Free Republic of Saugeais
The Free Republic of Saugeais is a micronation founded in 1947 in the French Doubs department on the border with Switzerland . The republic covers 128 km² with 5029 inhabitants, the capital is Montbenoît .
location
The "Free Republic of Saugeais" is located in the French Jura on the upper reaches of the Doubs , on a high plateau between Pontarlier in the southwest and Morteau in the northeast at an altitude of 800 to 1200 m above sea level. M. in the Val de Saugeais. The mountain ranges in the wider area reach heights of up to 1600 m above sea level. About 30 km northwest is the city of Besançon , 20 km southeast of Lake Neuchâtel (Lac de Neuchâtel). The "Free Republic of Saugeais" consists of 11 municipalities:
- Arçon
- Bugny
- Gilley (economic hub)
- Hauterive-la-Fresse
- La Chaux
- La Longeville
- Les Alliés (until 1915 Les Allemands )
- Maisons-du-Bois-Lièvremont
- Montbenoît (main town)
- Montflovin
- Ville-du-Pont
history
The "Free Republic of Saugeais" was founded in 1947 as a "joke" between the Prefect of the Doubs Department, Ottaviani and the innkeeper Georges Pourchet, who was declared President of the Republic. After Pourchet's death, the presidency was temporarily transferred from 1968 to 1970 to his widow, Gabrielle Pourchet. In 1972 she was confirmed in office by the population voting at the parish fair using the "Applaus-O-Meter". This in turn "ruled" until her death at the age of 99. It has had its own constitution since 2005. In 2006, their daughter, Georgette Pourchet, was appointed as the successor to the “presidential office” by thirty presidential electors made up of representatives from the eleven parishes. This is still in "office" today.
Previous "heads of state"
| Period | Surname | Political party | job | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 1968 | Georges Pourchet | First president, restaurateur | |
| 1968 | 1970 | Gabrielle Pourchet | provisional Pr. in "Succession" | |
| 1972 | 2005 | Gabrielle Pourchet | Second President (elected) | |
| 2006 | Georgette Bertin-Pourchet | Third President | ||
Politics and state organs
The President appoints a Prime Minister and is always supported and represented by a Secretary General . Furthermore, there are two voluntary customs officers in the "Free Republic of Saugeais" who randomly check the borders. The toll-free pass system is fully automated and can be used practically around the clock. There is also a minister for communication and public relations (Ministre de la communication et des relations publiques). Twelve ambassadors each represent Saugeais internationally, for example in Belgium and Switzerland but also in the neighboring cantons. In addition, Saugeais has 430 honorary citizens and issues some of its own certificates and medals, as well as permits, but does not have its own passport system.
The Free Republic of Saugeais has no separatist goals or aspirations for autonomy. It does not raise its own customs duties or taxes. The financial and judicial sovereignty as well as police and military tasks are carried out by France. French law applies.
Economy and Infrastructure
The Saugeais economy is still heavily influenced by agriculture. Local meat and sausage specialties and dairy products are produced. Another important source of income is tourism in the region. There are also businesses in the arts and crafts, wood processing, precision mechanics, construction and transport industries. Those who cannot find work on site commute, for example, to Besançon or in Switzerland to Neuchâtel or Biel .
The area is mainly developed by the department road D 437, which leads to the E 23 and the railway line from Besançon to Neuchâtel, as well as other department and district roads.
Culture and sights
In 1997, for the 25th anniversary of her office, a bank note was designed in honor of Gabrielle Pourchet. A variety of cultural and sporting events etc. are held. The "Miss-Saugeais" election has been held annually since 2013 on the national holiday, August 15th. Three museums provide information about the history of the region. In addition, it has been producing its own regional television program since 1978. Between 1989 and 1995, this from the Montbenoît monastery was also broadcast live nationwide on France 3 for 15 minutes a month .
French are spoken and a regional dialect, the Saugeais , for which language courses are held.
Church Notre-Dame de l'Assomption in Arcon
Street in Bugny with the village church
Augustinian monastery in Montbenoît
Cloister in the Augustinian monastery in Montbenoît
Choir of the church in Montbenoît
Pulpit of the church in Montbenoît
Doubs near Montbenoît in winter
Saint Anne Church in Gilley
Flag, coat of arms and national anthem
Saugeais has had its own coat of arms and flag since 1972. This is triple vertical striped in the colors black, red and yellow. In the middle of the red stripe it shows the gold-framed coat of arms.
The coat of arms is in the square with a shield head. In front it shows a silver fir tree in blue on silver mountains (symbolic of winter sports and forestry), in the back a silver wave bar (symbolic of pastures and river) in green. In the red head of the shield, the golden abbot's staff (Augustinian monastery) and a silver open helmet (Herren von Joux) stand side by side. The dividing lines and the shield border are gold colored.
With the Hymne du Saugeais, Saugeais has its own national anthem , which was composed by Joseph Bobillier as early as 1910 .
Web links
- Website of the Tourist Office of the Saugeais
- Saugeais at Listofmicronations (with photos of the pass and the citizens' meeting)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Micronation Saugeais
- ^ Free Republic of Saugeais report in the Badische Zeitung
- ↑ Pierre-Alexis Chauvin: The micronation Saugeais is not recognized, but has no problem with it. , VICE , January 13, 2015.
- ↑ Histoire de la Republique Libre de Saugeais ( Memento of the original from March 17, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Postage stamp and bank note from Saugeais
- ↑ Miss Saugeais 2013 with President
- ↑ Museums in Saugeais ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Heraldry of Saugeais
