At least 25 people have been arrested in raids throughout Germany for trying and failing to overthrow the government.
The German group are reportedly right-wing extremists who had planned to storm the Reichstag parliament building and seize power.
They were made up of active and former members of the military.
More than 3,000 law enforcement officers were deployed and participated in 150 searches across 11 of the country’s 16 states early on Wednesday.
About 50 men and women are alleged to have been part of the group. They are said to have plotted to overthrow the government and replace it with a new state shaped by the 1879 empire called the Second Reich.
Two of the suspects were arrested in Austria and Italy.
BBC News reports that a man named Heinrich XIII, 71, a prince, was to be installed as a national leader.
They had already established plans to rule Germany with departments covering health, justice and foreign affairs, the prosecutor said. Members understood they could only realise their goals by “military means and violence against state representatives”, which included carrying out killings.
Heinrich is allegedly one of two ringleaders who have been central to their plans and was seeking backing from Russia.
He comes from an old noble family known as the House of Reuss, which ruled over parts of the modern eastern state of Thuringia until 1918.
Heinrich’s family has distanced themselves from him with a spokesperson telling the local media that Heinrich was “at times a confused man who had fallen for misconceptions”.
Public Prosecutor General Peter Frank said the group had been plotting a violent coup since November 2021 and members of its central council had since held regular meetings.
Compiled by Kamogelo Olaitan
Pictured above: Prince Heinrich XIII being led away by the police
Image source: Associated Press
