The claim

This is what weapons discoveries by neo-Nazis usually look like (1st picture). And that was what was found in the largest raid in the history of the Federal Republic, among conspirators who were mostly well into their 60s or 70s (2nd picture).

Our conclusion

The photo is not from the context of the major raid in the so-called “Reichsbürger” scene on December 7, 2022. It is almost three years old and comes from a house search of three men who were being investigated for completely different crimes.

Weapon discovery Facebook posting
Misinformation spread on social media

No, neither of the two photos is related to the large-scale raid on the so-called “Reichsbürger” milieu that took place on December 7th in Germany, Austria and Italy.

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Origin of the weapons discovery photos

This is what weapons discoveries by neo-Nazis usually look like (1st picture).

Accompanying text to the weapons discovery photos

The first photo is from a weapon discovery in Lower Austria in 2019. A pensioner in the Zwettl district had 104 weapons stored in his home, 80 of them illegally. Particularly frightening: fully automatic rifles, an anti-tank rifle, detonators and around a thousand rounds of ammunition. sentenced to 6 months probation for the possession .

MIMIKAMA
Weapons, ammunition and other war material seized in Lower Austria in 2019

In addition to his legal and properly owned firearms, a large number of illegal firearms, such as pistols, revolvers and various long guns as well as parts of firearms, war material, silencers and a large amount of various ammunition were found and seized.

from the press release of the Lower Austria State Police Directorate, July 23, 2019

The supposed photo from the current raid on Reich citizens

And that was what was found in the largest raid in the history of the Federal Republic, among conspirators who were mostly well into their 60s or 70s (2nd picture). Looks a bit like equipment from the 1848 revolution, stolen from some museum. Well, there is actually an MP from Wehrmacht stocks. No ammunition at all, it looks like. Really dangerous, these people.

Accompanying text to the weapons discovery photos (sic!)

These weapons were not seized during the current raid on the “Reichsbürger” scene, but rather during a house search in Parchim, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in 2020. Three men involved were already known to the police at the time for various other crimes, such as fraud, robbery, damage to property and theft.

Parchim weapons discovery
Weapons and weapon parts were seized during the house search in Parchim, 2020

In many cases these are apparently blank-firing and air-pressure weapons. In addition, several corroded weapon parts were discovered, which may have come from wartime. The police also discovered numerous devotional items, including from the Wehrmacht era, as well as several knives and sabers.

from the press release from the Ludwigslust police station from January 10, 2020

The weapons found among the “Reich Citizens”

In a major raid on the “Reichsbürger” scene on December 7th, 2022, 23 people were arrested in Germany and two others abroad. 22 of them are accused of being members of a terrorist organization, three others are viewed as supporters. The Federal Prosecutor's Office also spoke of 27 other defendants. Among those arrested is a judge and former member of the Bundestag.

During over 150 house searches, weapons were found in around 50 objects, including: long guns and handguns, swords, crossbows, blank guns and signal guns. The investigating authorities are still looking for other suspected weapons from the accused. To date (December 12, 2022), no photos of these weapons finds have been published. One can assume that this is related to the ongoing investigation.

In the past there have been repeated house searches of so-called “Reich citizens”, and weapons caches have also been uncovered in the past. Here are some of dozens of examples:

CONCLUSION: Both pictures have no connection whatsoever to the major raid on December 7th and the “Reich Citizens”.

The photo of the mostly historical weapons is intended to disguise how dangerous the “Reichsbürger” scene really is. It is not for nothing that the formation of a terrorist organization is being investigated in an environment in which public statements about coup plans are almost the order of the day.


Sources: LPD Lower Austria, Ludwigslust , NÖN , Stern

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