🔗 Share this article Ethiopia Takes Back Cultural Treasures Following a 100-Year Holding in a German Family This Assortment Includes Crowns, Shields and Paintings Each Considered as Culturally Valuable Exactly 12 ancient items have been officially restored to Ethiopia after remaining by a family in Germany for more than 100 years. The artefacts, originally gathered in the 1920's by the German diplomat to the Ethiopian empire Franz Weiss and his spouse Hedwig, were handed over on this past Wednesday to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at the capital's university. This set featured royal crowns, armor and paintings, each regarded as culturally significant in the country. "These treasures still serve as a emblem of the long-standing and friendly ties between the German nation and Ethiopia," stated Ferdinand von Weyhe, Germany's ambassador to Ethiopia. Dr. Ramon Wyss, whose father was born during the family's diplomatic posting in Ethiopia, presented the items at a ceremony joined by the Minister of Tourism Selamawit Kassa. He said that the household's intention to give back the items was to "share their beauty with the public and preserve the heritage and past tied to my father's beginning." The Pieces Will Soon to Be Opened to the Public for Study and Academic Study These artefacts were either considered gifts or purchases, based on the family. "I want to express gratitude to the Weiss family for actively expressing their profound love for Ethiopia by diligently maintaining these treasures and importantly ensuring their repatriation to their proper homeland," stated the minister of tourism. The minister continued that the pieces would soon be available to the public for study and educational purposes, calling the move a significant step in safeguarding the nation's national treasures. "Actions will continue to bring back old objects that are found in the custody of collectors and organizations around the globe," she said. In the era of colonialism in Africa, many of traditional objects were looted. This demand by the continent's states for the restoration of looted items has been met with certain positive outcomes in recent years - though some artefacts are merely on short-term display. In 2022, Germany was the initial nation to give back a portion of the renowned Benin artifacts to Nigeria in an attempt to deal with its "complex past." Connected Themes Cultural Repatriation Efforts in the Continent This Impact of Colonial Past on Modern Ethiopian Heritage Global Movements for the Return of Stolen Treasures