🔗 Share this article

Exactly 12 cultural objects have been officially given back to the Ethiopian nation after being kept by a family in Germany for more than 100 years.

The treasures, first gathered in the early twentieth century by the German representative to Ethiopia a German envoy and his spouse Hedwig, were delivered on Wednesday to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at the capital's university.

The set contained crowns, armor and canvases, all considered as culturally valuable in the nation.

"These artefacts still serve as a emblem of the long-standing and amicable ties between Germany and the Ethiopian people," said Germany's envoy, the ambassador to the East African country.

Dr. a professor, whose parent was delivered during the family's assignment in the nation, presented the items at a event joined by the Minister of Tourism the tourism official.

He said that the household's goal to restore the artefacts was to "display their beauty with the people and safeguard the culture and past tied to my parent's origin."

These items were either donations or buys, according to the relatives.

"I would like to thank Professor Weiss's household for concretely expressing their sincere love for the nation by meticulously maintaining these artifacts and vitally ensuring their repatriation to their proper country," commented the official.

The minister continued that the artefacts would soon be made accessible to the people for research and scholarly work, describing the decision a milestone in safeguarding Ethiopia's historical legacy.

"Efforts persist to repatriate ancient items that are held in the custody of individuals and organizations throughout the planet," she stated.

In the era of colonialism in the African continent, thousands of traditional items were looted.

The call by the continent's states for the restoration of taken artefacts has been answered with a degree of progress in the past few years - although several artefacts are only on loan.

In the year 2022, the German government was the pioneering state to repatriate some of the well-known Benin Bronzes to the West African nation in a bid to address its "complex past."

Related Topics

• Cultural Return Movements in the Continent
• The Effect of Imperial History on Modern Ethiopian Heritage
• Global Movements for the Restitution of Looted Treasures