The East African nation Welcomes Valuable Items Following a Century Holding in a German Family
Exactly Twelve cultural items have been formally given back to Ethiopia after staying by a family in Germany for over 100 years.
The treasures, initially acquired in the early twentieth century by Germany's diplomat to the Ethiopian empire Franz Weiss and his wife his partner, were transferred on midweek to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at the capital's university.
This collection included royal crowns, shields and canvases, all viewed as historically valuable in the country.
"The items still represent a mark of the lasting and positive ties between the German nation and the Ethiopian people," remarked the German diplomat, Germany's ambassador to the East African country.
Professor a professor, whose father was born during the family's diplomatic posting in the nation, delivered the objects at a ceremony joined by Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa.
He stated that the household's aim to give back the artefacts was to "showcase their beauty with the audience and preserve the heritage and history tied to my father's beginning."
These items were either donations or buys, based on the household.
"I would like to express gratitude to the Weiss relatives for actively expressing their profound appreciation for the nation by diligently safeguarding these treasures and importantly ensuring their homecoming to their legitimate homeland," said the minister of tourism.
The minister added that the items would soon be opened to the public for study and scholarly work, calling the action a landmark in preserving the nation's cultural heritage.
"Initiatives are ongoing to bring back historical objects that are located in the hands of collectors and organizations throughout the globe," she affirmed.
In the era of imperial control in Africa, thousands of traditional items were looted.
The call by nations in Africa for the return of stolen objects has been met with a degree of success in recent years - although some items are only on temporary return.
Back in 2022, Germany was the pioneering country to return a portion of the well-known historical items to the Nigerian people in a bid to address its "complex colonial history."
Similar Themes
- Cultural Repatriation Movements in the Continent
- The Significance of Imperial History on Modern Ethiopian Culture
- Global Movements for the Restitution of Looted Items
