Ethiopia Welcomes Valuable Artefacts Following a 100-Year Residence in a German Family
Around 12 historical items were formally returned to the Ethiopian nation following remaining by a family in Germany for more than ten decades.
These artefacts, first gathered in the 1920s by Germany's then-envoy to Ethiopia Franz Weiss and his wife Hedwig, were delivered on midweek to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at the capital's university.
The assortment featured crowns, armor and artistic works, each regarded as historically valuable in Ethiopia.
"These items still serve as a symbol of the long-standing and amicable connection between the German nation and the Ethiopian people," said Germany's envoy, Germany's envoy to Ethiopia.
Professor Ramon Wyss, whose parent was born during the family's diplomatic posting in Ethiopia, delivered the artefacts at a gathering attended by Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa.
He stated that the family's intention to restore the treasures was to "share their beauty with the public and safeguard the heritage and past tied to my parent's beginning."
The artefacts were either presents or buys, according to the relatives.
"We want to thank the Weiss household for actively expressing their sincere appreciation for the nation by carefully preserving these artifacts and importantly ensuring their return to their proper nation," commented the tourism minister.
She continued that the pieces would shortly be made accessible to the public for investigation and educational purposes, describing the action a significant step in preserving the nation's cultural heritage.
"Initiatives are ongoing to bring back ancient objects that are held in the hands of collectors and organizations around the globe," the minister stated.
During colonialism in Africa, thousands of cultural artefacts were plundered.
The request by nations in Africa for the return of stolen objects has been met with a degree of progress in recent years - although some items are only on short-term display.
In the year 2022, the German government was the pioneering country to return a selection of the well-known Benin Bronzes to Nigeria as part of an effort to address its "complex past."
Connected Subjects
- Cultural Return Initiatives in the Continent
- The Impact of Colonial History on Contemporary Ethiopian Culture
- Global Movements for the Return of Looted Items
