Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, one of the last descendants of a dynasty which once ruled large swathes in eastern Germany. In a coup violent to overthrow democracy, he is believed to be aspiring to the role of the nation’s leader.
According to authorities, the 71-year old was among 25 supporters and members of the far-right group that planned the putsch. They were detained in raids across the country on Wednesday morning.
For years, the real estate developer advocated that life would be better if there was a monarchy. His ancestors are the House of Reuss who ruled for centuries over the Thueringen region until the 1918 Revolution in Germany that established the Weimar Republic.
The House of Reuss and Prince Reuss Office did not respond to our requests for comment.
In a speech to World Web Forum 2019, he stated that people in Reuss lived “happy lives” due to the 10% tax rate and clear and transparent structures.
Heinrich stated, “If it doesn’t go your way, just take the prince to get help.” Who are you supposed today to go to? Your local, national, or EU parliamentarian? “Good luck!”
He said that Germany was a vassal government state since World War Two, and needed to be reclaimed through peace negotiations.
He claimed that monarchies around the world, including France’s, were being overthrown by foreign powers who wanted corporate structures to make profit. He said that the people suffered from this.
On Wednesday, Heinrich was accused of reaching out to Russian representatives. The group considered Russia its main contact in establishing their new order. The representatives did not respond positively to their request, they said. According to the Kremlin, there was no evidence of Russian involvement in this alleged plot.
Heinrich was led away by two balaclava-clad officers in Frankfurt. They were wearing mustard-coloured corduroy pants and tartan-patterned jackets with long gray hair.
According to Ostthueringer, police also searched the hunting lodge he had in Thueringen. He was believed to be stockpiling arms. East Germany’s state is well-known for its long-standing support of the far right.
Federal prosecutors declined to comment, stating that there was no raid in the area.
The company declined to say how Heinrich got involved with the extreme-right “Reichsbuerger”, which denied the existence of a modern German state and was allegedly the inspiration for the arrests.
After the 12th Century, all male Reuss children were named Heinrich or Henry by the Reuss Dynasty in honor of Henry IV the Holy Roman Emperor who left them the estates at Weida (now towns in Thueringen).
Although there is no official title for princes or princesses in Germany anymore, Heinrich and his descendants have retained the title. His real estate company and financial service firm, which was based in Frankfurt had been named the “Buero Prinz Reuss”.
Heinrich XIV, who currently heads the House of Reuss and lives in Austria is responsible for this distinction. Local media reports that Heinrich XIV has previously called Heinrich XIII a confused man selling conspiracy theories.
