Reichsbürger movement aims to establish parallel societies by infiltrating schools, clubs and public offices

A strategic rural land grab by rightwing extremists is taking place across Germany with the concerted aim of creating communities independent of the state, according to the domestic intelligence agency and government ministries.

Authorities and NGOs monitoring far-right groups say the members of the Reichsbürger movement who reject the post-1945 German state are making a targeted effort to establish parallel societies and infiltrate existing structures including schools, clubs and public offices.

  • GregorGizeh@lemmy.zip
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    11 months ago

    Don’t discount them. The fringe right is, as everywhere else on the world, on the rise here in Germany.

    Think qanon levels of delusional, and prone to antidemocratic extremism. The core belief of being a Reichsbürger is that the modern German state is an imperialist construct imposed by the western winners of ww2, and has thus no legitimacy. They consider themselves citizens (Bürger) of the previous german Reich.

    Think of the January insurrection attempt in the u.s., those people weren’t taken seriously before either. Until they marched on the government, one of them prominently wearing a self made shaman outfit.

    • Quokka@quokk.au
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      11 months ago

      They’re basically what we call “sovereign citizens” yeah?

      • GregorGizeh@lemmy.zip
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        11 months ago

        Just looked them up, that sounds about right. Maybe a bit less weird because they just want the government to leave them alone whereas the ours are often more hostile towards it.