The East African nation Receives Valuable Artefacts Following a 100-Year Holding in German Hands
A total of Twelve historical items were officially restored to Ethiopia following being kept by a German family for more than a century.
These treasures, initially gathered in the 1920s by the German representative to the Ethiopian empire Franz Weiss and his wife Hedwig, were handed over on Wednesday to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at Addis Ababa University.
The collection contained crowns, armor and paintings, each regarded as historically significant in the country.
"The treasures still serve as a emblem of the enduring and friendly relationship between Germany and the Ethiopian people," remarked Germany's envoy, the envoy to Ethiopia.
Dr. Ramon Wyss, whose parent was born during the household's service in the nation, handed over the objects at a event joined by the Minister of Tourism Selamawit Kassa.
He explained that the household's goal to restore the items was to "display their splendor with the people and preserve the heritage and past linked to my father's birth."
The items were either considered gifts or buys, as stated by the relatives.
"I would like to thank Professor Weiss's family for concretely showing their profound love for Ethiopia by meticulously preserving these items and vitally ensuring their return to their proper nation," commented the minister of tourism.
The minister noted that the pieces would shortly be made accessible to the public for investigation and academic study, terming the move a significant step in safeguarding the nation's historical legacy.
"Actions persist to repatriate historical objects that are located in the hands of individuals and institutions all over the planet," the minister stated.
In the era of colonialism in the African continent, thousands of traditional items were looted.
This call by nations in Africa for the return of stolen artefacts has been answered with some success in the past few years - even if some items are just on short-term display.
Back in 2022, Germany was the initial country to give back a selection of the renowned Benin artifacts to Nigeria in a bid to address its "dark legacy."
Similar Themes
- Historical Return Movements in the Continent
- This Impact of Colonial Past on Contemporary Ethiopian Heritage
- Global Movements for the Restitution of Looted Artefacts
