Reichsbürger trial: Peter Fitzek charged with criminal association
In the trial against the leader of the group "Kingdom of Germany", the federal prosecutor has brought charges against four men for hundreds of offences. Fitzek criticises the court and claims the "Kingdom" is legitimate.
Trial against "Kingdom of Germany" leader opens in Düsseldorf
The trial against Peter Fitzek and three other alleged leaders of the group "Kingdom of Germany" has begun before the Higher Regional Court in Düsseldorf. The federal prosecutor has charged the four men, according to t-online.de, with forming a criminal association, particularly serious tax evasion and organised document forgery — in total hundreds of offences with ten million euros in total damages.
Fitzek, 61 years old, appointed himself in 2012 as the "supreme sovereign" and "divine being" of the fantasy state. At the start of proceedings, he rejected the officially established personal details and insisted on being "Peter I., Head of State". Fitzek, who has a previous conviction for assault, is said to have proclaimed the fantasy state as a counter-state to the Federal Republic in order to abolish the existing legal order, explained chief public prosecutor Ingo Kaiser.
According to the prosecution, the group operated pseudo-state structures with its own passport and registration office, its own bank and insurance company as well as a currency called "E-Mark" or "New German Mark", which corresponded to 1.10 euros. The "Kingdom" issued, among other things, 6,300 identity cards similar to the passport. The federal prosecutor estimates the "core community" at 40 to 60 people, although significantly more people registered themselves as nationals.
The "Kingdom" received money for seminars on "system exit" and conspiracy-ideological content. Wages were declared as "charitable donations" without taxes or wage contributions being paid. Almost 400,000 euros in sales tax remained unpaid. The group also accepted extensive gifts — money, real estate and seven kilogrammes of gold — but did not pay any gift tax.
The defendants Benjamin M. (38) and Martin S. (39) served as Fitzek's deputies at the highest management level. Mathias B. (47) had been responsible for finances, the "Royal Imperial Bank" and the "registration office" since 2018. The four face up to ten years in prison.
The federal government banned the Reichsbürger group on 13 May 2025. During the search, more than 800 officers were deployed across eight federal states. The trial is scheduled for 52 hearing days until September 2027.
The defence lawyers criticised the jurisdiction: lawyer Björn Clemens argued that the case should go before a lay court in Saxony-Anhalt, not before a state security senate. Fitzek himself claimed that the Düsseldorf senate lacked jurisdiction and that the charge of criminal association was a "construction of the banking cartel". He also criticised his detention as a violation of human rights.
Lawyer Christin Konrad used her opening statement for a prayer: "Please ensure that the truth comes to light and freedom and love prevail."
Reichsbürger and self-administrators do not recognise the Federal Republic of Germany as a constitutional state and reject parliament, laws and courts. In 2025, the scene comprised approximately 26,000 people.
Source: Die Zeit Kriminalität