel. No weapons or other prohibited items were found as per reports.
- The arrested individuals are suspected of being leaders of the far-right organization “Konigreich Deutschland” (KRD) or “Kingdom of Germany”. The group portrays itself as a “counter-state” with a monarchical system, which aims to reduce the territory of the German state by acquiring real estate and bringing it under the group’s self-declared jurisdiction.
- KRD is the largest and most well-known organization associated with the “Reichsburger movement,” a far-right extremist movement that rejects the modern German state in favor of the German Reich and espouses anti-Semitism, racism, and apocalyptic conspiracy theories.
- Among those arrested is the founder and self-declared “monarch” of KRD, Peter Fitzek. He is suspected of forming a criminal organization associated with illegal banking and insurance operations, the formation of “white collar criminal structures”, and the spread of anti-Semitic conspiracies. Authorities stated that the organization and its activities are directed against Germany’s constitutional order. In its statement, the Bundesministerium des Innern, the Ministry of Interior, describes the KRD as a “decidedly profit-oriented” organization, purchasing real estate and generating income by recruiting businesses to conduct fraudulent transactions.
- The security operations coincided with Interior Minister Alexander Dobrint’s announcement of a formal ban against KRD. Under the ban, the assets of KRD and its affiliated organizations will be seized, and their online platforms will be blocked.
- However, as per statements by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the timing of the raids was not associated with the announced ban but instead based on “investigative tactical reasons.” The office also noted that the ban and the preparation of the associated security operations have been in the works for months.
Source: Bundesministerium des Innern
Assessments & Forecast
- The scale of the operation, with the coordinated participation of Swiss authorities, seven federal states, and the deployment of 800 police officers, reflects an extensive level of planning and inter-agency cooperation. This, in turn, reiterates authorities’ heightened concerns over groups associated with the Reichburger movement, especially following a foiled coup plot by Reichburger-linked right-wing extremists in December 2022.
- The growth of the Reichburger movement — with suspected members increasing from 23,000 in 2022 to 25,000 members in 2023 despite government crackdown — poses both legal and security threats. Associations under the Reichburger movement refuse to adhere to taxation or regulatory laws, posing a legal risk with financial implications. Moreover, authorities have underlined the security risks associated with the presence of violence-oriented fringe groups within the Reichburger movement, with multiple attack plots by such groups foiled in recent years. In the case of KRD, a more profit-oriented group, the scale of its operations, with 6,000 members, the involvement of dozens of companies, and land ownership, reflects the potential for such groups to become highly organized.
- While KRD itself is not linked to any militant activities, as has been the case with more fringe Reichburger groups, its activities reflect a broader strategy to undermine state legitimacy through the creation of parallel administrative structures. These include creating its own currency, unauthorized banking and insurance systems, and a registration office issuing fictitious identity documents, while engaging in systemic tax evasion, fraud, and forgery. Real estate acquisition — with KRD owning large plots of land in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt — plays a central role in this strategy, as properties are treated as sovereign “territories” to symbolically and materially remove assets from German state control.
- KRD’s engagement in illicit banking, insurance fraud, and property acquisitions underscores the use of financial crimes by such groups to fund their operations. This, in turn, poses a risk to other local businesses, particularly those enticed by promises of tax exemptions or financial advantages through a parallel fraudulent financial system. For instance, in Baden-Wurttemberg, over 20 companies publicly aligned with the KRD, illustrating the extent to which extremist actors can embed themselves in local economies and accumulate significant influence through ostensibly legal financial mechanisms.
- FORECAST: In the immediate term, Fitzek or other KRD leaders are likely to sue against the ban. If this occurs, the ban and the associated asset seizure may temporarily be suspended for the duration of the legal review, with proceedings likely to last several months. Meanwhile, despite the ban, given the decentralized nature of the Reichburger movement, the risk of KRD members regrouping or joining other fringe, extremist groups remains.
- FORECAST: The ban is also likely to trigger backlash from other far-right groups. This is especially given recent heightened scrutiny around a potential ban on the far-right populist Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party, which was classified as a confirmed far-right extremist organization on May 2. Far-right groups, including the AfD, are liable to frame the bans as politically motivated or as an overreach by the state, potentially prompting protests. Any such protests are at a heightened risk of recording unrest in the form of clashes with law enforcement.
Recommendations
- Travel to Germany may continue while maintaining heightened vigilance for white-collar crime associated with organized far-right groups.
- Maintain heightened vigilance for potential attacks by radical actors, including far-right extremists.
- Public and private organizations are advised to increase their awareness of threats and fraudulent economic activity propagated on social media through the use of threat monitoring services.
- If alerted to potential suspicious activity, inform authorities immediately.
- For further questions and risk assessments, please contact intel@max-security.com.
COUNTRY RISK LEVEL
Low
AFFECTED AREA
Germany
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL
Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE
Confirmed
Current Situation
- In the early morning hours (local time) of May 13, authorities carried out raids in seven states, including Baden-Wurttemberg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. Operations were also carried out in the Swiss canton of Solothurn, aided by local police. Four German nationals were arrested in the raids, which involved a total of 800 police personnel. No weapons or other prohibited items were found as per reports.
- The arrested individuals are suspected of being leaders of the far-right organization “Konigreich Deutschland” (KRD) or “Kingdom of Germany”. The group portrays itself as a “counter-state” with a monarchical system, which aims to reduce the territory of the German state by acquiring real estate and bringing it under the group’s self-declared jurisdiction.
- KRD is the largest and most well-known organization associated with the “Reichsburger movement,” a far-right extremist movement that rejects the modern German state in favor of the German Reich and espouses anti-Semitism, racism, and apocalyptic conspiracy theories.
