Ethiopia Welcomes Valuable Treasures After a Long Residence in a German Family
Around Twelve historical objects have been formally given back to the Ethiopian nation after being kept by a German family for more than a century.
The items, initially collected in the 1920s by Germany's diplomat to Ethiopia Franz Weiss and his wife his partner, were handed over on this past Wednesday to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at the capital's university.
This assortment featured crowns, armor and paintings, each considered as culturally valuable in the nation.
"The items still stand as a symbol of the lasting and friendly connection between Germany and Ethiopia," said Germany's envoy, the envoy to Ethiopia.
Dr. Ramon Wyss, whose parent was born during the family's assignment in Ethiopia, handed over the items at a gathering witnessed by the Minister of Tourism Selamawit Kassa.
He said that the household's intention to return the items was to "share their splendor with the public and preserve the heritage and past connected to my parent's birth."
The artefacts were either considered presents or acquisitions, based on the family.
"We want to thank the Weiss family for actively expressing their profound love for Ethiopia by meticulously safeguarding these items and crucially securing their homecoming to their rightful nation," stated the minister of tourism.
She added that the pieces would shortly be opened to the general audience for study and academic study, describing the move a significant step in protecting the nation's cultural heritage.
"Efforts persist to bring back historical items that are found in the hands of individuals and institutions all over the globe," she affirmed.
In the era of imperial control in Africa, thousands of traditional objects were taken.
This demand by the continent's states for the repatriation of stolen items has been answered with some success in recent years - even if a number of artefacts are only on loan.
In two years ago, the German government was the first country to repatriate a selection of the famous Benin artifacts to the West African nation in a bid to confront its "complex colonial history."
Connected Themes
- Historical Return Efforts in the Continent
- The Impact of Imperial Past on Modern African Culture
- International Campaigns for the Return of Stolen Treasures
