German Authorities Dismantle Extremist ‘Kingdom’ Movement

By: Rebecca Okine

German authorities have launched a sweeping crackdown on a far-right extremist group attempting to establish a parallel state, arresting its self-proclaimed “king” and banning the organisation behind the movement.

Peter Fitzek, 59, a former chef and self-styled monarch, was taken into custody along with three key associates during coordinated raids across seven German states on Tuesday May 13, 2025. The operation involved 800 security officers, reflecting the seriousness with which the German government regards the threat posed by Fitzek’s group.

The group, known as Reichsbürger or “citizens of the Reich” had styled itself as a sovereign alternative to the German government under the banner Königreich Deutschland (“Kingdom of Germany”). Authorities allege the group was not only promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories and rejecting the authority of the German state, but also financing its operations through illegal economic schemes.

In a statement announcing the ban of the organisation, Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt accused the group of trying to “undermine the rule of law” by creating a state within a state. “They have spread dangerous conspiracies to legitimise their claims and constructed their own systems of governance and finance,” Dobrindt said.

Fitzek, who refers to himself as “Peter the First,” has been attempting to build his “kingdom” since 2012, when he crowned himself in a bizarre ceremony complete with royal robes and a sword. Over the years, he has acquired land and properties across the country, reportedly attracting thousands of followers, whom he refers to as his “subjects.”

The group has operated with its own flag, currency, identification documents, and claimed to be establishing independent banking and healthcare systems — a move seen by authorities as a direct challenge to the constitutional order.

Though Fitzek has previously denied harbouring violent intentions, he has long been on the radar of law enforcement for his provocative and defiant behaviour. He has been jailed in the past for offences including driving without a licence, often in acts meant to symbolise his rejection of the state’s authority. The German government’s decisive action reveals its zero-tolerance stance toward extremist movements seeking to destabilise democratic institutions particularly those leveraging conspiracy theories, alternative governance claims, and illegal financial activities to attract support and gain ground.