Twelve historical artifacts have been officially returned to Ethiopia after being held by a German family for over 100 years. This was reported by the BBC, writes UNN.
Details
The artifacts, collected in the 1920s by Franz Weiss, then German envoy to Ethiopia, and his wife Hedwig, were handed over on Wednesday to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at Addis Ababa University.
The collection included crowns, shields, and paintings, which are considered culturally and historically significant in Ethiopia.
The artifacts are still a symbol of the long-standing and friendly relations between Germany and Ethiopia
Professor Ramon Wiss, whose father was born during the family's diplomatic mission in Ethiopia, handed over the items at a ceremony attended by Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa.
He noted that the family sought to return the artifacts to "share their beauty with the public and preserve the culture and history associated with my father's birth."
According to the family, the items were either gifts or acquisitions.
I want to thank Professor Weiss's family for practically expressing their deep love for Ethiopia by carefully preserving these artifacts and, most importantly, ensuring their return to their homeland.
She added that these items will soon be open to the public for research and academic study, calling it an important milestone in the preservation of Ethiopia's cultural heritage.
"We will continue our efforts to return ancient artifacts that are in the hands of private individuals and institutions around the world," she said.
Addition
Thousands of cultural artifacts were plundered during colonial rule in Africa.
Calls from African countries to return stolen items have had some success in recent years — although some are only returned on long-term loan.
In 2022, Germany was the first to return some of the famous Benin Bronzes to Nigeria in an attempt to come to terms with its "dark colonial past."
Recall
In November, the Vatican returned 62 artifacts to indigenous peoples of Canada, including an Inuit kayak, as part of a rethinking of the Catholic Church's role in suppressing indigenous cultures. These items, which were exhibited in Rome 100 years ago, will now be transferred to individual communities.
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