Reich citizens | Reich citizens in Darmstadt: procession of those loyal to the Kaiser

Two years ago the “Reich Germans” scene meeting took place in Gera. Photo: dpa/Bodo Schackow Almost six weeks before the start of the foolish time, the residents of Darmstadt can expect an event this Saturday that could remind many of a carnival event. Women and men in old-fashioned costumes or with Prussian uniforms and spiked helmets want to march through the southern Hesse city with drums. What seems like a carnival parade is one of the rare public meetings of so-called Reich citizens and self-administrators.

According to the city, 1,500 participants have registered for the tenth “large state meeting (25+1)” in Darmstadt. It should last until the evening hours. The network adheres to the idea of ​​the “German Empire” as a union of 26 kingdoms and principalities. The “+1” in the name refers to the historical region of Alsace-Lorraine as part of the German Empire.

After the premiere in Magdeburg in 2023, the meetings and subsequent marches took place mainly in East Germany before also moving to West German cities such as Karlsruhe and Munich. Even if the organizers and participants always declare that they are “Reich Germans, not Reich citizens,” they are united by the view that the Empire of 1871 was never really dissolved. Therefore, they reject all subsequent forms of government and do not recognize German nationality law.

The “paper terrorism” with which members of the scene attack authorities, courts and private individuals has long been accompanied by physical violence as well as the hoarding and use of weapons.

The event lasting several hours and the subsequent march seem carnivalesque and the ideology behind it seems absurd. But for a scene that operates predominantly closed, the meetings are an important recruiting ground with a view to people who have so far been on the fringes. In addition to the self-confident external presentation, the networking character is the main focus of the nationwide meetings. The scene is extremely heterogeneous and its actors are often at odds with each other.

Despite the internal disputes, bans and legal proceedings, the number of “Reich citizens” and self-administrators is growing. They recorded a significant increase, especially during the corona pandemic. With the establishment of the AfD with its personnel and organizational connections, the scene has moved from closed circles a step into the “center of society”. The authorities estimate that around 26,000 people are involved in the scene.

However, the numbers are not very reliable because only people who have become conspicuous are counted. The federal structures of the bailiffs assume that there will be 40,000 members of the scene as early as 2024. The danger they pose does not diminish either. The long-standing “paper terrorism,” which bombards authorities, courts and private individuals with mass letters and threats of lawsuits, has long been accompanied by physical violence as well as the hoarding and use of weapons.

The emperor is dead - long live the emperor! Elevators like this one in Gera 2024 seem ridiculous, but the supporters of this scene pose a real threat, especially for officials. Photo: dpa/Bodo Schackow Despite the authorities' promise to revoke the gun permits of members of the scene, they still legally have more than 1,000 weapons. In addition, there is a large amount of illegally stockpiled military equipment, which authorities usually come across by chance. It was only in July that investigators in northern Hesse uncovered an entire arsenal from a "Reich citizen." These include long guns and handguns, fully automatic weapons, various weapon components and several boxes of ammunition.

In Darmstadt people seem to be aware of the explosive nature of the “state meeting”. The city council unanimously passed a resolution stating that they “resolutely oppose” the “Reichsbürger” ideology. The “Alliance Against the Right” reacted to the registration in a much more practical way. It called for loud and determined protest against "eternal and reactionary ideologies." The motto: “The German Emperor has abdicated, democracy is alive!” The activists want to be present until 9 p.m.

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