The East African nation Takes Back Valuable Artefacts Following a 100-Year Stay in Germany
Exactly 12 historical objects were formally restored to the Ethiopian nation following staying by a household from Germany for over ten decades.
The artefacts, first gathered in the 1920's by Germany's diplomat to the Ethiopian empire Franz Weiss and his wife Hedwig, were delivered on Wednesday to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at Addis Ababa University.
The collection contained crowns, protective shields and canvases, all considered as culturally significant in the nation.
"These items continue to represent a symbol of the enduring and amicable ties between the German nation and the Ethiopian people," stated Ferdinand von Weyhe, the envoy to Ethiopia.
Professor Ramon Wyss, whose father was born during the family's assignment in the nation, handed over the artefacts at a gathering attended by the Minister of Tourism Selamawit Kassa.
He stated that the family's goal to restore the artefacts was to "share their splendor with the people and maintain the culture and past tied to my father's origin."
The objects were either considered donations or purchases, as stated by the family.
"I would like to thank Professor Weiss's relatives for concretely showing their sincere love for the nation by diligently maintaining these items and importantly ensuring their repatriation to their proper nation," said the tourism minister.
She added that the artefacts would shortly be made accessible to the public for study and academic study, describing the action a landmark in preserving the nation's cultural heritage.
"Actions persist to bring back historical artifacts that are found in the hands of collectors and institutions around the globe," she stated.
In the era of imperial control in Africa, many of historical artefacts were plundered.
The demand by nations in Africa for the restoration of stolen items has been met with a degree of positive outcomes in recent years - even if a number of artefacts are just on loan.
Back in 2022, Germany was the first nation to return some of the famous historical items to Nigeria in a bid to address its "troubled colonial history."
Similar Subjects
- Cultural Repatriation Movements in Africa
- The Effect of Colonial Past on Contemporary Ethiopian Heritage
- Global Campaigns for the Restitution of Stolen Items
