Ethiopia Welcomes Valuable Treasures Following a Long Residence in Germany
Exactly 12 historical items were officially returned to Ethiopia after being kept by a household from Germany for more than a century.
The treasures, originally acquired in the 1920's by the German then-envoy to Ethiopia a German envoy and his wife his partner, were delivered on this past Wednesday to the research center at the capital's university.
This assortment included headpieces, armor and paintings, each considered as culturally significant in the nation.
"These treasures still serve as a emblem of the long-standing and positive ties between the German nation and Ethiopia," remarked the German diplomat, Germany's ambassador to Ethiopia.
Dr. a professor, whose parent was delivered during the family's service in the nation, delivered the objects at a gathering attended by Tourism Minister the tourism official.
He explained that the household's aim to return the artefacts was to "share their splendor with the people and maintain the heritage and past linked to my father's origin."
The objects were either donations or acquisitions, based on the household.
"I would like to express gratitude to Professor Weiss's family for concretely expressing their profound love for the nation by carefully preserving these items and crucially ensuring their return to their rightful nation," stated the official.
The minister continued that the pieces would shortly be made accessible to the public for investigation and scholarly work, terming the move a milestone in safeguarding the nation's cultural heritage.
"Efforts will continue to return historical objects that are found in the possession of individuals and entities throughout the globe," she said.
In the era of imperial control in Africa, thousands of traditional items were plundered.
This request by nations in Africa for the repatriation of taken artefacts has been answered with certain positive outcomes in recent years - although some objects are only on loan.
Back in 2022, the German government was the pioneering nation to return a portion of the well-known Benin artifacts to the West African nation in a bid to confront its "troubled legacy."
Similar Topics
- Historical Repatriation Efforts in Africa
- The Impact of Colonial History on Modern Ethiopian Heritage
- Global Movements for the Return of Looted Treasures
