Author(s):
Marlon Possard & Sonja Bleichert

Institution:
Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Campus Wien

Title:
Contacts between authorities and “state deniers”/“Reich citizens”/“self-governing citizens” Survey throughout Austria

Abstract:
The phenomenon of state deniers or anti-government activists in Austria has been growing for years, with the CO­VID-19 pandemic acting as a central catalyst.Comparable groups are known internationally, such as “Reichsbürger” in Germany or “Sovereign Citizens” in the US.What they have in common is their questioning of state legitimacy, their rejection of official institutions, their affinity for conspiracy ideologies, and their use of pseudo-legal arguments and self-written documents to circumvent legal obligations.As contact with authorities has hardly been researched to date, this study provides the first systematic findings on this topic in Austria.The mixed-methods survey (August to December 2025) was aimed at all employees of Austrian authorities.State deniers were predominantly male, aged 41–50, and often referred to themselves as “free people” or “Reich citizens.” Contact was mainly in writing; aggressive incidents were rare to occasional.The interactions were often described as confrontational, time-consuming, and emotionally stressful.Key challenges include difficult com­munication, high administrative costs, and a lack of standardized procedures, which is why training, clear guidelines, and de-escalation strategies are needed.

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