Liechtenstein - Switzerland

Aug. 08, 1982 - Vellerat - a municipality independent: With a march and a popular festival the small municipality of Vellerat - counting 58 inhabitants - celebrated its independence from the Canton of Berne to which it belongs politically since the new Canton of Jura was created in 1979. Inhabitants voted unanimous to join the new Canton of Jura in a popular vote some time before but were kept as part of Berne for major political reasons. As the only road which leads into the small village comes from the Canton of Jura the people there never stopped their fight to join the new Canton of Jura. This is the first time in the recent history of Switzerland that a municipality claims its own Independence to reach its political goals. Some 1000 guests and friends joined the manifestation on the weekend of Aug. 14/15th. Photo shows Supporters reach the village of Vellerat on their march. A customs office was symbolically built by the villagers. The village of Vellerat issued its own passports and even this dog got one

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1000 Belongs Berne Celebrated Claims Counting Goals Inhabitants Issued Join Joined Jura Kept Leads Manifestation Municipality Passports Politically Reach Reasons Recent Stopped Supporters Symbolically Unanimous Villagers Voted

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