Peter Fitzek faces Dusseldorf trial over alleged alternative state
Peter Fitzek, who calls himself the "king of Germany," is now on trial in Dusseldorf.
He and three others are accused of seeking to establish the structures of an alternative state, complete with its own currency and a banking and insurance system, and allegedly raised about €10 million through unauthorized banking and insurance transactions, as well as via donations, gifts and fee-based seminars.
The group is tied to a banned Reichsburger group, which rejects the German state.
Kingdom of Germany banned 2025
Back in 2012, Fitzek declared himself "supreme sovereign" and grew his so-called Kingdom of Germany (KRD) to around 6,000 members, the largest group of its kind in the country.
The KRD ran its own banking and insurance services, handed out fake IDs and currency, and was eventually banned by authorities in 2025 for trying to replace the "system" of the Federal Republic of Germany.
If convicted on charges like forgery and tax evasion, Fitzek and his team could face up to 10 years behind bars.