- Among those arrested is the founder and self-declared “monarch” of KRD, Peter Fitzek. He is suspected of forming a criminal organization associated with illegal banking and insurance operations, the formation of “white collar criminal structures”, and the spread of anti-Semitic conspiracies. Authorities stated that the organization and its activities are directed against Germany’s constitutional order. In its statement, the Bundesministerium des Innern, the Ministry of Interior, describes the KRD as a “decidedly profit-oriented” organization, purchasing real estate and generating income by recruiting businesses to conduct fraudulent transactions.
- The security operations coincided with Interior Minister Alexander Dobrint’s announcement of a formal ban against KRD. Under the ban, the assets of KRD and its affiliated organizations will be seized, and their online platforms will be blocked.
- However, as per statements by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the timing of the raids was not associated with the announced ban but instead based on “investigative tactical reasons.” The office also noted that the ban and the preparation of the associated security operations have been in the works for months.
Source: Bundesministerium des Innern
Assessments & Forecast
- The scale of the operation, with the coordinated participation of Swiss authorities, seven federal states, and the deployment of 800 police officers, reflects an extensive level of planning and inter-agency cooperation. This, in turn, reiterates authorities’ heightened concerns over groups associated with the Reichburger movement, especially following a foiled coup plot by Reichburger-linked right-wing extremists in December 2022.
- The growth of the Reichburger movement — with suspected members increasing from 23,000 in 2022 to 25,000 members in 2023 despite government crackdown — poses both legal and security threats. Associations under the Reichburger movement refuse to adhere to taxation or regulatory laws, posing a legal risk with financial implications. Moreover, authorities have underlined the security risks associated with the presence of violence-oriented fringe groups within the Reichburger movement, with multiple attack plots by such groups foiled in recent years. In the case of KRD, a more profit-oriented group, the scale of its operations, with 6,000 members, the involvement of dozens of companies, and land ownership, reflects the potential for such groups to become highly organized.
- While KRD itself is not linked to any militant activities, as has been the case with more fringe Reichburger groups, its activities reflect a broader strategy to undermine state legitimacy through the creation of parallel administrative structures. These include creating its own currency, unauthorized banking and insurance systems, and a registration office issuing fictitious identity documents, while engaging in systemic tax evasion, fraud, and forgery. Real estate acquisition — with KRD owning large plots of land in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt — plays a central role in this strategy, as properties are treated as sovereign “territories” to symbolically and materially remove assets from German state control.
- KRD’s engagement in illicit banking, insurance fraud, and property acquisitions underscores the use of financial crimes by such groups to fund their operations. This, in turn, poses a risk to other local businesses, particularly those enticed by promises of tax exemptions or financial advantages through a parallel fraudulent financial system. For instance, in Baden-Wurttemberg, over 20 companies publicly aligned with the KRD, illustrating the extent to which extremist actors can embed themselves in local economies and accumulate significant influence through ostensibly legal financial mechanisms.
- FORECAST: In the immediate term, Fitzek or other KRD leaders are likely to sue against the ban. If this occurs, the ban and the associated asset seizure may temporarily be suspended for the duration of the legal review, with proceedings likely to last several months. Meanwhile, despite the ban, given the decentralized nature of the Reichburger movement, the risk of KRD members regrouping or joining other fringe, extremist groups remains.
- FORECAST: The ban is also likely to trigger backlash from other far-right groups. This is especially given recent heightened scrutiny around a potential ban on the far-right populist Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party, which was classified as a confirmed far-right extremist organization on May 2. Far-right groups, including the AfD, are liable to frame the bans as politically motivated or as an overreach by the state, potentially prompting protests. Any such protests are at a heightened risk of recording unrest in the form of clashes with law enforcement.
Recommendations
- Travel to Germany may continue while maintaining heightened vigilance for white-collar crime associated with organized far-right groups.
- Maintain heightened vigilance for potential attacks by radical actors, including far-right extremists.
- Public and private organizations are advised to increase their awareness of threats and fraudulent economic activity propagated on social media through the use of threat monitoring services.
- If alerted to potential suspicious activity, inform authorities immediately.
- For further questions and risk assessments, please contact intel@max-security.com.
COUNTRY RISK LEVEL
Low
AFFECTED AREA
Germany
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL
Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE
Confirmed
Related Reports
Germany
-
Security OperationsGermany Alert: Five injured after vehicle crashes into crowd near train station in Passau as of evening hours (local time) on June 7; remain cognizant of updates -
DevelopingGermany Alert: Security operation ongoing following knife attack at Central Station in Hamburg as of evening hours (local time) on May 23; avoid nonessential travel -
DevelopingGermany Alert: Police initiate manhunt for suspect involved in stabbing incident in Bielefeld, NRW during morning hours (local time) on May 18; avoid all travel -
PoliticsGermany & Switzerland Alert: Three arrested for involvement in Russian-backed sabotage plot targeting logistical routes, per May 14 reports; threat of Russian sabotage to increase further
Related Reports
Germany
-
Security OperationsGermany Alert: Five injured after vehicle crashes into crowd near train station in Passau as of evening hours (local time) on June 7; remain cognizant of updates
-
DevelopingGermany Alert: Security operation ongoing following knife attack at Central Station in Hamburg as of evening hours (local time) on May 23; avoid nonessential travel
-
DevelopingGermany Alert: Police initiate manhunt for suspect involved in stabbing incident in Bielefeld, NRW during morning hours (local time) on May 18; avoid all travel
-
PoliticsGermany & Switzerland Alert: Three arrested for involvement in Russian-backed sabotage plot targeting logistical routes, per May 14 reports; threat of Russian sabotage to increase further