Ethiopia Receives Valuable Items After a Long Residence in a German Family
Exactly Twelve cultural objects were ceremoniously returned to the Ethiopian nation following being kept by a German family for over a century.
The artefacts, originally acquired in the 1920s by the German diplomat to Ethiopia a German envoy and his wife Hedwig, were handed over on midweek to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at the university in Addis Ababa.
The set included headpieces, protective shields and artistic works, each considered as historically significant in the country.
"These items still represent a emblem of the lasting and amicable ties between Germany and Ethiopia," remarked Ferdinand von Weyhe, the representative to the East African country.
Professor Ramon Wyss, whose father was delivered during the household's assignment in the nation, delivered the artefacts at a ceremony witnessed by Tourism Minister the tourism official.
He stated that the household's intention to give back the items was to "display their appeal with the public and maintain the heritage and past connected to my parent's birth."
These items were either considered gifts or purchases, according to the family.
"I would like to thank the Weiss relatives for concretely showing their profound affection for Ethiopia by diligently maintaining these artifacts and importantly guaranteeing their homecoming to their legitimate homeland," stated the tourism minister.
She added that the items would in the near future be available to the public for investigation and educational purposes, terming the action a landmark in preserving Ethiopia's historical legacy.
"Efforts are ongoing to return old objects that are located in the custody of private persons and entities all over the globe," she said.
During imperial control in Africa, thousands of traditional items were plundered.
This call by nations in Africa for the repatriation of stolen items has been answered with some success in lately - though several items are merely on short-term display.
Back in 2022, Germany was the pioneering nation to give back a portion of the famous Benin Bronzes to the Nigerian people as part of an effort to deal with its "troubled colonial history."
Similar Themes
- Historical Repatriation Movements in Africa
- The Impact of Colonial Past on Modern African Culture
- International Movements for the Return of Stolen Treasures
