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Exactly Twelve ancient objects were formally returned to Ethiopia after being kept by a German family for more than a century.

These artefacts, originally collected in the early twentieth century by the German then-envoy to Ethiopia a German envoy and his wife Hedwig, were handed over on midweek to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at the capital's university.

This collection contained crowns, armor and paintings, all viewed as historically significant in Ethiopia.

"These artefacts continue to serve as a mark of the long-standing and positive ties between Germany and Ethiopia," stated Germany's envoy, the ambassador to the East African country.

Dr. a professor, whose parent was born during the household's service in Ethiopia, handed over the objects at a ceremony witnessed by Tourism Minister the tourism official.

He stated that the household's goal to give back the items was to "display their splendor with the people and maintain the heritage and history tied to my father's beginning."

These items were either considered donations or purchases, as stated by the relatives.

"I would like to thank the Weiss household for actively showing their sincere appreciation for Ethiopia by diligently preserving these artifacts and crucially securing their return to their legitimate homeland," stated the official.

She noted that the items would shortly be made accessible to the general audience for investigation and scholarly work, terming the move a significant step in safeguarding the nation's historical legacy.

"Efforts persist to return old artifacts that are held in the hands of private persons and institutions throughout the planet," she stated.

During colonial rule in Africa, many of cultural artefacts were looted.

This request by nations in Africa for the repatriation of taken items has been answered with some success in the past few years - though a number of artefacts are merely on temporary return.

Back in 2022, Germany was the pioneering country to return a selection of the well-known historical items to the West African nation in a bid to address its "dark colonial history."

Related Topics

• Cultural Return Efforts in the Continent
• The Effect of Colonial History on Modern Ethiopian Culture
• Global Movements for the Restitution of Stolen Items