The 'Kingdom of Germany': Inside Germany's Bizarre Sovereign Citizen Movement
The Rise of 'King Peter'
In a quiet corner of the German countryside, something straight out of a political fantasy novel has been unfolding. A man named Peter Fitzek didn't just dream of creating his own country—he actually did it. Or at least, he tried to. In 2012, complete with a crown ceremony that might remind you of a Renaissance fair with serious political ambitions, Fitzek declared himself "King Peter I" of the newly minted "Kingdom of Germany."
Sounds bizarre, doesn't it? Yet for Fitzek and his roughly 6,000 followers, this is deadly serious business. They've rejected Germany's democratic government outright, embracing instead the fringe Reichsbürger ideology—a movement that essentially believes the modern German state is illegitimate and that the old German Reich somehow still exists.
What would motivate someone to crown themselves king in 21st century Europe? For Fitzek, it wasn't just theatrical flair. His 2012 "coronation" in Wittenberg—yes, with an actual crown and scepter—symbolized his total rejection of modern Germany's authority. While it might seem like elaborate cosplay to outsiders, for his followers, Fitzek represents a legitimate alternative to a government they no longer recognize.
Building a Parallel State
This isn't just talk or internet posturing. Fitzek and his followers have been busy creating a genuine "state within a state." They've printed their own currency, issued identification cards, and even purchased property to establish autonomous communities. Think about that for a moment—an entire parallel society operating within Germany's borders, completely rejecting the jurisdiction of Berlin.
The group's daily operations fly directly in the face of German law. They refuse to pay taxes. They won't contribute to social security. They ignore fines. Court orders? Those are just pieces of paper to them. Instead, they've created their own administrative structures, with Fitzek directing everything from economic activities to social services.
You might wonder how they've gotten away with this for so long. The answer lies partly in Germany's complex relationship with extremist groups and free speech protections. Until recently, the "Kingdom" operated in a legal gray area, expanding their influence through social media and acquiring properties for their growing community, particularly around Wittenberg where Fitzek first planted his flag.
The Government Strikes Back
But the fantasy kingdom's days were numbered. Last Tuesday, before dawn broke, hundreds of German police and security forces mobilized in a massive, coordinated crackdown. Front doors banged open across multiple states as raids targeted properties connected to Fitzek's organization. The message was clear: Germany had finally lost patience with this challenge to its sovereignty.
Why now? The German government has increasingly viewed the Reichsbürger movement not as a collection of harmless eccentrics but as a genuine threat to democratic institutions. Fitzek's group, with its growing property holdings and increasingly organized structure, had crossed a line. Authorities classified the "Kingdom of Germany" (or KRD, Königreich Deutschland) as an extremist organization—placing it in the same category as other far-right groups that reject the post-1945 German state.
The crackdown wasn't just symbolic. Fitzek himself was arrested, and the organization was officially banned. The government's actions effectively froze the group's expansion plans and their attempts to acquire what they called "national territory" within Germany's borders.
Ideology and International Connections
At the heart of Fitzek's movement lies a troubling ideology. The Reichsbürger worldview often intertwines with antisemitic conspiracy theories and glorification of Germany's past. While presenting themselves as peaceful sovereignty seekers, these groups share common ground with more violent extremist movements, raising serious concerns for German security services.
Has the movement reached beyond Germany? While primarily concentrated in rural German areas, the "Kingdom of Germany" has attracted attention beyond national borders. The rise of sovereign citizen movements isn't unique to Germany—similar groups exist across Europe and North America, often sharing tactics and ideologies through online networks.
Though there's no concrete evidence that Fitzek established formal international bases (despite speculation about connections to Switzerland), the movement's digital presence has allowed its ideas to spread far beyond its physical locations. In today's interconnected world, extremist ideologies rarely stay contained within national boundaries.
A Warning for Democracies
The story of Peter Fitzek and his make-believe kingdom offers a fascinating but disturbing window into how quickly alternative political realities can take physical form. What started with a crown ceremony in 2012 evolved into a complex organization with thousands of members, property holdings, and economic systems—all deliberately positioned against the democratic German state.
For Germany, a country with painful historical experiences of extremism, the Fitzek case represents more than just an eccentric outlier. It's a reminder of democracy's fragility and the ongoing need to defend constitutional principles against those who would establish parallel systems of authority.
As legal proceedings against Fitzek and his organization continue, one question remains: What happens to the true believers? When a kingdom falls, where do its subjects go? The German government has dismantled the organizational structure, but the underlying ideologies that fueled the "Kingdom of Germany" remain—a challenge not just for Germany, but for democracies everywhere grappling with extremism in the digital age.
Reference: https://www.unilad.com/community/man-conquers-castle-appoints-himself-king-753969-20221212
