European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 1, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Mythical kingdoms Kook Kings and pretending princes byjoe Waschenbach National geographic believe it Oft not Thara is a tile at the state department filled with ail kinds of curious documents about the Rise and fail of countries that never existed it is Kepi in official looking legalize folders and a few of its pages Are even stamped classified. I Call it the mythical kingdoms Kooky Kings and pretending princes file says Georga j. Demko. Director of the office of the geographer which has maintained this wonderful file for 40 years. More seriously it has been labelled ephemeral the newest entry is a letter dated aug. 29,1936, from a citizen of the United kingdom of Coral land seeking to Register As a foreign agent in the United states. Others have come from the King of the Mosquito Shore and nation on the Earl coast of Central America and the Secretary of state of the Republic of Minerva land of the rising atoll on Coral reefs in the South Pacific the file la very real even if the kingdoms Are not. 11 contains letters of credentials declarations affidavits and maps from persons claiming to have started their own countries. And it includes memos from a variety of . Government agencies inquiring about Ihler legitimacy is there such a place in most cases these would be rulers have declared Dominion Over land that actually exists usually tiny isolated islands sometimes under several feet of water. Like real countries some of these kingdoms have proclaimed declarations of Independence adopted constitutions sought diplomatic recognition sent out special envoys displayed Coats of arms minted coins and issued Stamps passports and visas. The geographer s office officially maintains a file on them because it is responsible Lor keeping track of the sovereignty status of All nations we have to know what and where everything is in the world Demko says. The Only problem with this file is that once you open it you gel fascinated by it he says opening it this is inside for instance Here s a lengthy lawsuit filed in tha court of special cases of the Republic of Morac song Rall Meads in 1985 against an array of prominent . Officials government agencies and companies. It seeks at least $25 billion in damages in infringement unfair Competition harassment and sabotage. Morac song Rau Meads. Which formerly called itself the kingdom of humanity has claimed islands and Oil rights in the strategically situated spratly Chain in he South China sea. But so have tic China Vietnam and the Philippines. Morton f. Meads an american businessman has contended his claim is the legitimate one because he is a descendant of the sea Captain who discovered the islands in the 1870s while sailing under the British Flag Meads established his consult Illonal monarchy More than 30 years ago locating its capital on Meads Island and choosing Beethoven s firm symphony As its National Anthem. Wtown auit Ralta Ira Pond a wheat quota that Leonard George Casley could t live with he turned his 18,500-acre Western Australia farm into the Hull River province later kingdom and proclaimed himself Prince. Hull River formally seceded on april 21,1970, a Day that became its National Holiday a Stone secession Monument permanently Marks the event. The kingdom population 35, published a 82-Page color Booklet about itself titled the birth of a principality. Australia refuses to recognize Ita Independent status. To give Maori people a race that is speeding to oblivion a place to Call their own their rightful place in the Sun King and absolute ruler Mitchard Helara signed a declaration of Independence in 1985 establishing the Maori kingdom of Tati islands in the South Pacific. His special envoy offered the United states a Long term lease on one Island situated about 500 Miles off the new zealand coast. We regret to inform you thai we cannot locals 6 National Oeon Pitta so defy fur Lentum Castallanta a 1984 slate department letter in the file slates. We can assure you that the United Stales government does not have diplomatic relations with this ephemera the principality of Castellan a had been created by a group of disenchanted austrian in 1974. Its location somewhere in the South Pacific was kept secret. According to one of its leaders Castellan a is More a state of thinking globally two Seh styled rulers served notice on Secretary of state Henry Kissinger in 1975 of their rights As sole owners of All of the Ocean floor and others such As the Admiral of oceanus have made similar sweeping claims. A British couple created their own half acre Island nation in the North sea by faking Over a world War ii Rudai and gun platform in 1966. They christened ii Sealand. On or two new mythical kingdoms pop up each year. Demko says. The one that originally created the file was Allan los bom on a group of islands off Ecuador in 1933. An old entry notes that one of its citizens was once stopped Al Elpaso Texas when he tried to enter the United states using an Atlantis passport. The file still contains More documents on Atlantis than any other mythical kingdom. One of the briefest entries just mentions a True hug nation. There s nothing in the file to Tail where or what it is. Saturday november 1,1888 the stars and stripes o
