Ethiopia Welcomes Valuable Artefacts Following a Long Stay in Germany
Exactly Twelve historical items have been ceremoniously restored to Ethiopia following being kept by a German family for over a century.
These items, originally gathered in the 1920s by the German diplomat to Ethiopia Franz Weiss and his spouse Hedwig, were handed over on this past Wednesday to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at Addis Ababa University.
The collection featured royal crowns, shields and canvases, each considered as culturally significant in Ethiopia.
"The artefacts continue to serve as a mark of the long-standing and friendly connection between the German nation and the Ethiopian people," said Ferdinand von Weyhe, Germany's representative to Ethiopia.
Dr. a professor, whose father was delivered during the household's diplomatic posting in the nation, presented the artefacts at a event attended by Tourism Minister the tourism official.
He said that the household's goal to give back the treasures was to "display their appeal with the people and maintain the culture and history connected to my parent's origin."
These objects were either gifts or buys, as stated by the family.
"I want to thank Professor Weiss's household for practically demonstrating their sincere love for the nation by meticulously maintaining these items and vitally securing their homecoming to their rightful homeland," commented the tourism minister.
She added that the pieces would shortly be opened to the public for research and educational purposes, terming the decision a landmark in preserving the nation's national treasures.
"Efforts persist to bring back old items that are located in the custody of private persons and entities around the globe," the minister said.
In the era of colonialism in Africa, thousands of cultural items were plundered.
This call by nations in Africa for the repatriation of looted artefacts has been answered with a degree of progress in lately - although a number of artefacts are just on short-term display.
In two years ago, Germany was the initial state to repatriate a portion of the famous Benin artifacts to Nigeria in a bid to confront its "troubled past."
Similar Subjects
- Cultural Repatriation Movements in Africa
- This Impact of Colonial Past on Contemporary Ethiopian Culture
- International Movements for the Restitution of Stolen Items
