Ethiopia Takes Back Historic Items Following a 100-Year Stay in German Hands

A total of 12 historical artefacts have been ceremoniously given back to the Ethiopian nation after remaining by a family in Germany for in excess of ten decades.

The items, originally collected in the 1920s by the German representative to Ethiopia a German envoy and his spouse his partner, were delivered on this past Wednesday to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at Addis Ababa University.

This assortment contained headpieces, protective shields and canvases, all regarded as culturally significant in the country.

"The items still stand as a symbol of the enduring and amicable ties between Germany and the Ethiopian people," remarked Ferdinand von Weyhe, the envoy to Ethiopia.

Dr. a professor, whose father was delivered during the family's assignment in Ethiopia, delivered the items at a event witnessed by Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa.

He said that the family's goal to return the treasures was to "display their beauty with the public and preserve the culture and past linked to my father's origin."

These items were either considered gifts or acquisitions, based on the household.

"We want to express gratitude to Professor Weiss's household for concretely expressing their deep love for Ethiopia by meticulously preserving these artifacts and crucially ensuring their return to their legitimate homeland," commented the tourism minister.

She noted that the artefacts would soon be made accessible to the general audience for study and scholarly work, describing the action a significant step in protecting the nation's historical legacy.

"Efforts will continue to repatriate historical objects that are found in the possession of collectors and organizations throughout the world," the minister said.

During colonialism in Africa, many of traditional artefacts were taken.

This call by the continent's states for the return of stolen objects has been answered with some progress in recent years - although some items are merely on temporary return.

In two years ago, Germany was the first state to return a selection of the well-known Benin Bronzes to the West African nation in an attempt to confront its "dark past."

Connected Subjects

• Cultural Repatriation Efforts in the Continent
• The Significance of Colonial Past on Modern African Culture
• Global Movements for the Restitution of Looted Artefacts