Three Men Face Trial Over German Coup Plot
Last update: April 1, 2026
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Those convicted last year over the plot were sentenced to between five years and eight years in prison by a higher regional court in Koblenz..
Three men went on trial in Munich on Wednesday accused of supporting an extremist group that plotted to overthrow the German government and kidnap a cabinet minister.
Prosecutors say the men had links to the self-styled "United Patriots" group, part of Germany’s Reichsbuerger movement.
The term "Reichsbuerger" (Citizens of the Reich) refers to a loose network of extremists and conspiracy theorists who reject the legitimacy of the modern German state. Once dismissed as fringe figures, authorities say elements of the movement have become increasingly radicalised and pose a growing security threat.
Two of the defendants attempted to shield their identities from photographers, holding up laptop sleeves as they entered the courtroom.
Four members of the "United Patriots" group were jailed in March 2025 over plans to incite civil war-like conditions through acts of violence aimed at seizing state power. They were also convicted of plotting to kidnap then-health minister Karl Lauterbach, a frequent target of critics of COVID-19 restrictions.
The three men on trial, identified as 60-year-old Achim M., 71-year-old Joachim K. and 62-year-old Rainer S., are accused of backing the group and its coup plans.
Prosecutors allege they were earmarked to serve as ministers in a proposed regime dubbed the "Kingdom of Prussia" following the overthrow of Germany’s republic.
Investigators say the group, also known as the Kaiserreichsgruppe or "Imperial Group", sought to establish an authoritarian system based on Germany’s 1871 imperial constitution.
