Alleged armed coup plotters go on trial in Germany

Nine men accused of being members of an armed group plotting to overthrow the German state went on trial in Stuttgart on Monday, facing charges related to trying to replace Germany’s chancellor with an eccentric pseudo-aristocrat.

All nine were charged with high treason, membership of a terrorist group and attempted murder as part of the bizarre coup attempt that was scuppered by German police in a series of raids in 2022.

A court in Stuttgart heard that the men were members of a “military wing” supporting coup figurehead Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, 72, a self-proclaimed German aristocrat.

As proceedings began, German police hid the suspects’ faces from television cameras inside the courtroom and they were seen shaking their heads as the charges were read out.

One of the suspects is also facing an attempted murder charge, having shot several times at police commandos when he was arrested during a raid in March last year. The defendants were all aged between 42 and 60.