Republic of Molossia

Republic of Molossia 𐐡𐐯𐐹𐐲𐐺𐑊𐐮𐐿 𐐲𐑂 𐐣𐐬𐑊𐐫𐑅𐐨𐐲 (Spanish) Respubliko de Molossia Micronation
Flag Coat of Arms
Anthem: "Fair Molossia is Our Home" by Kevin Baugh
Capital		Baughston
Official languages		English, Esperanto, Deseret alphabet (English)
Organizational structure		Nominally constitutional presidential republic; de facto Military dictatorship
-	President	Kevin Baugh/National Assembly (advisory only)
Establishment
-	Declared	September 3, 1999
Area claimed
-	Total	0.0053 km2 0.002 sq mi
Membership		27 [1]
Purported Currency		Valora
Time zone		Molossian Standard Time (UTC-7 hours, 41 minutes)

Molossia, officially the Republic of Molossia, is a micronation, founded by Kevin Baugh, humorously as a "dictatorial banana-republic" and headquartered solely from a tiny home near Dayton, Nevada.

It consists of Baugh's house (known as Government House), bathroom, about 0.001 acres (4 m²) of land, as well as another property surrounded on all sides by Nevada. It formerly claimed a property in Pennsylvania as well. According to author John Ryan, Molossia is "a hobby that has been pushed to the nth degree."^[2] Originally established as a childhood project in 1977, Molossia subsequently evolved into a territorial entity in the late 1990s.

The name Molossia is derived from the Spanish word morro which means "small rocky hill". Baugh has stated that the ancient Greek tribe of Molossians is unrelated.^[3]

History

On September 3, 1999, Baugh created the Republic of Molossia as a latter day successor to a childhood make-believe kingdom called "The Grand Republic of Vuldstein", and declared himself to be its president.

On November 13, 2012, Kevin Baugh created a petition on the Whitehouse.gov We the People website requesting formal recognition of the micronation. However, his petition did not gain enough signatures for recognition.

Territory

Border sign, Harmony Province

Molossia consists of two properties (previously three), located within the continental United States and comprising a total area of 6.3 acres (2.5 ha). They are owned by Baugh. Harmony Province is located near Dayton, Nevada and is the smallest of Molossia's territories at little more than one acre in size. It is the Baugh family's primary place of residence, and the site of Molossia's designated capital, Baughston. Baughston, was renamed from Espera on the 30th of July 2013 to commemorate President Baugh's 51st birthday.^[4]

The Protectorate of New Antrim was located at an undisclosed location in Pennsylvania and was the largest of Molossia's territories at a little over 8 acres (3.2 ha) in extent. It was named for the Northern Irish County Antrim and had its own governor, Grand Admiral Hess. It is no longer claimed by Molossia.

In August 2003, Baugh purchased a small piece of rural land in Northern California. This was referred to the Colony of Farfalla. The property was sold late in 2005, after Baugh inherited more land which he subsequently named Desert Homestead Province, in Southern California.^[3] Desert Homestead was previously owned by Baugh's grandfather, and the property has since been declared a "national monument" dedicated to him.^[3]

Vesperia is the name of Molossia's claim of 49,881 square miles (130,000 km²) on the planet of Venus.

Additionally, Molossia claims a spot named Neptune Deep in the North Pacific Ocean, about 750 kilometres (470 mi) southwest of Mexico.^[5]

Operations

President Kevin Baugh (born July 30, 1962)

Proclamations

The Republic of Molossia claims to be a sovereign, independent nation-state, completely surrounded by the United States. As a result, it has adopted a system of government recognizably similar in structure to that of a sovereign state.

Structure

Molossia is a republic governed by a constitution creating a National Assembly and other institutions of state. However, "due to unrest and the ever-present foreign menace from over the border", a state of martial law exists, enabling the President, Kevin Baugh, to exercise all powers of governance, including foreign affairs, while making the National Assembly an advisory body with no legislative powers.^[3]

Foreign relations

Molossia recognizes several other micronations, with numerous treaties enacted to this end.^[3] In May 2008, a summit was held with Grand Duke Paul, leader of the Grand Duchy of Greifenberg, another micronation. Plans were made for the revitalization of the League of Small Nations, a nearly defunct organization devoted to the prosperity of all micronations claiming land. This was Molossia's first ever formal state visit.^[6] Molossia asserts it was one of the first countries to recognize the Republic of Kosovo, one day after the Albanian majority country was declared on February 18, 2008, with Baugh sending an official letter to the newly formed government.^[7] However Molossia now only opens informal relations with other states.

