March 17, 2025
by Mark Tiler Richmond, Bricklyn Eagle Politics & Law Correspondent and Duane Sandville, Outland Affairs Correspondent
See our previous coverage, Historic “Integration Conversations” Held as Bricklyn Eyes French Status
In a stunning development, surprise trilateral negotiations between top officials from Bricklyn, Denmark, and France have resulted in the draft of a landmark four-year agreement.
The end result is that half of the Realm of Bricklyn will join the French Republic as an Overseas Territory, while the other half of Bricklyn will become part of the Realm of Denmark. The demarcation line between the two halves of the Realm of Bricklyn primarily uses the Brickooski River, with the Left Bank of the river part of France, and the Right Bank part of Denmark.
Bricklyn Federal Chancellor Malter Thurnbrick hailed the landmark agreement, noting that:
“Bricklyn now has firm security guarantees from both France and Denmark, which should deter any unwarranted threats from the new American administration. At the same time, other than in matters of foreign policy, Bricklyn will retain all its current laws and government administration. Most people will barely notice any difference in day-to-day life, and the Federal Council will retain virtually all its current powers and authority.”
Thurnbrick also told the press that Chief Prognosticator of the Realm David Bricks and his staff were part of Bricklyn’s negotiating team and, in fact, pressed from the start for Bricklyn to enter into this surprising trilateral agreement. As is their practice, the Office of the Chief Prognosticator has not made any public statements about the negotiations or their role in them.
Federal Council President Hilma Plater-Zybrick echoed Thurnbrick’s words, while adding that:
“All parties have agreed to this as a ‘four year experiment,’ which we will closely monitor. At the same time, our French and Danish counterparts have informed us that four years from now — if today’s agreement is made permanent — Bricklyn will be eligible for membership in the European Union.
“In the meantime, we look forward to an influx of visitors from European LEGO realms, and human visitors from Europe as well!
“We have also committed, if this agreement becomes permanent four years from now, to include European LEGO realms in an expanded League of Inland Cities headquartered here in Bricklyn.”
Negotiators from France and Denmark released a Joint Statement that stressed the importance of “protecting the integrity and security of a democratic Bricklyn,” noting that “while Bricklyn is but a small enclave within the State of Vermont, its people have lived in peace and security for generations, and have earned our respect, and our help if needed.”
The Joint Statement also warned the American administration that “Bricklyn, by this agreement, will become an integral part of the territories of France and of Denmark, and must be treated as such. This includes safeguards assured by our two countries’ longstanding membership in NATO.”
Plans are to quickly bring the Joint Agreement to the Bricklyn Federal Council for ratification, as well as to the French and Danish parliaments. Bricklyn Federal Chancellor Thurnbrick noted that “we are all fast tracking the agreement, and anticipate having it ratified by the three parties by May 1st.”
The Bricklyn Eagle reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment. We received the following brief reply from Assistant Deputy Undersecretary N. Sane Lee, “Isn’t Bricklyn that teeny place in a state that’s home to traitors who vote for a radical leftist Senator and sneer at our President and future King. Go play with your Danes and your Frenchies. Stay away from our Greenland. And don’t have your little boats try to use our great Panama canal. Your actions today will only help Make America Great Again.”
A note from Bricklyn Eagle Editor Walt Brickman:
➤ One City, Two Countries
“The Turkish army has built a barrier on the zone’s northern side, consisting mainly of barbed-wire fencing, concrete wall segments, watchtowers, anti-tank ditches, and minefields. The zone cuts through the centre of Nicosia, separating the city into southern and northern sections. … ”
Photo and text from Wikipedia entry on UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus.
That’s probably the most unusual and unanticipated outcome of Bricklyn’s negotiations. Analysts had been predicting association with either France or Denmark, but none spoke of association with both.
There is precedent for cities being divided by two countries. Nearby examples include Niagara Falls, New York/Ontario and the small town of Derby Line, Vermont / Stanstead Quebec, whose famous library and opera house is shared by two nations. But not all divided cities have worked out well. See, for example, Nicosia, Cyprus.
It will help, however, that most of the dividing line between French and Danish territory in Bricklyn will be based on the natural barrier of the Brickooski River. Denmark and France are also long-time allies with strong, amicable relationships. What’s more, the fact that the trilateral agreement is set to run initially for just four years should allow time to assess its workability. Finally, in homage to the Derby Line / Stanstead library and opera house, the Excchange Building — which houses the Bricklyn Public Library — will be designated as a site shared by French and Danish sectors of Bricklyn.📍
📍The agreement also provides that all residents of Bricklyn, as well as all visitors from the State of Vermont or from the nations of France and Denmark, will have full freedom of movement within both French and Danish parts of Bricklyn.
Update: March 29, 2025
Less than two weeks ago The Bricklyn Eagle gave us a positive example of cross-border cooperation in the small neighboring towns of Derby Line, Vermont, and Stanstead, Quebec, which for well over one hundred years have shared a public library and opera house. See the text immediately above this Update. Yet look at what happened just last week ago. Kristi Noem, the U.S. head of Homeland Security came up to Vermont, and like a spoiled, insolent child apparently “stepped back and forth across the border within the Haskell Librarry & Opera House. On the American side, wearing a grin, she said, ‘U.S.A. No. 1.’ And on the Canadian side, Noem said, ‘The 51st state.’ “
At the same time, Noem has made access to the shared library more difficult and time-consuming for Canadians, as the library’s only entry door is on the American side of the border.
📍 See “Kristi Noem Takes Bizarre Revenge on Canadians at Library She Used as a Stunt” (Daily Beast, March 21, 2025); See also “No Canadians allowed: Unusual cross-border library in northern Vermont to close access” (USA Today, March 22, 2025).
The Bricklyn Eagle will continue to monitor developments as the draft Bricklyn / France / Denmark agreement moves towards ratification. ✥
We welcome Letters to the Editor. Please email to: bricklynvt@gmail.com
To the Editor: I am confident that members of the Bricklyn business community will support this remarkable agreement. It will not only help assure Bricklyn’s security, but will lead to an increase in tourism from overseas LEGO and non-LEGO tourists. At the same time, more Bricklynites will feel comfortable venturing overseas, without fearing they will not have a home to return to in the United States — since they will be returning to either Danish or French overseas territory. — Tom Brickorti, past director of the Bricklyn Chamber of Commerce, Bricklyn Jct.
To the Editor: Where’s our gratitude to the State of Vermont, which will remain a part of the United States after we bail out? Vermont has provided Bricklynites with a safe and secure place to live for decades, and now because of a few threatening remarks from an obviously unhinged American president we’re ready to tie our fortunes to France and Denmark. Do we not remember what caused so many of us to leave Denmark in the 1980s? And how many Bricklynites who will soon live in French territory know how to speak more than a few words of French? I think our leaders are overreacting. — Margie Plater Knudson, South Bricklyn
