The East African nation Receives Cultural Artefacts Following a Century Residence in German Hands
Around Twelve historical items were ceremoniously returned to the Ethiopian nation following being kept by a household from Germany for more than a century.
The treasures, originally acquired in the 1920s by Germany's then-envoy to the Ethiopian empire Franz Weiss and his spouse Hedwig, were handed over on Wednesday to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at the capital's university.
This collection included royal crowns, protective shields and canvases, all considered as historically valuable in the country.
"These treasures still stand as a symbol of the long-standing and amicable ties between the German nation and Ethiopia," stated the German diplomat, the envoy to the East African country.
Dr. Ramon Wyss, whose father was born during the family's diplomatic posting in the nation, delivered the objects at a gathering witnessed by the Minister of Tourism the tourism official.
He stated that the family's intention to return the artefacts was to "share their beauty with the people and safeguard the heritage and history linked to my father's beginning."
The items were either considered gifts or acquisitions, according to the relatives.
"I would like to thank the Weiss relatives for actively expressing their profound affection for Ethiopia by carefully safeguarding these artifacts and crucially ensuring their homecoming to their proper country," said the official.
She added that the items would soon be made accessible to the general audience for study and academic study, calling the move a landmark in preserving the nation's national treasures.
"Efforts are ongoing to repatriate old items that are found in the possession of individuals and organizations around the planet," the minister said.
In the era of imperial control in Africa, numerous of historical objects were taken.
This call by nations in Africa for the return of stolen objects has been responded to by a degree of positive outcomes in recent years - although some items are only on short-term display.
Back in the year 2022, Germany was the initial country to give back some of the famous Benin Bronzes to Nigeria in a bid to deal with its "troubled past."
Similar Topics
- Cultural Repatriation Movements in the Continent
- The Effect of Imperial Past on Modern African Culture
- International Movements for the Return of Looted Treasures