Molossian Postal and Telegraph Service

The Molossian Postal and Telegraph Service only functions within the Republic of Molossia since the micronation is unrecognized and therefore has no equivalent agencies outside it. The Postal and Telegraph Service currently produces Cinderella stamps.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Tourism

Molossian customs station

In recent years the various micronation-themed art installations and landscaping projects that Baugh has constructed around his home have begun to attract some outside interest, with Baugh taking visitors on guided tours of the property by prior arrangement.^[6] As of 2008, he claims to have hosted around 14 visitors in a year.^[6] Visitors are required to produce a passport and their pocket change in order to be admitted.^[12] Baugh has stated that these requirements are waived for citizens of Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco, Seborga and "any other country recognized by Molossia".^[3]

Visitors are not allowed to bring certain items onto the property, including tobacco and incandescent light bulbs.^[13]

War with East Germany

The Republic of Molossia has claimed to be fighting a war with East Germany^[14] and it has issued war bonds to stop the war.^[15] It claims to have been fighting it since November 2, 1983.^[14] Although East Germany is now defunct, President Baugh asserts that Ernst Thälmann Island, allegedly given to East Germany by Cuba in 1972, is sovereign territory of East Germany, and thus allows the war to continue. In reality, the island continues to remain under Cuban sovereignty and was never transferred to East Germany.

The Official Molossia Club

The Official Molossia Club is the official Fan Club of the Republic of Molossia. Formed when the idea of a Molossian Peoples Union (M.P.U) was overturned, the idea of a fan club was deemed a more acceptable institution by President Baugh as it does not infringe on any of Molossia's Policy's on citizenship and or immigration. The Official Molossia Club is run by J.E an anonymous male who has not yet revealed his full name or age. It has been revealed that the club is run from a small office in the ceremonial county of Lancashire in the United Kingdom

In popular culture

Molossia was the main focus and site of the two-year anniversary of the That Guy with the Glasses website. Doug Walker produced a six-part mini-series starring Channel Awesome members titled Kickassia, primarily set and filmed on-location in Molossia and a nearby hotel. In the film, the Nostalgia Critic conquers Molossia and becomes its new leader, with the help of various other members of the That Guy With the Glasses site. The critics succeed and rename the nation "Kickassia" with plans to hopelessly conquer the United States, but the Critic becomes corrupt with his own power, leading the members of Channel Awesome to revolt against him and pass the power back to Baugh. Baugh stars as a comical version of himself. ^[16]

Molossia has also made an appearance as one of several micronations in the Japanese online webcomic, Hetalia: Axis Powers. He is mostly seen interacting with other micronations such as Sealand, Seborga, and Wy.^[17]

See also

• List of micronations
• Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made Nations

References

Further reading

• In The Spirit Of Independence Day - One nation, under me, The Chicago Tribune, Colleen Mastoni, July 3, 2008.
• Ryan, John. Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Self-Proclaimed Nations, ISBN 1-74104-730-7.
• iBerkshires Bite-sized sovereignties offer worlds of fun, February 2, 2005.
• Micronations: Republic of Molossia, Unrecognised States Numismatic Society, 2006.
• Micronations: Little Countries that Could, G4TV, Dave Roos, June 8, 2001.
• Born to rule, The Australian, Peter Needham, September 16, 2006.
• State of the nation, San Francisco Bay Guardian, Lynn Rapoport, February 28, 2007.

External links

• The Republic of Molossia official website
• Republic of Molossia page on MicroWiki.
• How to Start Your Own Nation – Interview with President Kevin Baugh of a Micronation Called The Republic of Molossia. 2013 Audio interview with President Kevin Baugh
• Local blogger's account of a day visiting Molossia

External images A 30th-anniversary coin A customs station A passport stamp from Molossia A postage stamp from Molossia A set of stamps

Wikinews has related news: Wikinews interviews Kevin Baugh, president of the Republic of Molossia Wikinews has related news: Wikinews holds a follow-up interview with Kevin Baugh, president of the Republic of Molossia Wikinews has related news: Wikinews interviews Molossian president Kevin Baugh on his country's recent intermicronational summit

Wikinews has related news: Micronation Republic of Molossia announces international summit Wikinews has related news: Republic of Molossia hosts state visit Wikinews has related news: Republic of Molossia announces new customs station

Coordinates: 39°19′14″N 119°32′22″W / 39.32056°N 119.53944°W / 39.32056; -119.53944