German Prince Accused of Leading Coup Plot Goes on Trial

Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, a 72-year-old aristocrat, appeared in court on Tuesday, accused of leading a far-right conspiracy to overthrow the German government. The trial, held in a high-security courtroom in Frankfurt, is part of a larger investigation into an alleged plan to storm Germany’s parliament and establish a new government with Reuss as the head of state.

Reuss is one of nine defendants, including former judge Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, who is accused of being prepared to serve as minister of justice in the planned regime. The group is believed to have aimed to resurrect the German Reich through violent means, including storming the Bundestag and kidnapping President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

This trial is the second of three, covering 27 defendants in total, and is considered one of the largest anti-terror cases in modern German history. The proceedings are distributed across Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Munich for logistical reasons. The Frankfurt trial alone will summon around 260 witnesses and require up to 45 security officers.

The defendants, including former army officers Maximilian Eder and Ruediger von Pescatore, allegedly harbored deep aversions to German state institutions and democratic principles. According to the charges, the group planned since August 2021 to replace the government with a council and a military wing, amassing nearly $550,000 and access to a significant armory. The plot was uncovered in 2022, leading to the current high-profile trials